The prompt that builds the handoff skill for Claude and the finished skill file, with the setting to turn on first, the save step, and the lines to fix before you paste.
One prompt makes the skill, and one word runs it. Both files are below, ready to copy.
1. What this skill does
Type the word “handoff” in a long Claude chat. Claude reads the whole conversation and writes one plain text block with five parts. You paste that block into a new chat, and the new chat picks up the work. In my test, the block came back in 14 seconds. The new chat took the last agreed sentence from the old chat and kept editing it. That first message was 1,915 characters, about a seventh of the old chat. My test chat was mid length, with 8 messages and about 13,700 characters.
2. Turn this on first
Skills need code execution. Claude’s help page says: “Skills are available for users on Free, Pro, Max, Team, and Enterprise plans. This feature requires code execution to be enabled.”
On claude.ai, the path is:
Click your name in the bottom left.
Open Settings.
Open the Capabilities tab.
Find Code execution and file creation.
Switch on Cloud code execution and file creation. Its note ends with “Required for skills.”
I ran everything on a Max account. I did not check the Free plan screen myself.
3. The prompt, in full
Paste this into any chat on claude.ai. It came from a caption by @bigpictureclub, word for word.
Create a skill file called "handoff" with this exact trigger: any time I type the word "handoff" or ask you to summarise the chat for a new session, run this skill automatically. When triggered, go through the full conversation and produce a plain text block I can copy and paste into a new chat. Include these five sections: Who this is for: one or two sentences on who I am and what I am working on. What we covered: a paragraph summarising the main topics and decisions. What was confirmed: key facts, conclusions, and anything we agreed on. Still in progress: anything unfinished, flagged, or left open. Next steps: what to pick up in the next session. Rules: no markdown, no bullet points, write in plain sentences. Be specific. Do not pad. Do not invent anything that was not discussed. Write it as if briefing a new Claude who has never seen this conversation. After producing the file, tell me I can edit any section before pasting it into a new chat.
Claude built the skill in 23 seconds in my test.
4. Save it from the card
Making the skill does not save it. Claude shows a card titled “Save skill” with the name /handoff. Click Save on that card. The card then changes to say the skill was saved as /handoff. Claude’s own reply said so too: “The handoff skill is ready. Save it from the card above so it triggers automatically in future chats.”
You will find it later under Customize > Skills, in your own skills.
5. The skill file, in full
This is the SKILL.md Claude showed me before I saved it. It added two things to the prompt. The block sits in one code block, so you copy it in one click. It also keeps “Claude suggested” apart from “we decided.”
Use whenever the user types the word "handoff" or asks to summarise the chat for a new session. Produces a plain-text briefing block to paste into a new chat.HandoffTriggerRun this skill automatically any time the user types the word "handoff", or asks you to summarise the chat for a new session (for example "summarise this for a new chat", "wrap this up so I can continue elsewhere", "give me a session summary").What to doGo through the full conversation from the first message to the latest one. Do not rely only on the most recent turns.Produce a single plain text block, inside one code block so the user can copy it in one click, containing exactly these five sections in this order, each introduced by its label on its own line:Who this is for: One or two sentences on who the user is and what they are working on.What we covered: One paragraph summarising the main topics discussed and the decisions made.What was confirmed: Key facts, conclusions, and anything the user and Claude agreed on.Still in progress: Anything unfinished, flagged, or left open.Next steps: What to pick up in the next session.RulesNo markdown inside the block: no headers, no bold, no bullet points, no numbered lists. Write in plain sentences and paragraphs. The section labels are plain text lines ending in a colon.Be specific. Use the actual names, numbers, file names, tools, options, and decisions from the conversation rather than general descriptions.Do not pad. No preamble, no filler, no closing pleasantries inside the block.Do not invent anything that was not discussed. If a section has nothing to report, say so in one sentence (for example "Nothing was left open.").Keep provenance honest: something Claude suggested is not a decision unless the user agreed to it. Write "Claude suggested X" versus "we decided X" accordingly.Write it as if briefing a new Claude who has never seen this conversation: it should be able to continue the work from this block alone.After the blockOutside the code block, add one short line telling the user they can edit any section before pasting it into a new chat.
Rather not use the chat? Claude’s help page gives an upload path instead. Put the skill in a folder and zip that folder. Then go to Customize > Skills, click +, then + Create skill, then Upload a skill, and pick the ZIP. Uploaded skills stay private to your account until you share them.
6. Run it
Open a long chat and type one word:
handoff
Claude loads the skill and returns the five parts in one code block. Copy the block, open a new chat, and paste it.
7. Fix these lines before you paste
Read the block first. The skill says not to invent anything, but my test still added two things. The first line called me “a Korean-speaking indie hacker.” I never said that in the chat. The last line offered “a Korean translation,” which nobody had asked for. My chat memory was on, so it probably came from there.
So check two places before you paste:
Who this is for. Delete anything about you that the chat never mentioned.
What was confirmed. Keep only what you agreed to. If Claude only suggested it, move it or write “Claude suggested.”
The block ends with the same reminder: “You can edit any section before pasting it into a new chat.”
keep reading
The rest is free too.
One address opens the rest of this guide and every other one here, for
good. I’ll email you only when a new one is out.