How to Use ChatGPT: Beginner Setup and Prompting Tips

TL;DR

Start on ChatGPT's free plan, which includes GPT5 with 10 messages per 5 hours and one thinking-model use per day, then upgrade to the $20 Plus plan only after hitting limits. Before prompting, turn off "improve the model for everyone" under Data Controls if you want privacy, fill in custom instructions, and enable saved memories and chat history reference.

Transcript

Welcome to the wild world of AI, where if you blink, you'll miss a dozen updates and maybe even lose your side hustle as grandma's go-to geek squad. For beginners, it feels like trying to hop on a train already speeding at 1,000 mph. So, today I'm hitting the brakes and giving you the ultimate beginner's guide to chat GPT, and we're going to discus... Read More

Key Insights

• The free ChatGPT plan includes GPT5 but caps usage at 10 messages per 5 hours. Once that cap is hit, the chat continues on a faster but less capable model, and the GPT5 thinking mode is limited to once per day.
• Privacy is OpenAI's most asked support question. The setting lives under your name, Settings, then Data Controls, where "improve the model for everyone" is on by default and can be switched off so your content is not used to train the models.
• Temporary chat works as ChatGPT's incognito mode. Turning it on from the top right means the conversation stays out of history, is not used for training, and nothing from it is saved into memory for future discussions.
• Custom instructions inject context into every prompt you send. You can set what ChatGPT calls you, what you do, a personality such as cynic, robot, listener, or nerd, plus traits like preferring short answers unless a long explanation is required.
• Specific rules in custom instructions persist across all chats. One example given: telling ChatGPT to only suggest YouTube titles of 50 characters or less means every future title brainstorm respects that limit without repeating the instruction.
• Referenced saved memories and referenced chat history make ChatGPT use past conversations as context. A fitness example: because it remembers yesterday's recommended workout routine, it will not repeat the same routine when asked again today.
• Saved memories are editable. Inside Personalization you can open the memory manager, delete individual memories you would rather ChatGPT not keep, or clear all of them at once.
• Paid plans can unlock a wider model picker. Enabling "show additional models" in the General settings tab reveals models beyond the default instant, thinking, and pro options, including 4o, 4.1, 4.5, o3, and o4 mini.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are ChatGPT's pricing plans and which one should I choose?

There are five plans: free, Plus, Pro, Business, and ChatGPT Enterprise. Most people need only the free plan or the $20 per month Plus plan, unless they use AI heavily or have specific business needs. The recommended approach is to start on the free plan and upgrade to Plus only after hitting message limits. The $200 per month Pro plan is aimed at power users such as AI-focused YouTubers, and very few people actually need it.

Q: What do you get on the free ChatGPT plan?

The free plan includes access to GPT5, but limits you to 10 messages per 5 hours. After using those messages you can keep chatting, though it drops you to a faster but less capable model. You also get GPT5's thinking capabilities for tougher prompts, but only once per day. Image generation is limited to a small number per day on a slower image model, and there is no access to Sora for video generation. Projects are also now available on the free plan.

Q: What does the $20 per month ChatGPT Plus plan include?

Plus gives you GPT5 with 160 messages every 4 hours, which is described as plenty for most people. You get advanced thinking GPT5 with 3,000 uses per week instead of once per day, a better and faster image generator, and access to Sora video generation limited to 5 seconds at 720p or 10 seconds at 480p. Plus also includes Codex, OpenAI's coding platform, and agent mode, which uses a browser on your behalf.

Q: Is the $200 per month ChatGPT Pro plan worth it?

Pro gives unlimited access to all GPT5 models including the best thinking model, which is not available in Plus, unlimited faster image creation, and a better Sora that generates up to 20 seconds at 1080p with no watermark. It also includes agent mode and the Codex agent. New features typically roll out to Pro first, then Plus, then free. The advice given is that unless you are an AI power user, you probably do not need it.

Q: How do I stop ChatGPT from using my chats to train its models?

Click your name in the bottom left, open Settings, then go to Data Controls. There you will find "improve the model for everyone," which is turned on by default. Switching it off stops your content from being used to train the models. This is described as the single most common question OpenAI receives at technical support. If you only want to exclude certain conversations, use temporary chat instead of turning the setting off entirely.

Q: What is ChatGPT's temporary chat and when should I use it?

Temporary chat is a button in the top right that acts as ChatGPT's incognito mode. When enabled, the conversation does not go into your chat history, is not used to train the models, and nothing said in it gets saved into ChatGPT's memory for later discussions. Use it when you want specific conversations kept out of training data and memory, rather than switching off the training setting across your whole account.

Q: How do custom instructions in ChatGPT work?

Open your name at the bottom left and click customize ChatGPT. You can set the name it calls you, describe what you do so it has role context, and pick a personality such as cynic, robot, listener, or nerd. The traits field is where you specify how it should respond, for example skipping AI formalities, keeping answers concise unless a long explanation is needed, or always suggesting YouTube titles of 50 characters or less. These details are fed alongside every prompt you send.

Q: Should I turn on referenced saved memories and chat history in ChatGPT?

Both settings live under Settings, then Personalization, and turning them on is recommended because ChatGPT then uses past conversations as context for current ones. The example given is fitness advice: because it knows which workout routine it recommended yesterday, it will not suggest the same one again today. If it stores something you would rather it forget, you can open the memory manager, delete individual memories, or clear them all.

Q: How do I see more model options in ChatGPT?

On a paid plan, go to the General tab in Settings and enable the "show additional models" checkbox, which is not available on the free plan. Without it, the GPT5 dropdown at the top shows the instant model, a thinking model, and a pro model, with GPT4o under legacy models. With it enabled you get access to more models to experiment with, including 4o, 4.1, 4.5, o3, and o4 mini, though the exact list depends on your plan tier.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• ChatGPT offers five plans: free, Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise. The free plan includes GPT5 with 10 messages per 5 hours, one thinking-model use per day, limited images on a slower generator, and no Sora. After the message cap, chats continue on a faster but weaker model.

• The $20 per month Plus plan gives 160 messages every 4 hours, 3,000 advanced thinking uses per week, a faster image generator, Sora at 5 seconds in 720p or 10 seconds in 480p, Codex, and agent mode. The $200 Pro plan adds unlimited GPT5 access and 20-second 1080p Sora video without watermarks.

• Account setup covers privacy and personalization: Data Controls toggles model training, temporary chat acts as an incognito mode, custom instructions set your name, role, personality, and traits, and Personalization enables referenced saved memories and referenced chat history so past conversations inform new ones.