# AI agent memory explained: what agents remember and how to control it

AI agent memory is how an agent keeps information between steps and between conversations. The kinds of memory, what agents actually remember, the privacy risks, and how to see, edit, and clear what yours has stored.

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## Steps

1. **Find the memory settings.** Most agent apps let you see, edit, and delete saved memories. Look before you rely on it.
2. **Keep secrets out entirely.** Passwords, keys, and recovery phrases never go into memory.
3. **Store business facts in one document.** A file you control is easier to update than scattered memories.
4. **Separate private and shared memory.** See agent memory hygiene.
5. **Prune on a schedule.** Delete old and wrong entries monthly, and after any odd behavior.

## FAQ

### Do AI agents have memory?

Many do. They hold the current task in working memory, and some save notes, preferences, and files to use in later conversations.

### What is a context window?

The amount of text an AI model can consider at once, including the conversation so far. It acts as short-term memory.

### Can I delete what an AI agent remembers?

Usually yes. Most agent apps have memory settings where you can view, edit, and delete saved items.

### Is AI agent memory a privacy risk?

It can be, if private details or secrets get saved. Keep secrets out, review saved memories, and prune them regularly.

### Does memory make an agent safer?

No. Memory helps with consistency, but it does not replace approvals, spending caps, or limited access.