By default, what does Claude carry over from your earlier conversations into a brand-new chat?

The principle — separateness is the default, and continuity is something you opt into.

Why the key is correct — a new chat starts without the others. Anthropic describes memory as a capability Claude can now generate from your chats, which is precisely the feature that changes this behaviour once enabled.

Why the others are wrong — preferences are not exempt, the chats are not one thread, and the previous conversation is not silently attached.

Remember this — a fresh chat is a fresh start. If you want continuity, turn memory on or work inside a project.

Sources — Anthropic's chat search and memory article.