How to Install Agent Skills in Claude (Web and Claude Code)

Agent Skills are folders of instructions that Claude loads when a task calls for them. Each one has a SKILL.md file with a short description, plus optional reference files Claude reads only when it needs them. Installing one takes a few minutes, and you only do it once.

This guide covers both places you can use skills: Claude on the web and desktop apps, and Claude Code in the terminal.

What you need

• A paid Claude plan with code execution enabled, for Claude.ai.
• The skill as a .zip file, or as a folder that contains a SKILL.md.
• For Claude Code: the CLI installed and a terminal open.

Install a skill in Claude.ai

1. Open Settings and find the Capabilities section.
2. Make sure code execution is turned on. Skills depend on it.
3. Under Skills, choose Upload skill and select the .zip.
4. Repeat for each skill in the bundle. Each folder with its own SKILL.md is one skill.

Claude reads each skill’s name and description at the start of a conversation and loads the full instructions only when your request matches. You don’t have to mention the skill by name, but you can.

Install a skill in Claude Code

Claude Code looks for skills in two places:

Unzip the archive and copy each skill folder into one of them:

unzip my-skills.zip -d ~/Downloads/my-skills
cp -R ~/Downloads/my-skills/* ~/.claude/skills/

Start a new Claude Code session so it picks up the new folders.

Check that it works

Ask for something the skill’s description covers. For a brand interview skill, try: “Interview me to build my brand file.” Claude should follow the skill’s steps instead of improvising. If it doesn’t, ask “Which skills do you have available?” and confirm the skill is listed.

Fixing common problems

• The skill never triggers. The description decides when Claude uses a skill. Phrase your request closer to the trigger phrases in the description, or name the skill directly.
• Upload rejected. The zip must contain the skill folder at its top level, with SKILL.md inside that folder, not nested two levels down.
• Claude Code doesn’t see it. Check the path is ~/.claude/skills/<skill-name>/SKILL.md and restart the session.

Keep skills up to date

When a skill gets a new version, replace the whole folder rather than editing files in place. That way references and templates stay in sync with the instructions that point to them.

Nexin doesn’t install this way: it is a connector whose tools run in Claude and ChatGPT, so there is nothing to upload and updates arrive on their own. See how to use Nexin in Claude and ChatGPT with one connector.