A ChatGPT Project is a named workspace that keeps your chats, uploaded files, and custom instructions together in one place. When you open a project, ChatGPT automatically follows the instructions you wrote for it — so your Recipes project always suggests metric measurements, and your Job Search project always knows your target role. You create a project in seconds from the sidebar, upload your reference files, and write your instructions once.
If you've ever started a ChatGPT conversation about your job search, then switched to asking for dinner ideas, and then had to explain yourself all over again — this is the fix. ChatGPT Projects let you create separate, named workspaces for different areas of your life. Each one keeps its own chats, its own uploaded files, and its own rules that ChatGPT follows automatically every time you open it.
What Is a ChatGPT Project?
Think of a ChatGPT Project as a dedicated notebook for one subject. Inside that notebook, you keep three things together:
- Conversations — all your chats on that topic, in one searchable place
- Files — documents you upload for reference (your CV, a recipe collection, an insurance policy)
- Custom instructions — rules ChatGPT follows every time you open that project
That last part is what makes Projects genuinely useful. Without them, ChatGPT forgets your preferences the moment you start a new chat. With a project, you write your instructions once — "Always suggest recipes using grams and milliliters, and avoid shellfish" — and ChatGPT follows them every time, without you having to repeat yourself.
Projects are available to both free and paid ChatGPT users.
Creating Your First Project
Open the sidebar and find Projects
In the ChatGPT web app, look at the left-hand sidebar. Near the top you will see a Projects section with a New project button or a "+" icon. On the mobile app, tap the menu icon in the top-left corner to open the sidebar first, then look for Projects there.
Name your project
Click New project and type a clear name — "Recipes," "Job Search," or "Family Documents" works well. A good name makes it obvious at a glance which workspace you are opening. You can rename it later, so don't overthink this step.
Write your instructions
This is the most powerful step. Inside the project, look for an Instructions field or a settings icon. Write what you want ChatGPT to always know in this context.
For a Recipes project, you might write:
Always suggest recipes using metric measurements (grams, milliliters). I am vegetarian and avoid gluten. Keep suggestions simple — no more than 30 minutes of active cooking time.
For a Job Search project:
I am applying for mid-level marketing manager roles in the Netherlands. My background is digital marketing with five years of experience. Always tailor suggestions to that role and that market.
You can come back and edit the instructions anytime — ChatGPT will apply the updated version the next time you open a chat inside the project.
Upload your reference files
Click the paperclip or file upload icon inside the project to add documents. ChatGPT Projects support PDFs, Word documents (DOCX), PowerPoint files (PPTX), Excel spreadsheets (XLSX), JPG images, and more.
Each project can hold up to 5 files (Free), 25 files (Plus), or 40 files (Pro/Business/Enterprise). File storage counts against your total Library quota, not a per-project cap. Files sit at the top level — there are no sub-folders inside a project. If you hit the limit, delete files you no longer need and upload new ones.
Start a conversation
Click New chat inside the project. ChatGPT automatically applies your instructions and has access to your uploaded files. You do not need to re-explain who you are or what you need — it already knows. When you want to refer to a file, just mention it naturally: "Based on my CV, which skills should I highlight for this role?"
Three Projects Worth Setting Up Today
The Recipes Project
What to put in it: A PDF of your favourite recipes, a list of dietary restrictions or allergies, and any notes about equipment you own (for example, "I don't have a stand mixer" or "I cook on an induction hob").
Instructions to write: Your unit preference (metric or imperial), allergies or restrictions, how many people you usually cook for, and your rough cooking skill level.
Try this prompt:
What can I make tonight with chicken thighs, tinned tomatoes, and whatever herbs and spices are typical to have on hand? Keep it under 40 minutes and make it work for two people.
The Job Search Project
What to put in it: Your current CV as a PDF or DOCX, any cover letters you have already written, and copies of job postings that interest you.
Instructions to write: Your target role, the industry and location you are aiming for, your experience level, and any specific requirements (salary expectations, remote-only, etc.).
Try this prompt:
Here is a job posting I want to apply for. Compare it to my CV and tell me: what are my three strongest matches, and what is the one gap I should address in my cover letter?
The Family Paperwork Project
What to put in it: Scans of insurance policies, a list of medications for family members, lease or rental agreements, warranty documents — anything you might need to look up in a hurry.
Instructions to write: Names of family members, any important medical or practical context, and the language you'd like answers in if it differs from English.
Try this prompt:
My home insurance policy document is uploaded. We had a water leak in the kitchen and some cabinets are damaged. Does this policy cover that, and what do I need to do to make a claim?
Projects vs. ChatGPT Memory: What's the Difference?
ChatGPT has two separate ways to "remember" things, and it helps to know which is which.
ChatGPT's general memory saves facts about you across all your conversations — things like your name, your job, or that you prefer bullet points over long paragraphs. It applies everywhere, including inside projects, unless you turn it off.
Project instructions only apply inside that specific project. If you tell your Recipes project to avoid shellfish, that instruction disappears the moment you switch to your Job Search project — which is exactly what you want.
You can also set a project to use project-only memory, meaning ChatGPT won't draw on your general memory inside that workspace. This is useful if you want to keep a project completely separate — for instance, if you're testing something without your personal background influencing the answers.
What to Watch Out For
Be thoughtful about what you upload. Files you add to a project are sent to OpenAI's servers and processed to answer your questions. Don't upload documents containing passwords, national ID numbers, or sensitive financial details unless you have read OpenAI's privacy policy and are comfortable with how that data is handled.
Projects don't replace your own filing system. If you need a document to exist long-term and be accessible outside ChatGPT, keep the original file somewhere safe — a folder on your computer, a cloud drive, or printed and filed. A ChatGPT project is a useful working context, not a document archive.
ChatGPT can still be wrong. Uploaded context and clear instructions make ChatGPT far more accurate for your specific situation, but they do not make it infallible. For anything with real consequences — medical decisions, legal questions, financial planning — treat ChatGPT's answer as a starting point and verify with a qualified person.
The file limits are per project. If you need to add more files than the limit allows, remove documents you no longer need first.
What to Try Next
The quality of your results inside a Project depends a lot on how clearly you write your instructions — How to Write Better Prompts shows you exactly how to phrase things so ChatGPT understands what you actually want. If you want to understand how ChatGPT's general memory works and how to control what it remembers about you, ChatGPT Memory Settings Explained is the place to start.
