ChatGPT tips

Desktop Go to chatgpt.com. Type it yourself rather than clicking ads.

Phone App Store or Google Play. The publisher must read OpenAI.

Copycat apps with similar names and icons exist and some charge fees. Check the publisher before you install.

Both Sign up with email, or with your Google, Apple or Microsoft account.

The free plan is enough to learn on. Use a personal email for personal use. For work, ask your employer first; they may already provide an approved version.

Desktop Your name › Settings › Security and login › Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Phone Set it up on the web at chatgpt.com. It protects your account on every device.

Choose an authenticator app or a passkey if offered. Your chats can hold personal details, so protect the account like your email.

Desktop Settings › Data controls › Improve the model for everyone

Phone iPhone: three dots at the top right › Settings › Data controls › Improve the model for everyone. Android: menu (three lines) at the top left › Settings › Data controls › Improve the model for everyone.

Switch it off if you would rather your conversations are not used to improve OpenAI's models. Your chats still save to your history either way.

Desktop Settings › Personalization › Custom instructions. Make sure Enable customization is on.

Phone iPhone: three dots at the top right › Settings › Customize ChatGPT. Android: menu (three lines) at the top left › Settings › Customize ChatGPT. Make sure Enable customization is on.

Add your role, your country and how you like answers. Example: "I'm a practice manager in Australia. Use Australian English. Keep answers short and plain, with steps where useful." It applies to every new chat.

Desktop Settings › Personalization › Memory

In chat Ask "What do you remember about me?" Say "Forget that" to remove something.

Memory makes answers more personal over time. Review it now and then, and delete anything you would not want kept. Deleting a memory does not remove it from past chats, so delete those chats too if needed.

Both Open a new chat, select Temporary, then choose Personalized or Unpersonalized before you send your first message. Unpersonalized ignores your memory and custom instructions.

Keyboard Ctrl Shift N (Mac Cmd Shift N) in the desktop app

It stays out of your history, does not update memory and is not used for training. OpenAI may still keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety checks.

Both See the list at the end of this sheet. Remove names and numbers before you paste, or describe the situation instead.

Treat anything you type as something that could be stored. Privacy settings reduce risk; they do not remove it.

Both Plans include Free, Go, Plus and Pro. Compare current prices at chatgpt.com/pricing.

Free includes everyday text chats. Uploads, images, voice and other tools have tighter limits, so upgrade only if you keep hitting them. Plans bought on chatgpt.com are charged in Australian dollars. Free and Go accounts may see ads; you can switch off Personalize ads in Settings › Ad controls.