[Feature Request] Load Global Instructions from local file path in Cowork.

Bug Description
Title: Feature Request: Allow Cowork Global Instructions to load from a local file path

Summary

Claude Code automatically loads custom instructions from local markdown files (e.g. MEMORY.md in ~/.claude/projects/), but Cowork
(Claude Desktop) only accepts Global Instructions via manual copy-paste in the UI. This inconsistency forces users to manually
synchronize instructions between the two products every time they make an update.

Current behavior

• Claude Code: reads MEMORY.md from the local filesystem at startup. Instructions are version-controlled via git and automatically

reflected in every session.

• Cowork: requires users to open Settings, navigate to the Global Instructions field, and paste the full text manually. There is no

way to reference a local file.

Proposed solution

Allow Cowork to accept a local file path (or a glob pattern) as the source for Global Instructions. For example, a field in
cowork_settings.json like:

{
"globalInstructionsPath": "C:/Users/me/.claude/projects/.../memory/cowork-instructions.md"
}

Cowork would read this file at session start, just as Claude Code reads MEMORY.md.

Why this matters

1. Users who invest significant effort in crafting detailed instructions (style rules, behavioral principles, safety constraints)

should not have to maintain two separate copies.

1. Local file loading enables git-based version control for instructions, which is essential for iterative refinement.
2. Claude Code and Cowork are products from the same company. Users reasonably expect them to share a consistent configuration

mechanism.

1. The current workaround (manual copy-paste after every edit) is error-prone and creates drift between the two environments.

I wish yous would consider this improving.

......................................................

Gles (Kenji Masuda)
■ Tsui-net: https://x.com/____natu______
■ GitHub: https://github.com/natu123
■ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kenjimasuda
■ 1-mail: natu.soral.123@gmail.com
■ 2-mail: key.to.ai.pro@gmail.com

Environment Info

• Platform: win32
• Terminal: windows-terminal
• Version: 2.1.51
• Feedback ID: 9344cd99-39bf-4ccc-a62a-50efc01b74ce