What Are Anthropic Agent Skills? The Official Skills Repo, Setup, Plans and License Differences
You add a skill from Anthropic's official skills repository (github.com/anthropics/skills) to Claude, and Claude learns from that skill how to handle a particular job (such as preparing Word, PDF, PowerPoint or Excel files). The skills folder holds 19 skills, each with a SKILL.md; the repo also offers a plugin marketplace for Claude Code with 5 packages (document-skills, example-skills and three single-skill packages). One important distinction: the Word, PDF, PowerPoint and Excel skills (docx, pdf, pptx, xlsx) are licensed "all rights reserved," and the README describes them as "source-available," not open source; the other 14 skills are Apache 2.0. According to Claude's support article, Skills on claude.ai is available on all plans, Free included, and code execution must be turned on.
- What it does
- Official skills that teach Claude how to handle specific jobs
- Type
- Skill collection + Claude Code plugin marketplace
- Where
- claude.ai, Claude Code, Claude API, Microsoft 365 add-ins
- What's inside
- 19 skills, 5 marketplace packages
- License
- Document skills "all rights reserved," 14 skills Apache 2.0
- Turkish
- Not stated in the official documentation
- Price
- The repo is free; using skills requires a Claude account
What Are Agent Skills For, and What's Inside?
A skill is a folder of instructions, scripts and resources that Claude loads when needed to get better at a specific job. Claude picks the right skill on its own and loads the information it needs step by step. A skill isn't the same as MCP: MCP connects Claude to external services, while a skill is procedural knowledge that explains how to do a job; the two can be used together.
The 19 skills in the repo (directory listing):
| Group | Skills |
|---|---|
| Documents (all rights reserved) | docx, pdf, pptx, xlsx |
| Design and content | algorithmic-art, brand-guidelines, canvas-design, frontend-design, theme-factory, slack-gif-creator, web-artifacts-builder |
| Development | claude-api, mcp-builder, skill-creator, webapp-testing |
| Writing and internal communications | doc-coauthoring, internal-comms |
| Other | academy-guide, discernment-nudge |
Who it's for: people who prepare documents with Claude, want to package their own workflow as a skill, or want to add ready-made capabilities to Claude Code.
How Do You Install Agent Skills?
The steps depend on where you use it. The commands and menu paths come from the repo's README and Claude help articles.
› /plugin marketplace add anthropics/skills› /plugin install document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills› /plugin install example-skills@anthropic-agent-skillsFrom the menu: Browse and install plugins › anthropic-agent-skills › package › Install now. The marketplace has 5 packages: document-skills (4 skills), example-skills (12 skills) and three single-skill packages named claude-api, academy-guide and discernment-nudge. Don't install the same skill from two packages; install only the package you need.
Folders for your own skills: personal ~/.claude/skills/name/SKILL.md, project .claude/skills/name/SKILL.md. File changes are detected within the session without a restart. claude.ai skills sync one way to the ~/.claude/skills/synced folder when you sign in with the same account on Claude Code v2.1.273 or later (they don't sync with an API key or a Bedrock login).
- Make sure "Code execution and file creation" is turned on under Settings then Capabilities (according to the support article).
- Go to the Customize then Skills page.
- Turn on Anthropic's example skills with the toggle. To upload your own skill, choose + › Create skill › Upload a skill › ZIP.
The skill folder must be at the root of the ZIP (the files shouldn't sit directly at the ZIP root), the folder name must match the skill name, and SKILL.md is required.
- Owner: in the Organization settings then Plugins & skills › Policy tab, make sure code execution and Skills are turned on (on by default on Team).
- Member: on the Customize then Skills page, turns on example skills, sees provisioned skills and uploads their own skill.
- Sharing: the three dots next to the skill › Share; to publish to the organization, Publish to org.
In the request's container parameter, you set the skill type to "anthropic," the ID to pptx, xlsx, docx or pdf, and the version to "latest"; the code execution tool must also be in the request. Up to 20 skills and 30 MB. The container has no network access, and packages can't be installed at runtime.
Official reasons a skill won't upload: the ZIP size limit, a folder name that doesn't match the skill name, a missing SKILL.md, or invalid characters in the name or description. The description length limit differs between documents: 200 characters in the support article, 1,024 in the API documentation.
How Do You Use Agent Skills?
Most of the time you don't need to call a skill: on claude.ai, Claude uses Anthropic's document skills on its own when they're relevant. In Claude Code it can also load them itself, and you can call one manually with /skill-name. If a skill's header has disable-model-invocation: true, it can only be called manually.
If Claude doesn't use a skill you uploaded, make sure its toggle is on, state clearly in the description field when it should be used, and mention the skill by name in your request.
Where Do Agent Skills Work?
| claude.ai (web and desktop)Yes | Customize then Skills; code execution must be turned on. |
|---|---|
| Claude CodeYes | Marketplace packages or your own skill folder. |
| Claude APIYes | Anthropic skill IDs pptx, xlsx, docx, pdf; up to 20 skills and 30 MB. |
| Claude for Excel, PowerPoint, Word, OutlookYes | Skills turned on in your Claude settings are also used in these add-ins. |
| Other tools that adopt the Agent Skills standardUnclear | The standard says it works on other platforms too; check which tools support it in the documentation of the tool you use. |
What Do Agent Skills Access? Security Warning
A skill can include scripts. The document skills process files with Python and JavaScript; on claude.ai and the API they run in Claude's code execution container, and in Claude Code they run on your computer. Skills that include scripts include docx, pptx, xlsx, pdf, skill-creator, mcp-builder, web-artifacts-builder and webapp-testing.
It reads the document files you provide and writes new or edited documents. webapp-testing opens a local web app; web-artifacts-builder creates a project folder and installs packages.
On Team and Enterprise, the Owner provisions skills to the organization and turns sharing and publishing settings on or off; on Enterprise, skill scanning can be turned on.
On the API, skills aren't covered by zero data retention and are subject to the standard retention policy. The API container has no network access.
!The official warning, in short: install skills only from trusted sources. Before enabling a skill from a less trusted source (including one shared by a coworker), read its files, code dependencies and scripts; watch for instructions or code that tell Claude to connect to an untrusted network source. The article names prompt injection and data exfiltration as the biggest risks. In Claude Code, a skill can use specific tools without approval for that turn via allowed-tools; review this field in the repo's skills before running them. An open security issue (#492) mentions the risk of community skills being distributed under an official-looking "anthropic/" namespace. There are no entries in GitHub Security Advisories; that doesn't mean "safe."
Are Agent Skills Free? Which Plans Have Them, and What's the License?
The repo is free and public. Using the skills requires a Claude account. The sources differ on plans: the Claude support article says "on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans" and requires code execution to be turned on (according to the official page); the repo README says the example skills are available "on paid plans." This page follows the support article because it's newer and more detailed, but check the Settings page on your account. Whether there's a separate fee for skills on the API isn't stated in the documentation.
| Skill | License |
|---|---|
| docx, pdf, pptx, xlsx | "© 2025 Anthropic, PBC. All rights reserved": use only within Anthropic services; no copying, derivative works or distribution. README: source-available but not open source. |
| The other 14 skills | Apache 2.0 (their own LICENSE.txt files). |
| doc-coauthoring | No license file in its folder. |
- Using and modifying the Apache 2.0 skills is allowed
- Using the document skills within Anthropic services
- Copying, deriving from and distributing the document skills
- README: the example skills are for demonstration and educational purposes only
Source: README, LICENSE.txt files and the support article. This isn't legal advice.
Common Problems and Fixes
| What's happening | What to do |
|---|---|
| The Skills section doesn't show up on claude.ai, or it's grayed out | On Free, Pro and Max, check whether code execution is turned on under Settings then Capabilities. On Team and Enterprise, Organization settings then Plugins & skills › Policy. Then Customize then Skills. |
| Claude doesn't use the skill I uploaded | Make sure the toggle is on, have the description state clearly when it should be used, and mention the skill in your request. |
| Uploading a skill gives an error | Check the ZIP size, that the folder name matches the skill name, that SKILL.md exists and that the skill folder is at the ZIP root. |
| When I install two packages together, the same skills show up twice | Reported by users Issue #189 reports this; in the current marketplace file, the packages are defined with separate skill lists, so the report doesn't match the current file. Still, install only the package you need. |
| A claude.ai skill doesn't sync to Claude Code | It requires Claude Code v2.1.273+ and doesn't work with an API key or a Bedrock login; check the syncClaudeAiSkills setting. Manual edits in the sync folder are overwritten on the next sync. |
How Do You Remove Agent Skills?
- On claude.ai: Customize then Skills › click the skill › turn it off with the toggle; to delete it, ... › Delete.
- Claude Code (marketplace package):
/plugin uninstall document-skills@anthropic-agent-skills(general form: /plugin uninstall plugin@marketplace). - Claude Code (your own folder): Delete the ~/.claude/skills/name or .claude/skills/name folder.
- Synced skills: Turn it off on claude.ai, or set syncClaudeAiSkills to false in your Claude Code settings.
Frequently asked questions
What is a skill?
Folders of instructions, scripts and resources that Claude loads when needed to get better at a specific job. Claude picks the right skill on its own and loads the information it needs step by step.
Are skills and MCP the same thing?
No. MCP connects Claude to external services and data; a skill is procedural knowledge that explains how to do a job. The two can be used together.
Do skills run code?
Yes, they can include scripts. On claude.ai and the API they run in Claude's code execution container; in Claude Code they run on your computer. Review the allowed-tools field of the repo's skills before running them.
Should I install skills only from sources I trust?
Yes. The official warning: install skills only from trusted sources; before enabling a skill from a less trusted source, read its files, code dependencies and scripts.
Which plans have it, and is a paid plan required?
The Claude support article lists the Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans and requires code execution to be turned on. The repo README mentions paid plans; the two sources differ, so check on your account.
Can I use the document skills (docx, pdf, pptx, xlsx) elsewhere?
No, these four skills are licensed "all rights reserved" and can only be used within Anthropic services; copying, derivative works and distribution are prohibited. The other 14 skills are Apache 2.0.
Tasks and setup kits that use Anthropic Agent Skills
Related guides
Sources
- anthropics/skills repository
- Claude Help: Using Skills
- Claude Help: What are Skills
- Claude Code docs: skills
Not clear in the official sources: Which other tools support the Agent Skills standard · a separate fee for skills on the API · the quality of replies in Turkish · an OSV scan (no matching ecosystem name) · the license of the doc-coauthoring skill (no file). The plan requirement differs between two sources: this page follows the support article. Each is covered in the relevant section.