How to use ChatGPT

ChatGPT is a chatbot for everyday tasks. OpenAI's help center describes it as an assistant for brainstorming, writing, studying, planning, math, coding, and, on paid plans, analyzing images and files. It follows instructions in a conversation. On this site it is second on Best for Writing, third on Best for Images, and fifth on Best for Research. It is a generalist. It is not the first pick when the voice, the picture, or the citations are the whole job.

Sign up, and the free plan

1. Open chatgpt.com (opens in a new tab) in a browser, or install the iOS or Android app. OpenAI's FAQ lists both.
2. Type what you need in the message box and send. Choose New chat when you want to start fresh.
3. You can try it without an account in supported regions. OpenAI's home-page article says that logged-out try is rolling out, and is not yet available in Europe except the UK. Chats are saved only if you log in or create an account. Creating an account also lets you export your data, share chats, and set custom instructions.
4. The free plan is real. OpenAI's free-plan page says ChatGPT has a free plan for everyday conversations and writing help, with usage limits, and that there is no set time limit on how long you can keep the account. The FAQ calls Free "core ChatGPT with basic limits," and says Plus and Pro add higher limits plus voice, images, and data analysis. This site's ranking already notes that Free and Go use GPT-6 Luna. Message caps change. Check the plan page rather than trusting a number from a blog.

A first prompt

Say who you are, what you need, and how long the answer should be. Paste one of these and edit the brackets.

1. Rewrite this email so it is shorter and polite. Keep the facts. Here is the draft: [paste].
2. Explain [topic] to me as if I have never studied it. Use short paragraphs and one example.
3. Turn this messy list into a plan for Saturday. I have about two hours: [paste].
4. Give me three subject lines for a note to my landlord about a leaking sink. Plain language, not salesy.

Ask a follow-up in the same chat. OpenAI says ChatGPT remembers context within a chat. If the answer is too long, say "shorter, and leave out the intro."

Better answers, and checking them

Start a new chat when the topic changes. A long thread keeps old instructions. Be specific: name the reader, the length, and what to leave out.

ChatGPT can search the web and cite sources when it needs current information. OpenAI says you can click the web-search icon or use the "/Search" shortcut in supported experiences. Open the links. A citation you did not click is not a check. The help center also says there are message limits, they vary by plan and model, and they can change. Do not plan a workday around a number this page does not print.

Uploading a file or image to analyze is, in OpenAI's FAQ, available on paid plans with data analysis. If that control is missing, you are not on a plan that includes it. Skip it instead of looking for a hidden button.

When another tool ranks higher

For a draft that has to sound like a person, Claude is first on the writing list. The comparison is Claude alternatives and How to use Claude. For a file that already lives in Gmail or Docs, Gemini is the convenient writer. See How to use Gemini. For links you will click, Perplexity is first on Best for Research. For a considered picture, Midjourney is first on Best for Images. ChatGPT remains the generalist, including readable text inside an image you are already discussing. The page that starts from leaving ChatGPT is ChatGPT alternatives.

Sources

• What is ChatGPT: FAQ (opens in a new tab), OpenAI Help Center.
• The ChatGPT home page (opens in a new tab), OpenAI Help Center.
• ChatGPT Free plan (opens in a new tab), OpenAI.
• Rankings: Best for Writing, Best for Images, Best for Research.