What Are Claude Artifacts? How to Make, Edit and Share Them

Ask Claude for a one-page client proposal and it doesn't just paste text into the chat. It opens a document beside the conversation that you can edit, share and export. That document is an artifact, and once you know how they work, Claude stops feeling like a chat window and starts feeling like a place where work gets made.

Artifacts changed recently, so older guides describe features that have moved. I've written this from Anthropic's current help pages, with the business uses I'd start with and prompts you can paste in.

What are Claude artifacts?

Anthropic describes an artifact as anything Claude makes for you that you'd put in front of someone. It opens next to your chat so you can see the result while you keep talking about it.

The help page lists the kinds of thing an artifact can be: documents, code snippets, single-page websites, images, diagrams and flowcharts, dashboards, and small interactive tools. Claude's product page adds designs, animations and decks.

Claude decides when something should become an artifact. Anthropic says it does this for content that's significant and self-contained, the kind of thing you're likely to edit or reuse, rather than a short answer.

Which plans include artifacts?

Artifacts are available on every Claude plan, including Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Claude's product page says the Docs, Slides and Design templates are included on every plan too.

Some extras sit on higher plans. Anthropic lists connecting artifacts to your apps and storing data on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Dashboards are in beta on Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise, and Motion is in beta on Team and Enterprise. If you're curious about those two, I've covered Claude dashboards separately.

How do I turn artifacts on?

Artifacts need a capability called Cloud code execution and file creation. On an individual plan, switch it on in Settings, then Capabilities. On Team and Enterprise, an owner manages it in Organization settings, then Capabilities.

If you ask for a document and only get text in the chat, this setting is the first thing to check.

How do I make an artifact?

Just ask for the finished thing, and describe who it's for. The clearer the brief, the less editing afterwards. Here's a prompt for a common small business job.

Copy this prompt

Create a one-page document I can send to a new client.
Title: Welcome to [business name].
Sections: what happens in the first week, what I need from you, how to reach me, and what to expect at the end.
Tone: warm and plain. Use my details: [paste your services and contact details].
Keep it to one page and make it easy to export to Word or PDF.

Where do I find my artifacts later?

Saved artifacts live in the Artifacts tab in the sidebar. That's the place to go back to a proposal, a checklist or a tool you made last week, rather than scrolling through old chats.

How do I edit an artifact?

You have three options. Ask Claude for the change in the chat. Edit template artifacts, such as documents, directly yourself. Or highlight a passage in a document and choose Edit with Claude to rework just that part.

Anthropic notes that if you edit an earlier message in the chat, Claude creates a separate branch with its own artifacts. That's useful for trying two directions, but keep track of which branch holds the version you want.

How do I export or download an artifact?

Each format has its own options, according to Anthropic:

• Documents: Word, PDF, Markdown or Google Docs.
• Slides: PowerPoint, PDF or Google Slides.
• Designs: a zip file, PDF, PowerPoint or a standalone web page.
• Animations: an MP4 video.

How do I share an artifact?

Artifacts start private. Nothing is shared until you share it. Open the artifact, choose Share, pick who can see it and copy the link.

• On Pro and Max you can keep it to yourself or share it with anyone who has the link.
• On Team and Enterprise you can share with people you invite, with your whole organisation, or with anyone who has the link if the owner allows external sharing.
• Access levels are view, comment or edit.

Anthropic adds two cautions. Artifacts that connect to your apps or use Claude can't be shared with just anyone who has the link, and sharing settings can't be changed in the iOS or Android apps.

What about older artifacts?

Anthropic calls artifacts made in a chat before mid-September legacy artifacts. They keep working and can still be published and shared, but new ones are made the current way. Legacy artifacts can be viewed as code, copied or downloaded, and some can be remixed into your own version.

What are the limits of artifacts?

A few practical limits are worth knowing before you build something you rely on. Anthropic says an artifact that stores data can hold up to 20 MB, text only, and that your personal storage and shared storage are kept separate. Artifacts that connect to your apps or use Claude can't be shared with just anyone who has a link, and published AI-powered artifacts ask viewers to sign in.

None of that matters for a welcome pack or a checklist. It does matter if you're building a small tool for customers, so test it from a private browser window before you share the link widely.

Artifacts vs Projects: what's the difference?

They work together. A Project is the workspace: its chats, instructions and reference files for one body of work. An artifact is the thing Claude makes inside a chat. If you make the same kind of document for every client, set up a Project with your template and instructions, then ask for a new artifact in it each time. I've explained the setup in how to use Claude Projects.

Five artifacts every small business should make

• A client welcome pack you can export to PDF.
• A simple quote calculator with your own options and labels.
• A one-page process checklist for a job you repeat every week.
• A short slide deck for a talk, pitch or team update.
• A flowchart of how a customer moves from enquiry to booking.

Start with the one you'd use this week. A welcome pack or a checklist pays you back the first time you send it, and it shows you how Claude handles your tone before you build anything more ambitious.

Copy and paste this prompt

Build a small interactive tool for my website visitors.
It helps a [type of customer] choose between my [number] services: [list them with one line each].
Ask them [number] simple questions, then recommend one service and explain why in two sentences.
Use plain language and my brand colours: [colours].

Tools that work with Claude artifacts

Artifacts export to the tools you already use. Microsoft Word and Google Docs take documents, PowerPoint and Google Slides take decks, and Canva or Figma are handy for finishing visuals with your own brand kit. If you embed or link to a tool from your website, WordPress, Squarespace and Wix all handle a simple link, and Notion is a good home for the checklists you make.

If you'd like help deciding which jobs in your business to turn into artifacts, this is how I work with business owners.

Frequently asked questions

What are artifacts in Claude?

An artifact is anything Claude makes that you'd put in front of someone, such as a document, slide deck, diagram, dashboard or small interactive tool. It opens beside the chat.

Are Claude artifacts available on the free plan?

Yes. Anthropic says artifacts are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise. Connecting apps and storing data need Pro or above.

How do I turn on artifacts in Claude?

Switch on Cloud code execution and file creation in Settings, then Capabilities. On Team and Enterprise, an owner manages it in Organization settings.

Where are my Claude artifacts saved?

Saved artifacts sit in the Artifacts tab in the sidebar.

Can I share a Claude artifact?

Yes. Artifacts start private. Open one, choose Share, pick who can see it and copy the link. Team and Enterprise have extra organisation-level options.