How to set up ChatGPT properly in 15 minutes

Most people sign up to ChatGPT, type a question and never touch the settings. Fifteen minutes spent setting it up properly makes it safer, more useful, and much more “yours”.

Menus change from time to time. If something looks slightly different, look for a similarly named option. It’s usually close by.

Step 1: Create your account (3 minutes)

1. Go to chatgpt.com on your computer, or download the ChatGPT app from the App Store or Google Play. Check the developer is OpenAI, because there are lookalike apps.
2. Choose Sign up. You can use your email address, or sign in with Google, Microsoft or Apple.
3. Follow the steps to confirm your email and enter your name and date of birth.

Tip: Use the same login on your computer and phone and your chats will appear on both.

Step 2: Check your privacy settings (3 minutes)

Click your profile picture or name (bottom-left on a computer, or in the menu on a phone), then Settings.

• Data controls → “Improve the model for everyone”. When it’s on, your conversations may be used to help train future versions. Many people prefer to switch it off. It doesn’t change how well ChatGPT works for you.
• Security → turn on two-step verification (sometimes called multi-factor authentication). It’s the single best way to protect any online account.

Step 3: Tell ChatGPT about you (5 minutes)

This is the step most people skip, and the one that makes the biggest difference.

Go to Settings → Personalization and find Custom instructions (the wording may vary). Here you can tell ChatGPT about yourself and how you’d like it to respond. For example:

About me: I'm a practice manager at a small dental surgery in Leeds.
I'm fairly new to AI. I mostly want help with emails, rotas and
letters to patients.

How I'd like you to respond: Use British English. Keep answers short
and clear. Avoid jargon, and if you must use a technical word, explain
it. Ask me a question if my request isn't clear.

Write yours in your own words. It doesn’t need to be perfect, and you can change it any time.

Step 4: Decide about memory (1 minute)

Under Personalization you’ll also see Memory. With memory on, ChatGPT can remember useful things you tell it across different chats.

• On is more convenient: it gets to know you.
• Off is more private.

Either is fine. You can view and delete individual memories at any time. If you want a one-off chat that isn’t remembered or saved, start a Temporary chat.

Step 5: Your first real task (3 minutes)

Now try something real. Think of an email or message you’ve been putting off and type:

Help me write a short, friendly email to [who] about [what].
The main thing I need to say is [key point]. Keep it under 120 words.

Read what comes back. Then ask for changes: “make it warmer”, “shorter”, “less formal”. This back-and-forth is where the magic is.

That’s it. Dead easy.

That’s it. You now have ChatGPT set up more thoughtfully than most people ever do. Next, learn how to ask AI for exactly what you want.

Rather not do it yourself? The Setup Pack gets your AI to set itself up around you, one friendly question at a time.