What you will have at the end
You will have Skills enabled on your Claude plan, at least one built-in skill turned on, and a first custom skill uploaded if you want one. Steps follow Anthropic's Help Center articles on using and creating skills, read on November 6, 2026.
Before you start
Check these first.
- Skills are available on Free, Pro, Max, Ultra, Team and Enterprise, and also in Claude Code and, in beta, for API users with the code execution tool.
- Code execution and file creation must be on; without it Skills will not run.
- On Enterprise, an Owner must enable Cloud code execution and file creation and Skills under Organization settings > Plugins & skills > Policy. Team has Skills on by default at the organization level.
- Only install custom skills from sources you trust; they can include executable code.
1. Enable code execution and open Skills
On Free, Pro, Max and Ultra, go to Settings > Capabilities and turn on Code execution and file creation (or Create and edit files in the newer Settings layout). Then open Customize > Skills in the sidebar and toggle individual skills on or off. On Team or Enterprise, confirm the Owner has enabled the organization policies first.
2. Use Anthropic's built-in skills
Anthropic ships skills for Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, PowerPoint decks and PDFs. With code execution on, Claude picks them when your request needs them; you do not have to name the skill. Example: ask Claude to create a PowerPoint about Q3 results and it should use the PowerPoint skill if that skill is enabled.
3. Add a custom skill
A custom skill is a folder with at least a skill.md file. The file must start with YAML frontmatter that sets name (up to 64 characters) and description (up to 200 characters); Claude uses the description to decide when to load the skill. Package the folder as a ZIP, open Customize > Skills, click +, Create skill, then Upload a skill. Toggle it on when it appears.
4. Browse the skills directory
From Customize > Skills, click the + button, then Browse skills, and Add a skill from the directory. Skills you install from the directory are view-only: you can toggle them off, but they stay in the directory to re-enable later; to change one, download a copy, edit it and upload it as your own. On Team and Enterprise, skills a colleague shares with you go to your skills list (not the directory) and are also view-only; organization directory skills appear under Your organization.
Check that it worked
Before you rely on a skill in real work, confirm these.
- Claude's thinking or reply shows it loaded the skill you expected.
- The file it produced matches the skill's purpose, such as a real .pptx for the PowerPoint skill.
- A prompt that should not trigger the skill does not load it.
- For a custom skill, only people you share it with can see it; organization-provisioned skills show a team indicator.
Common problems and fixes
Skills are missing: turn on Code execution and file creation, or ask an Owner to enable Skills in organization policy. Claude never uses your custom skill: rewrite the description so it states when to use it, and try a prompt that matches that description. You need to edit a directory skill: download it, change the files, and upload your own copy. Treat third-party skills like software: read skill.md and any scripts before enabling them.
Go to the source
Sources & further reading
Based on the official documentation below. Features and access can change; check the provider before making a decision.
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