With OpenAI's constant rollout of impressive new features, ChatGPT is further cementing its position as my go-to AI assistant. It helps me with all aspects of my job—from brainstorming new ideas to analyzing spreadsheets and even acting as a writing coach.
If you're eager to leverage ChatGPT in your daily workflows, but you're not sure how to start, you're in the right place. Here's everything you need to know about how to use ChatGPT.
In this tutorial, we're focusing on the specific steps of how to use ChatGPT. If you're curious to learn more about what's going on under the hood, check out our article, How does ChatGPT work?
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is a chatbot app built by OpenAI that can process text, image, and audio inputs (depending on the AI model you use).
In practice, this means it can do things like:
Hold a voice or text-based conversation with you, answering questions about almost any topic
Generate text for any occasion—for example, poetry, blog posts, and emails
Brainstorm ideas
Generate images (and tweak them based on your requests)
Search the internet for current information
Analyze images
Create charts and graphs based on your inputs
Analyze data
Translate natural language or design mockups to code
And practically anything else you'd imagine a multimodal chatbot trained on the entirety of the internet might be able to do.
How to use ChatGPT on the web or mobile app
Here's a summary of how to get started with ChatGPT:
Go to chat.com or the mobile app, and log in or sign up (it's free).
If you're on a paid plan, choose the AI model that you want to use.
Enter your text, image, or audio prompt on the ChatGPT home page.
Once ChatGPT spits out a response, you have a handful of options:
Edit your original prompt.
Enter or say a new prompt.
Copy the response.
Regenerate the response.
Like or dislike the response.
Share the response.
Now let's take a closer look at the finer details of using ChatGPT.
1. Create your OpenAI account
To get started with ChatGPT, you first need to create an OpenAI account (it's free). To do this, go to chat.com, and click Create new account. You can use an email address, or you can sign in with your Google or Microsoft account. If you use an email address, you'll be required to do a phone verification to confirm that you're really a human and not, ironically, a bot.
Already have an OpenAI account? Click Log in to start chatting.
If you're having trouble signing up or logging in, your best bet is to reload your page. For specific login issues, check out OpenAI's troubleshooting tips.
2. Choose your AI model
By default, ChatGPT is powered by GPT-4o mini. But if you're on a paid tier, you can choose a different model. Click the model dropdown in your conversation window, and then select the model you want to use:
Auto optimizes for speed and intelligence.
GPT-4o is good for general tasks.
GPT-4o with Canvas (beta) is good for collaborating on substantial, standalone content.
o1-preview excels at processing prompts that require logical reasoning and generating code.
o1-mini is a version of o1 that's optimized for speed.
3. Ask ChatGPT a question
You can prompt ChatGPT in a few ways.
Type your ChatGPT prompt (text query) in the message bar of the home page, and hit Enter (or click the Send message icon, which looks like an up-facing arrow).
Talk to ChatGPT by pressing the Voice Mode icon in the message bar or by pressing the microphone icon to enter your prompt using speech-to-text. Note: These options are available only in the desktop or mobile app.
Upload an image by clicking the paperclip icon in the message bar, upload the image you want to share, and enter your accompanying prompt. You can also drag and drop the image from your computer into the message bar.
To get the best results from ChatGPT, write a clear prompt with sufficient context. Need help refining your text query? Here are tips to help you write an effective GPT prompt.
4. Interact with ChatGPT's responses
In a matter of seconds, ChatGPT will spit out a reply, and you can read or listen to the response. Apart from that, you have a number of other options.
Edit your original prompt. Hover over the prompt and click the Edit message icon that appears (it looks like a pencil). Edit your prompt, and then click Send.
Enter (or say) a new prompt. One of ChatGPT's key features—and the one that makes it feel like having a real back-and-forth dialogue—is that it can "remember" the conversation you're having with it. This means you can ask ChatGPT to modify its response without repeating yourself or starting from scratch. ChatGPT will simply refer back to whatever you were discussing before and then use that to inform its response. After originally asking about Lily Gladstone, I only had to say, "What other awards has she won this year?"
Notice how I didn't have to specify who "she" was in the second prompt? Or explicitly tell ChatGPT what year we're in?
All available GPT models—GPT-4, GPT-4o, and GPT-4o mini—have a context window of 128,000 tokens (roughly 50 pages of text) in their "memory," but they can output only a maximum of 16,384 tokens (roughly 12 pages) at a time.
Review the sources. Hover over any source pill in the answer to learn more about the source used to inform ChatGPT's response. Click it if you want to go directly to the source.
Note: ChatGPT doesn't always search the web to inform its responses—sometimes, it relies only on the data it was trained on. If you want it to look up content around the web, use ChatGPT search by clicking the globe-shaped Search the web icon to explicitly tell it to do so. Here's our guide on how to use ChatGPT search.
Copy the response. If you like ChatGPT's answer and want to share it somewhere else, click the Copy icon beneath the response you want to copy. Once you do this, the icon will turn into a checkmark to indicate that it's been successfully copied. This button saves you from having to highlight the text and then using a keyboard shortcut to copy it.
Get a new response. If the response isn't quite what you're looking for, and you want to use the same prompt, click the Switch model icon below the most recent response, and then click Try again.
Like or dislike the response. Since ChatGPT doesn't have the ability to interpret your headshaking, it can't determine if the response it generated is good or bad on its own. Instead, it relies on humans to provide that data to help it learn. Click the Good response or Bad response icon, which looks like a thumbs up or down, to let it know if the response was helpful or unhelpful.
Share your conversation. Instead of screenshotting bits and pieces of your conversation with ChatGPT to share with your friends and colleagues, share the entire conversation. The easiest way to do this is to click Share at the top of your chat window. This will generate a unique URL for that specific conversation, which you can then copy and share. Note: If you're on an Enterprise account, only members of your workspace can access the conversation.
You also have the option to make your chat public (it'll appear in web searches). If you want to do this, click the box next to Make this chat discoverable.
How to download and use the ChatGPT desktop app
You can also chat with ChatGPT via the desktop app. But first, you have to install the app.
How to download the ChatGPT desktop app for Mac
The ChatGPT desktop app for Mac is available to all users. Here's how to install the app.
Log in to ChatGPT using the web app.
Click your profile, and then click Download the macOS app.
Follow the installation instructions.
How to download the ChatGPT desktop app for Windows
You can't download the Windows desktop app the same way you can for the Mac version. Instead, you have to download the Windows app from the Microsoft store.
Note: This is an early version of the Windows desktop app, and it's currently limited to users on a paid tier. But OpenAI plans to release the app to all users soon.
How to use the ChatGPT desktop app
While the download process is different for the Mac and Windows desktop apps, the functionality is the same.
Here's how to use the ChatGPT desktop app on both platforms.
Open the app. Or use the keyboard shortcut to open the ChatGPT launcher (an unobtrusive popup to initiate your chat):
option+spacebar(Mac) orAlt+spacebar(Windows).You can prompt the desktop app in a few ways.
Type your prompt in the message bar. You can also click the microphone icon to enter your prompt using voice-to-text.
Talk to ChatGPT. Click the live voice mode icon, which looks like sound bars, to use Advanced Voice Mode. (For more details on live chats with ChatGPT, jump to how to use ChatGPT Voice Mode.)
Upload a file or photo. Click the plus icon (
+) to upload a file or photo. You can also take and discuss screenshots or photos captured directly via the app—something you can't do with the web app (yet).
Once ChatGPT spits out a response, you can interact with it as you normally would.
How to build your own custom ChatGPT
If you find yourself prompting ChatGPT with the same instructions every time you interact with it—like "Write the response in Python" or "Keep the tone casual"—you could use custom instructions to give ChatGPT an explicit set of directives on how to respond. But you're limited to just that one set.
If you have a Plus or Enterprise account, however, you can use natural language to build your own custom ChatGPT (also known as GPTs)—each programmed with its own set of instructions—or use prebuilt ones, such as Data Analyst. If you're on a free plan, you can use GPTs, but you can't create them.
Here are a few other key advantages you get with GPTs that you don't with custom instructions:
Upload knowledge source files. Instead of copying and pasting text from every resource you want ChatGPT to consider when generating a response, you can upload knowledge files directly to your GPT builder, and it'll take care of the rest.
Interact with other GPTs from any conversation. If you're having a conversation with one GPT, you can tag another GPT (enter
@[GPTname]) followed by your prompt in the message bar. In the example below, my primary conversation is with the Otterly Fascinating chatbot, and I've tagged the Slack Message Refiner to rewrite an Otterly fact so that it's less formal. Notice I don't have to tell Slack Message Refiner to use a casual tone—it's already programmed with that directive.
OpenAI offers an Assistants API, which enables users to recreate a similar custom chatbot experience on other platforms. And while Assistants API and GPTs fulfill a similar purpose, they're not the same thing. Here's the difference between GPTs and Assistants.
How to use ChatGPT Voice Mode
Instead of typing in your prompt, you can actually talk out loud with ChatGPT. And now, with the natively multimodal GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini, ChatGPT is able to respond in an average of 0.32 seconds, giving the impression that you're having a real-time conversation.
Here's how ChatGPT's voice functionality works on the desktop app (it works pretty much the same in the mobile app).
With a ChatGPT conversation open, click the voice mode icon, which looks like sound bars, in the message box.
A black dot will appear on your screen. Once a wave-like animation appears, that's your cue to say your prompt.
Once you've finished speaking, ChatGPT will process your request (no need to hit send) and voice its response to you. Need to pause ChatGPT? Interrupt it the way you naturally would in a conversation.
When you're done chatting, a text version of your entire conversation will appear and is automatically saved in your chat history.
How to upload and show images to ChatGPT
You can also add an image to your chat and discuss it with ChatGPT.
How to upload images to ChatGPT from the web app
Click the paperclip icon in the message bar, and then select Upload from computer. You can also drag and drop the image from your computer into the message bar. Or you can add an image directly from Google Drive or OneDrive—you'll have to first connect your app, if it's not already.
Select the image(s) you want to add.
Enter your accompanying prompt.
Click Send.
How to upload images to ChatGPT from the desktop app
Click the plus icon (
+) in the message bar.Select how you want to add your image—you can upload a photo, or take a photo or screenshot directly from the app.
Enter your accompanying prompt.
Click Send.
How to upload images to ChatGPT from the mobile app
Tap the plus icon (
+) in the message bar.Select how you want to add your image: You can upload an image from your phone or take a photo.
If there's a specific part of the image you want to discuss, you can circle the image or annotate it however you want.
Tap Next.
Enter your accompanying prompt. Tap Send.
OpenAI also announced future plans to allow users to share live feeds of something—for example, a football game—so you can have a real-time conversation about it with ChatGPT.
Can ChatGPT refuse to answer my prompts?
For its part, OpenAI has expressed its commitment to keeping AI "safe and broadly beneficial." To do this, they've introduced various safeguards, including the ability for ChatGPT to reject inappropriate, offensive, or illegal content.
To get specific, here's what ChatGPT told me when I asked, "What prompts won't you respond to?"
I won't respond to prompts that:
Violate OpenAI's use case policy, such as hate speech or harassment, violence or self-harm, adult content or nudity, and content that promotes terrorism or illegal activities.
Ask for personal, sensitive, or confidential information.
Attempt to exploit or manipulate the system in unethical ways.
Seek to create or spread false information.
Request copyrighted material, especially recent works or specific depictions of trademarked characters.
Involve creating harmful or misleading content, including deepfakes or misinformation.
To be clear, this isn't a complete list of rejection-worthy prompts. But if you're ever wondering about ChatGPT's limits, like "Can ChatGPT remember my passwords?" (it can't), or "Can ChatGPT give me medical advice?" (also a hard no), just ask it yourself. But take it with a grain of salt.
How to manage your data in ChatGPT
There are a number of ways to manage your data in ChatGPT. The steps vary depending on what you want to do and the device you're using. If there's a specific thing you want to do, feel free to jump ahead.
How to delete your ChatGPT conversations from the mobile app
How to archive your ChatGPT conversations from the mobile app
How to manage ChatGPT's memory
By default, ChatGPT's memory functionality is turned on for all ChatGPT Plus accounts. Memory works similarly to custom instructions with one key exception: you don't have to manually tell ChatGPT what you want it to know or how to respond. Instead, ChatGPT automatically picks up on details and preferences to tailor its responses.
According to OpenAI, they're taking steps to steer ChatGPT away from remembering and using sensitive information, like your health details. (This is a key reason why you shouldn't enter any personal or private data into ChatGPT.)
If you want to play it safe, here's how to manage ChatGPT's memory. The steps are the same for both the web and mobile app.
Click on your profile, and then click Settings.
Click Personalization.
From here, you have two options:
Turn off memory. Click the toggle next to Memory to stop ChatGPT from remembering details from future conversations.
Delete specific memories. Click Manage, and click the delete icon next to any memory you want ChatGPT to forget. You can also clear every memory at once by clicking Clear memories.
Your settings are automatically applied to your account across all devices.
Note: Turning memory off and deleting past conversations in your chat history doesn't clear your memories. The only way to clear your memories is by deleting them or telling ChatGPT conversationally to forget memories. Even so, OpenAI may retain a log of forgotten memories for up to 30 days for safety and debugging purposes.
How to use temporary chats
If you'd like to have the occasional conversation without ChatGPT or GPTs using or creating memories, use a temporary chat instead. It's worth noting that if you have custom instructions on, ChatGPT will still follow those directives.
With a new or existing conversation open, click the model.
Click the toggle next to Temporary chat.
Click Continue.
While temporary conversations don't appear in your chat history, OpenAI may keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety purposes. If you chat with a GPT that has actions, data sent to third parties through those actions may be kept for longer than 30 days and used for other purposes.
How to turn off model training
Another default setting in ChatGPT is that your conversations and memories can be used as training data to improve OpenAI's models. If you want to turn this setting off, here's how to do it in the web and mobile app.
Click on your profile, and then click Settings.
Click Data Controls.
Click Improve the model for everyone.
Click the toggle next to Improve the model for everyone.
Click Done.
How to delete your ChatGPT conversations from a desktop
Here's how to delete all your past conversations in one fell swoop using the web app.
Click on your profile, and then click Settings.
By default, this will display your General settings. Click Delete all next to Delete all chats.
Click Confirm deletion. (There's no undo button.)
Want to delete specific conversations instead?
In the ChatGPT side panel, hover over the name of the conversation you want to delete.
Click the Options icon, which looks like an ellipsis (
...).Click Delete.
In the popup that appears, click Delete to confirm.
How to archive your ChatGPT conversations from a desktop
Let's say you want your side panel to display only specific conversations—but you don't necessarily want to delete your other ones. You can archive less relevant chats in a separate place that you can revive later on.
In the side panel, hover over the name of the conversation you want to archive.
Click the Options icon, which looks like an ellipsis (
...).Click Archive.
You can also archive all your conversations at once.
Click on your profile, and then click Settings.
Next to Archive all chats, click Archive all.
Click Confirm archive to confirm.
To view or restore an archived chat, go back to your Settings.
Next to Archived chats, click Manage.
From here, you have three options:
View. Click the name of the conversation to view it. You'll have the option to unarchive it directly from the conversation, if you want.
Unarchive. Click the Unarchive conversation icon, which looks like an upward-facing arrow.
Delete. Click the Delete icon, which looks like a garbage can.
How to delete your ChatGPT conversations from the mobile app
Here's how to delete all your past conversations at once using the mobile app.
Tap your profile to open your settings.
Tap Data Controls.
Tap Delete All Chats (iOS) or Clear Chat History (Android).
Tap Confirm.
Here's how to delete specific conversations from the mobile app.
In the ChatGPT side panel, tap and hold the name of the conversation you want to delete.
Tap Delete.
Tap Delete again to confirm.
How to archive your ChatGPT conversations from the mobile app
Here's how to archive individual conversations in ChatGPT.
Tap and hold the name of the conversation you want to archive.
Tap Archive.
Tap Archive again to confirm.
And here's how to archive all your conversations at once.
Tap your profile to open your settings.
Tap Data Controls.
Tap Archive All Chats (iOS) or Archive Chat History (Android).
Here's how to view or restore an archived chat.
Tap your profile to open your settings.
Tap Archived Chats.
Tap the conversation you want to view or restore, and tap View or Unarchive. Alternatively, tap Delete to permanently remove it.
Automate ChatGPT
While ChatGPT is impressive on its own, you can put ChatGPT to work even more by integrating it with your other software. With Zapier, you can connect ChatGPT with thousands of other apps, so you can incorporate AI into all of your business-critical workflows. Learn more about how to automate ChatGPT, or click on any of the templates to create an automated workflow.
Create email copy with ChatGPT from new Gmail emails and save as drafts in Gmail
Start a conversation with ChatGPT when a prompt is posted in a particular Slack channel
Generate conversations in ChatGPT with new emails in Gmail
Create email copy with ChatGPT from new Microsoft Outlook emails and save as drafts
Zapier is the leader in workflow automation—integrating with thousands of apps from partners like Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft. Use interfaces, data tables, and logic to build secure, automated systems for your business-critical workflows across your organization's technology stack. Learn more.
How to use ChatGPT: FAQs
In case 4,000 words about ChatGPT wasn't enough for you, here are answers to some other questions I see a lot.
Is ChatGPT free?
You can create an OpenAI account for free to use ChatGPT. The only catch is that you'll have access to only GPT-4o mini—the smaller language model from OpenAI.
What's the difference between a free and paid ChatGPT subscription?
Ever since the rollout of GPT-4o and GPT-4o mini, the differences between a free and paid ChatGPT account have dwindled. But there are still some powerful features that are reserved only for paid users—for example, you can build your own custom ChatGPT only with a ChatGPT Plus or Enterprise subscription.
For a list of all the features you get only on a paid account, check out our article: Is ChatGPT Plus worth it?
Can I search my ChatGPT history?
ChatGPT does have built-in search functionality.
Click the Search chats icon at the top of the side panel. Or use your keyboard shortcut:
command+K(Mac) orCtrl+K(Windows).
In the popup that appears, enter your search term in the search bar.
ChatGPT will list any conversations that contain your search term.
Click any of the results and ChatGPT will jump to that conversation.
Can ChatGPT create images?
If you have a ChatGPT Plus or Enterprise account, you can use DALL·E 3 (it's integrated with ChatGPT) to generate AI images at no additional cost.
Does ChatGPT have access to the internet?
Yes—whether your ChatGPT is running on GPT-4, GPT-4o, or GPT-4o mini, it can search the internet for current information.
How accurate is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT's been known to produce completely made-up answers. When this happens, it's called a "hallucination."
Sometimes, ChatGPT will automatically cite the sources it used to inform its response—this way, you can easily fact-check what it said. If it doesn't automatically provide sources, you can also prompt ChatGPT to tell you where it got its information from.
Does ChatGPT remember previous conversations?
ChatGPT can "remember" details from the current conversation you're having with it—this is what gives the impression that you're having a real conversation.
By default, ChatGPT also automatically picks up on details and preferences from previous conversations to tailor its responses. But you can turn off this setting. Learn how to manage your data in ChatGPT.
Related reading:
This article was originally published in August 2023. The most recent update was in November 2024.
