> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.alterhq.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manage Memory

> Configure Memory, review saved facts, open sources, and forget entries you no longer want

## Goal

Control what Alter remembers, review saved facts, and remove anything you no longer want in Memory.

## Open Memory settings

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Settings">
    Use any of these paths:

    * Menu bar → **Settings...**
    * **⌘ ,** (Command + Comma)
    * Hub or notch **⋯** menu → **Settings**
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select Memory">
    In the left sidebar under **General**, choose **Memory**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

The Memory pane has three areas:

1. **Controls** at the top
2. **Search and filters**
3. **Your saved memory list**

## Core controls

### Use Memory

**Use Memory** is the master switch.

* **On:** Alter can recall saved facts, run automatic learning in eligible chats, and use the Memory tool.
* **Off:** Alter stops using and saving Memory, but **keeps your existing entries** on disk.

Turn this off when you want a clean break from recall without deleting what was already saved.

### Ask before saving

**Ask before saving** controls how new facts enter Memory during normal chats.

| Setting           | Current-chat facts you state directly | Facts from tools or recalled history |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Off** (default) | Can save automatically after a turn   | Always need your approval            |
| **On**            | Always need your approval             | Always need your approval            |

When approval is required, Alter shows a confirmation sheet with the proposed fact, its kind, scope, and supporting sources.

<Tip>
  If you want maximum control, turn **Ask before saving** on. If you want Alter to learn quietly from what you say in chat, leave it off and rely on notifications plus **Undo**.
</Tip>

## Review saved memories

Each row shows:

* The saved fact
* Its **kind** (Fact, Preference, Goal, Decision, Recent, or Experience)
* Its **scope** (Personal, a workspace name, or Deleted workspace)
* The date it was last updated

### Search and filter

Use the toolbar to narrow the list:

* **Search** across fact text, kind, and scope label
* **Scope** filter: All memories, Personal, a specific workspace, or Deleted workspaces
* **Kind** filter: All kinds or one kind

<Note>
  **Deleted workspaces** appears when you still have memories from a workspace you removed. Those entries remain visible so you can forget them intentionally instead of leaving hidden orphans.
</Note>

### Inspect sources

Many memories include one or more **sources**—the chat, meeting, or tool result that supported the save.

1. Expand **N sources** under a memory.
2. Choose a source to open the original chat or meeting in the Hub.

If the underlying chat or transcript no longer exists, Alter keeps the saved memory and shows **Source unavailable**.

## Forget a memory

To remove one saved fact:

1. Click the trash icon on the memory row.
2. Confirm **Forget**.

Forgetting removes the saved fact and its provenance links. It does **not** delete the original chat or meeting transcript.

You can also ask Alter in chat to forget a specific goal or fact. Alter recalls the exact entry first, asks for confirmation, then removes it.

## Undo an automatic save

When Alter saves a fact automatically, it posts an in-app notification such as **Saved to Memory** or **Updated Memory**.

* Choose **Undo** to reverse that specific save.
* Choose **Dismiss** or let the notification time out to keep the memory.

Undo is available only for the save that notification represents. If Undo fails because the memory changed again, open **Settings → Memory** to review the latest version.

## What happens when you delete a workspace

Deleting a workspace removes that workspace's saved memories as part of workspace cleanup.

Personal memories are not affected. If any workspace memories could not be removed during deletion, they may appear later under **Deleted workspaces** in Memory settings.

## Link Memory to an Alter Action

Some workflows need explicit access to saved facts or historical chats and meetings.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Action Editor">
    Menu bar → **Action Editor**, or press **⌘⇧E**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Tools">
    Select the action, then open the **Tools** section.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Link Memory">
    Find **Memory** and choose **Link Memory**.

    If Memory is disabled globally, Alter offers **Turn On & Link**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Linking Memory does not turn it on for every action automatically. Only actions you link receive the Memory tool.

Trusted Alter actions such as **Memory Catch-Up** ship with Memory already linked.

## When Memory settings are empty

**No saved memories yet** means Alter has not stored durable facts yet. That is normal on a fresh install or right after you turn Memory on.

<Tip>
  **Recommended first step:** Run [Memory Catch-Up](/workflows/memory-catch-up). Open a fresh Hub chat and choose **Give Memory a head start**. Alter reviews the last 30 days of your chats and meetings and saves durable facts without asking for each one. This is much faster than waiting for everyday post-turn learning to accumulate context.
</Tip>

Other ways to add your first memories:

* Chat normally and share a preference or goal you want Alter to keep
* Ask Alter to remember a specific fact, then confirm if prompted

## Troubleshooting

### Memory is temporarily unavailable

If the list fails to load, choose **Try again**. This usually means Alter could not read the local Memory database at that moment.

### Alter is not recalling what I expect

Check these first:

* **Use Memory** is on
* You are in a persistent Ask Anything chat, not a transient task thread
* The fact is in the scope for the current workspace
* The fact was not already stated in the current conversation (the Memory Brief omits duplicates)

For deeper behavior, see [Memory](/workflows/memory).

### I turned Memory off but old facts still appear in Settings

That is expected. Disabling Memory stops new recall and saves; it does not erase existing entries. Forget individual rows, or turn Memory back on if you only wanted to pause recall.

## Related docs

* [Memory overview](/workflows/memory)
* [Memory Catch-Up](/workflows/memory-catch-up)
* [Configuring Alter Settings](/how-to/settings-guide)
* [Local data and privacy](/references/local-data-and-privacy)