Using Claude: start free, step by step

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Using Claude can suddenly seem useful when a colleague says Claude writes well, but you may not know where to start. You may also wonder whether you can put personal data into it safely. In this article, you will get started step by step. In about ten minutes, you will have an account, you will check the main privacy setting, and you will create your first useful result.

What is Claude and what do you use it for?

Claude is an AI assistant from Anthropic that lets you chat in ordinary language to write texts, summarise them, explain things and read documents. Claude is also the name of the language models behind that chat environment.

You type a question or instruction. Claude then gives you an answer in text. After that, you can ask follow-up questions, make it shorter or change the tone.

According to Het Ondernemersbelang, Claude is well suited to documents and long texts. That makes it useful if you want to understand a text, need a draft email or want to quickly pull out the main point from a piece of writing.

For example, you can use Claude for:

• writing an email or making it more polite
• summarising a long text
• asking for an explanation in simple language
• making a plan for your working day
• asking questions about a document you upload

Claude is similar to ChatGPT and Gemini, because you can chat with AI on all three. Even so, they do not always feel the same to use. One assistant may sometimes be better for writing, while another may fit search or other apps better.

There is no single winner for everyone. The best choice depends on your task, your privacy preferences and what your employer allows. If you want to compare them, try the same task in several AI tools and see which answer you find most useful.

How can you use Claude for free?

You can use Claude for free by going to claude.ai or installing the app, creating an account and starting to type. Free use has limits per time period, so always check with the provider what the free plan currently includes.

According to DataCamp, Claude is available via the web, iOS, Android and desktop. The buttons, screen names and steps may look a little different from those in this article, because providers regularly update their apps.

1. Open claude.ai in your browser or install the app.
2. Choose sign in or create account.
3. Use your email address or Google account, if that option is offered.
4. Confirm your account with a code or confirmation.
5. Open a new conversation and type your first question.

You do not need to do anything complicated straight away. Start with a simple task, such as writing a short email or summarising a text. After that, you can improve the answer with an extra instruction.

Free use does not mean unlimited use. There may be limits on messages, time periods, uploads or features. So do not quote an old price or old limit from an article, but check with Anthropic what applies today.

Some features may differ by plan or by period. Think of features around documents, search or extra workspaces. Check this directly with Anthropic before you assume a feature is included in your free account.

Claude was made available in Europe, including the Netherlands, in 2024, Techzine reported. So for Dutch and Belgian users, getting started is practically possible. Just keep your company or organisation rules in mind if you use Claude for work.

Does Claude work in Dutch?

Yes, you can type in Dutch and get Dutch answers. Do check tricky sentences, names, facts and amounts, especially if you are sending the text to customers or colleagues.

At the European launch in 2024, Techzine reported that Dutch was not yet officially listed as a language. In practice, you can now work in Dutch, but it is still wise to read important texts yourself.

Give Claude direction right away. In your first message, say that you want the answer in Dutch. Also say who the text is for.

Useful instructions include:

• Write in Dutch for customers in the Netherlands.
• Use a businesslike but friendly tone.
• Write for Belgian readers.
• Use the you form.
• Avoid jargon or explain jargon briefly.

The more specific you are, the better Claude can match your goal. Also ask for a shorter version if the answer is too long. Or ask for a simpler version if it sounds too formal.

How do you set privacy properly when using Claude?

After signing in, go to Settings, Privacy, and decide carefully whether your conversations may help improve Claude. According to MacRumors, Anthropic introduced a choice in 2025 that lets users decide whether chats are used to improve Claude.

According to MacRumors, the switch is called Help improve Claude. The setting may appear differently for you, for example because of language settings or a new version of the app. So always check Settings, Privacy, and read Anthropic’s current explanation.

According to MacRumors, the retention period was extended to five years if you give permission. The same applies here: check the current terms with Anthropic itself. Privacy terms can change.

The main rule is simple: do not paste sensitive data into Claude unless it is really necessary. Think of national ID numbers, passwords, medical details, financial information or customer data.

Do you work with customer, colleague or supplier data? Then the GDPR also applies. You are responsible if you enter other people’s personal data into an AI tool. Do not see this as legal advice, but as a reason to be careful and follow your organisation’s own policy.

It is better to use temporary names. For example, write [Customer A] instead of a real name. Use [amount] instead of a real sum if it is not needed for the task.

A safe first checklist:

• Create your account and check that you are using the right email address.
• Go straight to Settings, Privacy, and review the privacy switch.
• Do not paste sensitive or confidential data.
• Check facts, names, dates and amounts before you use anything.
• Delete a conversation if you want to and if that option is available.

If you use it at work, there is one more step. First check whether your employer allows AI and whether there is an AI policy. In companies, AI literacy can be an important issue. That means employees need to understand what AI can and cannot do.

If you want to go deeper, also read about using AI safely.

What should you ask Claude first?

Start with a small, concrete task with context, goal and desired format. A good prompt helps Claude guess less and produce something useful faster.

Such an instruction is called a prompt. If you want to read more about it, also see what a prompt is.

A good starting prompt usually has four things: who you are, what you want, who it is for and what the result should look like.

Three easy tasks to start with:

• Make this email more polite and shorter, without changing the message.
• Summarise this long article in five points for someone with no background knowledge.
• Create a weekly menu or schedule with clear steps.

Then adjust it with a follow-up question. For example, say: make it shorter, more formal, warmer or simpler. So you do not need to start over if the first answer is still not right.

Practical example: creating a customer email with Claude

In this example, Mila uses Claude to create a first draft for a customer email. It is only an example, so the result may differ each time.

Mila works at a small accounting firm in Utrecht. She needs to tell a client that the papers must be handed in a week later. She wants to stay friendly, but also be clear.

1. Mila opens claude.ai.
2. She types a clear prompt.
3. She reads the draft critically.
4. She types a follow-up question to improve the text.
5. She copies the result into her email programme and checks the date and name.

This is the prompt Mila uses:

You help me as an employee of an accounting firm. Write a short, friendly email in Dutch to a client, about 100 words. Message: we need the papers for the VAT return one week later, by [date] at the latest. Tone: businesslike but warm, you form. End with a clear request to confirm. Do not use bullet points.

Then she asks:

Make the first sentence shorter and add an apology for the inconvenience.

The expected result is a usable draft of about 100 words with a subject line. Mila does not copy it blindly. She checks the date, the customer’s name and whether the tone suits her office.

This is exactly where Claude can be useful. You get a first version quickly, but you still do the final check.

What can Claude do with documents, and what should you watch out for?

You can upload a PDF or Word file and ask questions about the content. Always check the answers yourself, especially for important decisions or customer work.

According to Het Ondernemersbelang, Claude is suitable for documents and long texts. That means you can ask it for a summary, a list of action points or an explanation of a difficult passage, for example.

There are limits, though. File size and the number of uploads may be limited. These limits differ by plan and can change, so check with the provider what applies right now.

Do not upload confidential material without permission. Think of contracts, personnel files, customer data or medical information. If possible, make a document anonymous first.

A useful way to ask is:

• Summarise this document in five points.
• Only mention points that are literally in the document.
• Say where in the document you see this for each point.
• State which information is missing.

So ask Claude to mention the place in the document where something appears. That helps you check the answer faster. AI can make mistakes or write something with too much certainty.

Also pay attention to the context window. That is the amount of text an AI can take into account at once in a conversation. With long documents, it can happen that details are handled less well.

Is Claude better than ChatGPT for you?

That depends on your task. Try the same instruction in Claude and in ChatGPT, and compare which result works best for you.

For example, use the same email task or the same summary. Then look at tone, clarity, completeness and how much you still need to edit. That gives you a fairer comparison than going by feeling alone.

If you also want to get started with ChatGPT, read using ChatGPT.

Topic	Claude	ChatGPT	Gemini
Sign up	Via web or app with a supported account. Check the current options with the provider.	Via web or app with a supported account. Check the current options with the provider.	Via web or app with a supported account. Check the current options with the provider.
Free use	There is free use with limits per period. Check the current details with the provider.	There is free use with limits per period. Check the current details with the provider.	There is free use with limits per period. Check the current details with the provider.
Dutch	You can type in Dutch and get answers in Dutch. Check important text yourself.	You can type in Dutch and get answers in Dutch. Check important text yourself.	You can type in Dutch and get answers in Dutch. Check important text yourself.
Uploading documents	You can upload documents, but limits differ by plan. Check the current rules.	You can upload documents, but limits differ by plan. Check the current rules.	You can upload documents, but limits differ by plan. Check the current rules.
Privacy setting	Look in Settings, Privacy, and choose carefully what you allow.	Look in the provider’s privacy settings and terms.	Look in the provider’s privacy settings and terms.

The table is not a ranking. It is a practical way to see which tool fits your work. For the current limits and features, always check with the provider itself.

Common mistakes when using Claude

Most beginner mistakes are easy to avoid. Take a little time for a good prompt, your privacy setting and your own check.

• Asking too vague a question. Just asking for an email is usually not enough. Give the goal, recipient, tone and length.
• Not checking the privacy setting. Go straight to Settings, Privacy, after signing in and choose carefully what you allow.
• Pasting personal or confidential data. Anonymise your text. For example, use [Customer A] and [amount].
• Taking the answer at face value. Check names, dates, amounts and sources before you send anything.
• Starting over after a poor answer. It is better to give a follow-up instruction in the same conversation, such as shorter, more formal or clearer.

See Claude as a writing aid, not a final editor. You decide whether the answer is correct, suitable and safe to use.

Frequently asked questions

Here you will find short answers to the questions beginners usually have before they start using Claude.

Is Claude free?

There is a free plan with limits. The current contents of the free plan and the paid subscriptions are listed by Anthropic.

Do I need an account?

Yes, you sign up with email or another supported account. After that, you usually confirm your account with a code or confirmation.

Can Claude handle Dutch?

Yes, you can type in Dutch and read answers in Dutch. Always check important texts yourself for tone, facts, names and amounts.

Are my conversations used to train Claude?

That depends on your privacy setting and the terms. Right after signing in, look in Settings, Privacy, for the Help improve Claude setting or a similar name.

What is the difference with ChatGPT?

Both are chat assistants with their own strengths. Try the same task in both and see which answer works best for your job.

The best next step is to use Claude for one real work task today, such as an email or summary. If that goes well, you can then try a Project or connection, for example connect Claude to Outlook.

• Claude
• Privacy
• Prompts