Who this is for: Anyone who used Claude for Government Web (the web app) and now uses Claude Desktop connected to Claude for Government.The import copies your conversations, their attached files, and the projects you created, including each project’s files and instructions. It does not copy projects that other people shared with you.
Before you begin
- You have an account on the web app. It must use the same work email address as your account in Claude Desktop.
- You are signed in to the web app in your default browser. The import opens a browser tab there and asks for a one-time code, which expires after a few minutes.
For administrators: Anthropic enables the import for each organization, so there is no product setting for it. If a member’s Import & export page says import is not enabled and their app is up to date, contact your Anthropic representative. The import needs Claude Desktop to download a component, so on a network that blocks downloads.claude.ai, deploy the offline installer described under Installer and packaging in the Windows fleet checklist.
Run the import
1
Open the import dialog
In Claude Desktop, open Settings, then the Import & export page, and click Import….
2
Sign in and enter the code
Click Sign in to Claude for Government Web…, and in the dialog that opens, click Sign in. Claude Desktop shows a one-time code and opens the web app in your default browser. Sign in there with your work account if you are asked to, enter the code, and approve the request. Then return to Claude Desktop.
3
Fetch your export
Check that the email address shown is your work address, then click Fetch export and wait for the download to finish.
4
Start the import
Click Continue, review what will be added, then click Import. The import can take a few minutes.
5
Check the results
When the dialog reports what it brought over, click Done. Imported conversations appear in the sidebar, and imported projects appear under Projects with their files.
Continue an imported conversation
Imported conversations open in Chat. The first time you send a message in one, Claude Desktop shows a Resume imported session? prompt. Click Trust and resume to continue.Review imported project instructions
If a project had instructions in the web app, open it after the import. Its page shows a notice that the instructions came from an import, and Claude does not follow them until you accept them. Click Review instructions to edit and save them, or Use as is to accept them unchanged. They then appear under Instructions on the project’s page.Remove an import
To delete what an import added, open Settings, then the Import & export page. Under Import history, click Remove next to the import, or Remove all to remove every import listed. Before you confirm, the dialog shows how many conversations and projects it will delete.Troubleshooting
For anything else, try the import again; if it keeps failing, contact your administrator.
Things to know
- You can run the import again. Conversations you already imported are skipped.
- Conversations can arrive as Cowork tasks. If Chat in Claude Desktop is turned off for your organization under Product availability when you run the import, your conversations are imported as Cowork tasks instead and open only on computers where Cowork is available.
- Projects other people shared with you are not imported. Only the projects you created come over, with their files and instructions.