How to sign up for Claude

How to sign up for Claude

by Sarah MacPherson, a product manager, ai enthusiast trying to find the best and most interesting ways to work with this new frontier

What you need to sign up

Signing up for Claude is straightforward and free. You'll need:

  • An email address (or you can sign up with a Google account)
  • A web browser (Claude is web-based)
  • A few minutes to create and verify your account

No phone number verification or credit card is required to get started with the free version.

Step-by-step signup process

Go to the Claude website: Open your browser and visit claude.ai. You'll see a "Sign up" or "Try Claude" button.

Choose your signup method: You can create an account using your email address or sign in with an existing Google account. Using Google is faster and means one less password to manage.

AI prompt: "What are the security benefits of using Google sign-in vs. creating a separate account?"

Enter your information: If signing up with email, you'll need to provide your email address and create a password. You'll also be asked to agree to Anthropic's terms of service and privacy policy.

Verify your email: Anthropic will send a verification email to the address you provided. Open the email and click the verification link to confirm your account.

Complete your profile (optional): You may be asked to provide some basic information about how you plan to use Claude. This is typically optional and helps Anthropic improve the service.

Start using Claude: Once verified, you'll land on the main Claude interface. There's a text box at the bottom where you can start typing questions or uploading documents.

Using Claude on mobile

As of late 2024, Claude is primarily web-based and works well in mobile browsers (Safari on iOS, Chrome on Android). Anthropic has released mobile apps for some regions:

  • Check your device's app store for the official Claude app
  • If an app isn't available in your region, you can use claude.ai in your mobile web browser
  • Conversations sync across devices when you're logged into the same account

The mobile browser experience is quite good, so don't worry if a native app isn't available yet.

Troubleshooting common signup issues

Verification email not arriving: Check your spam or junk folder. If it's not there, look for a "resend verification email" option on the Claude website. Make sure you're checking the correct email address.

Account already exists: If you see a message that an account already exists for your email, try logging in instead. Use the "Forgot password" option if you don't remember your credentials.

Browser compatibility issues: Claude works best in modern browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge. If you're having trouble, make sure your browser is up to date.

Regional availability: Claude may not be available in all countries due to regulatory or capacity constraints. If you can't access Claude from your location, you'll typically see a message explaining why.

What happens after signup?

Once you're signed up, you'll see Claude's clean, simple interface. The main area shows your conversation, and there's a sidebar where you can start new chats or view previous conversations.

You can:

  • Type questions or prompts in the text box
  • Upload documents (PDFs, text files, etc.) using the attachment icon
  • Start new conversations anytime to keep topics organized
  • Rename or delete past conversations from the sidebar

Your free account gives you access to Claude's core features with daily usage limits. If you find yourself wanting more, you can upgrade to Claude Pro from your account settings.

AI prompt: "Give me 5 example questions to try with Claude to understand what it's good at"

Privacy and data

Anthropic takes privacy seriously, but like all AI services, your conversations are used to improve the model unless you opt out. Avoid sharing sensitive personal information like passwords, financial details, or private medical records in your chats.

You can review Anthropic's privacy policy and data practices in your account settings.

Related resources

Now that you're signed up, learn what Claude can do in What is Claude and how is it different?. Curious about upgrading? See Claude free vs paid: What do you get?. For detailed tips on using Claude effectively, visit Claude tips and limitations.