How to use Claude Artifacts to create and preview your work

Open Claude and start a new chat

First, open your web browser and go to claude.ai. You'll either land on the login page or, if you're already logged in, Claude's main interface. Once you're in, look for a button to start a fresh conversation. This button is typically in the top-left corner of the screen and might be labelled "+ New chat" or simply have a "+" icon. Click it to open a blank slate for your new request.

If it looks different: The "New chat" button might appear as a pencil icon, a speech bubble, or a clear text link. Just look for an option that clearly indicates starting a fresh conversation.

💬 Example: You see a button in the sidebar labelled "+ New chat".

You'll know it worked when you see a blank chat conversation area ready for your input, often with a greeting from Claude like "Hello! How can I help you today?"

Turn on the Artifacts pane

Next, we need to activate the special viewing area for your creations. In the chat toolbar, which usually runs along the top or side of the conversation window, look for an icon that resembles a small stack of papers, a square with a "play" symbol, or a simple rectangle. This is the Artifacts button. An artifact is just what Claude calls a piece of content (like a document, image, or code) that it generates and displays in a dedicated live preview area, separate from the main chat. Click this button to reveal the pane.

If it looks different: The icon might vary, but it's typically an icon that suggests "output" or "files." If you can't find it easily, try looking in any "View" or "Tools" menu if your interface has one, or simply type your prompt and Claude may suggest enabling Artifacts.

💬 Example: You see an icon like two overlapping squares. After clicking, a pane appears on the right side of the screen, labelled "Artifacts."

You'll know it worked when a new, empty panel appears on the right side of your screen, often labelled "Artifacts" or "Output," waiting for Claude to display something in it.

Write a clear prompt

Now it's time to tell Claude what you want to create. The instructions you give to an AI are called a prompt. To make sure Claude understands you want a visual output in the Artifacts pane, it's a good idea to include the word "artifact" in your prompt. Type your request directly into the message box at the bottom of the chat window. Keep your request specific and clear.

If it looks different: The message box will always be at the very bottom of the chat, usually labelled "Message Claude..." or "Type your message here."

💬 Example:

Create a thank-you letter artifact for my neighbour, Emma, who helped me move my sofa on Saturday. Use a friendly tone and keep it under 200 words.

You'll know it worked when you press Enter or click the "Send" button (often a paper plane icon), and Claude starts generating a response, with its typing activity visible in the main chat area.

Let Claude generate the artifact

Once you've sent your prompt, Claude will get to work. It will process your request and, within a few moments, you'll see its text response appearing in the main chat area. Crucially, the finished letter or document will also appear, neatly formatted, in the Artifacts pane you opened earlier. This is your live preview area. You can scroll through the content, copy specific sections, or even download it directly from this pane.

If it looks different: Sometimes Claude might take a little longer to generate, especially for more complex requests. Just be patient. If it creates a text-only response in the chat and nothing in Artifacts, try adding "Please display this as an artifact" to your next prompt.

💬 Example: The Artifacts pane on the right now displays a document titled "Thank-You Letter to Emma," complete with paragraphs of text as you requested, separate from Claude's chat message.

You'll know it worked when the thank-you letter appears neatly formatted inside the Artifacts pane, separate from the chat conversation. You'll see tools like "Copy" or "Download" directly above or below the artifact.

Use the live preview to see changes instantly

One of the most powerful features of Artifacts is the live preview. This means that if you want to tweak or refine your creation, you don't have to generate a whole new artifact. Simply send a follow-up prompt in the chat. Claude will then modify the existing artifact in the pane, and you'll see the changes refresh in real time, like a document editor. This same workflow applies to other artifacts too, whether you're summarising an article or building a simple HTML page.

If it looks different: If your follow-up prompt is significantly different from the first, Claude might create a second artifact alongside the first one. This is also perfectly normal and useful for comparing different versions of your work side-by-side.

💬 Example:

Now make a separate artifact that summarises the key points of this article: https://example.com/article

(Note: You can replace https://example.com/article with a real article URL.) Claude will create a second artifact, a concise bullet-point summary, shown side-by-side with your original letter in the Artifacts pane.

You'll know it worked when your existing artifact updates with the new detail, or a new, separate artifact appears if your prompt asked for something entirely different. You'll see the content in the Artifacts pane change without having to click anything extra.