The app for independent voices
Thinking about switching from ChatGPT? Here's how to bring your context with you.
Not here to drag ChatGPT. It's a great tool and it got a lot of us started. But if you're curious about making Claude your main base, you don't have to start from scratch.
This can take from 10 minutes or up to a few days depending on how long you’ve been using ChatGPT…
Step 1: Grab your Custom Instructions
In ChatGPT: Profile icon → Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions
Two boxes. One for what ChatGPT should know about you.
One for how it should respond. Copy both.
This is the gold — everything you've taught it about yourself over time.
Step 2: Export your conversation data (optional, but useful)
If you've had useful long threads or worked through things you don't want to lose:
Settings → Data Controls → Export Data → Confirm Export
ChatGPT emails you a download link within a few minutes. The zip file has a conversations.json file with your full history. Not pretty to read, but worth skimming for anything important before you move on.
Alternative (for just one chat)
If you only need a single conversation:
Open the chat
Click the Share (🔗) button
Copy the link and save or send it
NB: If you’re using an Enterprise (Company deployed) version of ChatGPT - like I currently am - the Export Data option isn’t available. Eeek. So you’ll need to go through and download conversations individually …. yuck. If anyone out there knows of an alternative way, please do let me know.
Step 3: Bring it all into Claude
Open Claude (Chat or Cowork) and create a new Project.
Paste your Custom Instructions into the Project Instructions field. Tidy them up slightly — rewrite them as a brief to a new assistant rather than answers to ChatGPT's questions — but the core content is a perfect starting point.
If you exported your conversations, skim for useful threads. Pull out key decisions, preferences, or context and paste them into your Project Instructions, or save them as a document to upload.
Upload any files you typically paste in — briefs, guides, templates.
Done. Claude now knows what ChatGPT knows. And with a cleaner setup, probably more.