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LucyBrain Switzerland ○ AI Daily
ChatGPT Tips and Tricks 2026: Hidden Features & Power User Secrets (Get 10x Better Results)
January 23, 2026
TL;DR: Best Tips
Use custom instructions - Set default behavior for every chat Pin important chats - Stop losing your best conversationsEdit your messages - Fix typos or add context without restarting Use voice input - Talk instead of type (mobile app)Share specific parts - Don't share entire conversation, just relevant parts Archive old chats - Clean up sidebar without deleting
Most people use 10% of ChatGPT's features. Here's the other 90%.
Hidden Features You're Missing
Custom Instructions (Game Changer)
What it does: Set default instructions that apply to every conversation
Where: Settings → Personalization → Custom instructions
Use it for:
Your role/context:
How ChatGPT should respond:
Why this matters: Stops you from repeating same context every conversation.
Time saved: 30 seconds per conversation = hours per month
Edit Your Messages
Most people don't know: You can edit messages after sending
How: Hover over your message → Click edit icon
When to use:
Fix typos
Add context you forgot
Rewrite unclear request
Add examples
Why not just send new message: Editing keeps conversation cleaner. ChatGPT sees edit as replacement, not addition.
Continue Generating
What happens: ChatGPT stops mid-response (hit length limit)
Most people do: Copy what they have, start new chat, paste it back
Better way: Click "Continue generating" button that appears
Or type: "continue" or "keep going"
Pro tip: For really long content, say upfront "This will be long, I'll say continue when you stop"
Pin Important Conversations
The problem: Lose your best conversations in long list
Solution: Hover over conversation → Click pin icon
Pinned chats stay at top of sidebar
Pin:
Prompt templates you reuse
Research conversations you reference
Work projects you're actively on
Personal assistant conversations
Max pins: Technically unlimited but keep it under 10 or it defeats the purpose
Archive Old Chats
Don't want to delete but sidebar is cluttered?
Archive them: Hover → Three dots → Archive
Where they go: Settings → Data controls → Archived chats
Get them back: Unarchive anytime
Why not delete: Might want them later. Archive keeps them accessible without clutter.
Conversation Management
Name Your Chats
ChatGPT auto-names chats. Usually terrible names.
Better: Rename them something useful
How: Hover over chat → Click name → Edit
Naming system:
Work projects: "ClientName - Project"
Templates: "TEMPLATE: Email responses"
Research: "Research: Topic"
Ongoing: "Weekly planning - 2026"
Makes finding conversations actually possible
Share Specific Responses
Don't share entire conversation with 50 exchanges
Share specific parts: Hover over response → Share icon → Copy link
Creates link to just that response
Use for:
Sharing AI's answer with colleague
Saving specific output
Referencing later
Search Your Chat History
Sidebar search is terrible but exists
Better: Use browser search (Ctrl+F / Cmd+F) on chat list page
Best: Remember to name your chats well so search works
Export Your Data
Get all your conversations: Settings → Data controls → Export data
Why:
Backup before subscription expires
Reference for future projects
Portfolio of prompts that worked
Format: JSON file. Not super readable but it's all there.
Prompt Techniques Most People Miss
The "Act as" Framework
Basic prompt: "Write marketing email"
Power user: "Act as experienced email marketer who increased client open rates by 40%. Write email for [specific situation]."
Why it works: Gives ChatGPT specific expertise to draw from
Examples:
"Act as senior software engineer with 10 years Python experience"
"Act as copywriter specializing in DTC e-commerce"
"Act as patient teacher explaining to absolute beginners"
Chain of Thought Prompting
Gets better reasoning on complex problems
Add: "Think through this step-by-step. Show your reasoning."
Example:
For: Strategy decisions, complex analysis, debugging logic
The Constraint Technique
Vague requests get vague results
Add specific constraints:
Length: "Under 200 words" or "Exactly 5 items"
Style: "Professional but conversational"
Format: "As bullet points" or "In table format"
Audience: "For beginners" or "For experts"
Avoid: "Don't use jargon" or "Skip theory"
Example:
The Iteration Method
Don't expect perfection first try
Better approach:
Get first draft
"Make it more [specific change]"
"Now add [element]"
"Try this part again with [adjustment]"
Example:
The Example Technique
Show don't tell
Instead of: "Write in casual style"
Better: "Write like this example: [paste something in the style you want]"
Works for:
Voice and tone
Structure and format
Complexity level
Specific patterns
Keyboard Shortcuts (Desktop)
New chat: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + O
Focus on chat input: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + ;
Copy last response: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + C
Set custom instructions: Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + I
Reality: Most people don't use shortcuts but power users save 30+ seconds per hour
Mobile App Tips
Voice Input
Way faster than typing on phone
How: Tap microphone icon in input box
Best for: Dictating long prompts, hands-free use, when walking/driving (eyes on road)
Works surprisingly well even with background noise
Screenshot Sharing
Can upload images in mobile app
Use for:
"What's in this image?"
"Transcribe this handwritten note"
"Explain this diagram"
"Fix this error message"
Tap camera icon → Take photo or choose from library
Sync Across Devices
Conversations sync between phone and computer
Start on phone, continue on computer or vice versa
Takes 30-60 seconds to sync. Not instant but pretty fast.
Getting Better Results
Be Specific About Format
Vague: "Give me some ideas"
Specific: "Give me 10 ideas. For each: one-sentence description and why it would work. In table format."
ChatGPT follows format instructions really well
Ask for Multiple Options
Instead of one version, get variations:
"Give me 3 different versions:
Version A: Professional formal
Version B: Casual friendly
Version C: Direct no-fluff"
Then pick best or combine elements
Use Negative Instructions
Tell it what NOT to do:
"Write blog intro without:
Generic statements like 'in today's world'
Asking rhetorical questions
Using words like 'leverage' or 'utilize'
Being more than 100 words"
Prevents common AI writing patterns you hate
Request Reasoning
For important decisions:
"Recommend which option. Then explain:
Why you chose it
What assumptions you made
What would change your recommendation
What I should consider that you can't evaluate"
Gets you thinking not just answer
The "Explain Like I'm Five" Trick
For complex topics:
"Explain [complex concept] like I'm five. Use simple analogy."
Then: "Now explain at normal level with the detail."
Two-step approach helps you understand before getting details
What Not To Do
Don't Treat It Like Google
ChatGPT isn't search engine
For current facts/data: Use Perplexity or Google
ChatGPT good for: Understanding, explaining, creating, analyzing
Knowledge cutoff matters: Doesn't know things after its training date
Don't Paste Sensitive Info
Never put in ChatGPT:
Passwords or API keys
Customer personal data
Confidential business info
Medical records
Financial account numbers
Why: Not fully private (especially free tier)
Don't Trust It Blindly
ChatGPT makes mistakes:
Wrong facts stated confidently
Bad code that compiles but doesn't work right
Outdated information
Logical errors in reasoning
Always verify important stuff
Don't Use for Critical Decisions Alone
Use AI as input not decision maker
Good: "Help me think through this decision"
Bad: "Tell me what to do" then doing it without thinking
Power User Workflow Example
Morning routine:
Open pinned "Daily Planning" chat
"What should I prioritize today?" (has custom instructions with my goals/projects)
Get priorities
Use throughout day for:
Email drafts (2 min instead of 15)
Research summaries (10 min instead of hour)
Copy editing (instant instead of 20 min)
End of day: "Help me plan tomorrow based on what got done"
Time saved: 2-3 hours daily
Key: Having standard workflows, named chats, custom instructions
Advanced: Using ChatGPT with Other Tools
With Google Docs
Write in ChatGPT → Copy to Docs → Edit there
Why not write directly in Docs: ChatGPT interface better for conversation and iteration
With Notion/Obsidian
Save prompts that work as templates in your note-taking app
Build prompt library you can copy-paste
With Email
Draft in ChatGPT → Add personal touches → Send
For: Cold outreach, support responses, follow-ups
With Social Media Schedulers
Generate week of content → Schedule in Buffer/Later → Done for week
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ChatGPT Plus have more features?
Yes. Plus gets new features first (like GPT-4, browsing, plugins when available). Free gets them later or limited access.
Can I use ChatGPT offline?
No. Needs internet connection.
Is there a ChatGPT desktop app?
Mac desktop app exists. Windows coming. But web version works fine.
Can I recover deleted chats?
No. Once deleted, gone forever. Archive instead of delete.
Do custom instructions work on mobile?
Yes. Set once on desktop, applies everywhere.
Can multiple people use one account?
Against terms of service. Get separate accounts.
What's the message limit on free tier?
Varies by usage. Heavy users hit limits. Plus has much higher limits.
Can I turn off chat history?
Yes. Settings → Data controls → Chat history off. ChatGPT won't save or train on those chats.
Related Reading
Getting Started:
Troubleshooting:
Comparison:
www.topfreeprompts.com
Access 80,000+ ChatGPT prompts including templates for every use case. Learn from examples of what works instead of starting from scratch every time.
