# What your agents remember

> How memory works in your own chats and for returning visitors, and where you choose how far it reaches.

Agents can draw on earlier conversations, so a returning customer doesn't have to repeat themselves and your own chats can build on past work. You choose how far that memory reaches: for your own chats in **Chat settings**, and for visitors in each deployment's **Visitor memory**.

## In your own chats

In **AI Chat** and agent test chats, open **Chat settings** below the message box and select **Memory** ("Use memory from"):

| Option | What it can draw on |
| --- | --- |
| This chat | This conversation only |
| Your chats (default) | Your own chats |
| Workspace chats | Everyone's chats in this workspace |

Visitor conversations from your deployments are never part of this memory, even with **Workspace chats**. The line under the message box shows your choice, such as **Memory: Your chats**, and it's remembered in this browser for all your chats.

## For visitors

1. Open **Deployments** and select the deployment.
2. On the **Chat widget** tab, under **Features**, choose **Visitor memory** ("What the agent remembers about a returning visitor."):

| Option | What the agent remembers |
| --- | --- |
| This conversation only | Nothing from the visitor's earlier conversations |
| This agent (default) | The visitor's earlier conversations with this agent, on any of your deployments |
| All of your agents | The visitor's earlier conversations with any of your agents |

3. Select **Save changes**.

help.ai applies this setting on its own servers, so the widget on your website can't change it. Deployments without a **Chat widget** tab, such as [API deployments](https://support.help.ai/deployments-and-the-widget/call-your-agent-from-your-own-app), use **This agent**.

## Who counts as the same visitor

A visitor is recognized by their browser, so the same person on another browser or device starts fresh. When you [verify signed-in users](https://docs.help.ai/customize-and-extend-the-widget/verify-signed-in-users), their conversations and what the agent remembers follow them across devices, and the next person on a shared browser sees neither.

## What you can't do

You can't browse or edit what an agent has remembered in the dashboard. To limit memory, choose a narrower option above.

<Tip>
Choose **This conversation only** when visitors often share a device, or when conversations touch on personal matters. To tell the agent who the visitor is and which page they're on, without relying on memory, pass those details from your site.
</Tip>

## Related

- [Tell the AI agent about your visitor and page](https://docs.help.ai/customize-and-extend-the-widget/pass-visitor-and-page-details)
- [Work with AI Chat](https://support.help.ai/getting-started/work-with-ai-chat)
- [Customize how the widget looks and behaves](https://support.help.ai/deployments-and-the-widget/customize-the-widget)