ChatGPT Tips and Tricks 2026: 25 Hidden Features You Must Try

Most people use ChatGPT like a simple question-answer tool. They are missing out on probably 80% of what it can actually do.

After using ChatGPT daily for over two years, I have collected tricks that consistently make it more useful. Some are obvious once you know them. Others took me months to discover.

Here are 25 tips that will change how you use ChatGPT.

Custom Instructions: The Game Changer

Tip 1: Set Up Your Profile Properly

Go to Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions. This is the most underused feature.

Tell ChatGPT:

Your profession and expertise level
How you prefer responses (concise vs detailed)
Your common use cases
Any preferences (no emojis, specific formatting, etc.)

Example custom instruction: "I am a marketing manager at a B2B SaaS company. I prefer concise, actionable responses. Use bullet points for lists. Skip basic explanations - assume I understand marketing fundamentals. When I ask for content, match a professional but conversational tone."

Now every conversation starts with this context. No more repeating yourself.

Tip 2: Use Memory Strategically

ChatGPT can remember things across conversations. Tell it:

"Remember that my company name is [X] and we sell [Y] to [Z audience]."

Next conversation, it already knows. Check Settings → Personalization → Memory to see what it remembers and manage it.

For detailed prompt techniques, see our ChatGPT prompt writing guide.

Prompting Power Moves

Tip 3: The "Act As" Framework

Start prompts with a role assignment:

"Act as a senior data analyst reviewing this spreadsheet for errors." "Act as a skeptical customer hearing this sales pitch." "Act as my editor looking for weak arguments in this draft."

The role changes how ChatGPT approaches the task.

Tip 4: Ask for Multiple Options

Never accept the first answer. Always ask:

"Give me 5 different approaches to this problem." "Write 3 versions of this email - formal, casual, and persuasive." "Suggest 10 headlines and rank them by impact."

More options means better choices.

Tip 5: Chain Your Prompts

Complex tasks work better in steps:

"First, help me understand the key factors in [decision]."
"Now, based on those factors, what are my options?"
"Compare option A and B specifically for my situation."
"Help me make the final decision with a pros/cons summary."

Each step builds on the last.

Tip 6: Use Negative Instructions

Tell ChatGPT what NOT to do:

"Explain this concept. Do not use jargon. Do not start with 'In today's world.' Do not include a conclusion paragraph."

Negative instructions prevent common ChatGPT habits you may dislike.

Tip 7: Request Specific Formats

Be explicit about structure:

"Present this as a table with columns for: Option, Cost, Time, Risk." "Format as a numbered list with bold headers." "Write as a conversation between two people." "Structure as: Problem → Solution → Example → Action step."

ChatGPT follows formatting instructions well.

Content Creation Tricks

Tip 8: The Outline-First Method

Never ask ChatGPT to write a full piece directly. Instead:

"Create an outline for an article about [topic]"
"Expand section 2 with more detail"
"Now write section 2 based on this expanded outline"
"Add a specific example to paragraph 3"

You maintain control and get better quality.

Tip 9: Feed It Your Voice

Before asking for content, give examples:

"Here are 3 paragraphs I have written. Analyze my writing style - tone, sentence length, vocabulary level, and patterns. Then write new content matching this style."

ChatGPT mimics styles effectively when given examples.

Tip 10: The Review Loop

After getting content, ask:

"Now review what you wrote. Identify the 3 weakest parts and suggest improvements."

ChatGPT's self-critique is often surprisingly honest.

For AI writing tools comparison, see our AI writing assistants guide.

Research and Analysis

Tip 11: Structured Research Requests

Instead of: "Tell me about X"

Try: "Research X and organize findings into: 1) Key facts, 2) Common misconceptions, 3) Recent developments, 4) Practical applications, 5) Unanswered questions."

Structured requests get structured, useful responses.

Tip 12: Devil's Advocate Mode

After ChatGPT agrees with your idea:

"Now argue against everything you just said. What are the strongest counterarguments? Where could this fail?"

Forces balanced analysis instead of yes-man responses.

Tip 13: Source Verification Prompt

"For each claim you make, indicate your confidence level: High (well-established), Medium (generally accepted), or Low (uncertain/may be outdated)."

Helps you know what to verify independently.

Tip 14: Comparison Tables

"Compare [A] vs [B] vs [C] in a table. Include rows for: cost, learning curve, best use case, limitations, and my recommendation for [specific situation]."

Tables force structured thinking and are easy to scan.

Productivity Hacks

Tip 15: Email Templates On Demand

"Create an email template for [situation]. Include placeholders in [brackets] for personalization. Add notes on when to use each section."

Build a library of templates for common situations.

Tip 16: Meeting Prep in 2 Minutes

"I have a meeting about [topic] with [audience]. Give me: 1) 3 key points to make, 2) 3 questions they might ask, 3) 3 questions I should ask them."

Quick prep that covers the essentials.

Tip 17: The Decision Framework

"I need to decide between [options]. Ask me 5 questions that will help clarify my priorities. Then, based on my answers, recommend a choice."

ChatGPT asks the right questions to guide your thinking.

Tip 18: Explain Like I'm Presenting

"Explain [complex topic] as if I need to present it to executives in 2 minutes. Focus on business impact, skip technical details."

Adjust the audience for different explanation styles.

For more productivity tools, check our AI automation guide.

Technical and Coding Tips

Tip 19: Code Review Mode

"Review this code for: 1) Bugs, 2) Security issues, 3) Performance problems, 4) Readability improvements. Explain why each issue matters."

Structured code review catches more issues.

Tip 20: Explain Then Write

"First explain how you would approach [coding task]. Then write the code. Then explain what each section does."

Understanding the approach helps you learn and verify.

Tip 21: Debug With Context

"This code gives [error]. Here is the full code [paste]. Here is what I expected [describe]. Here is what actually happens [describe]. Help me debug."

More context leads to better debugging help.

See our AI coding assistants comparison for more coding tools.

Advanced Features

Tip 22: Voice Conversations

ChatGPT's voice mode (in the app) is underused. Great for:

Brainstorming while walking
Practicing presentations or pitches
Language learning
When typing is inconvenient

It is more natural than you might expect.

Tip 23: Image Analysis

Upload images and ask:

"What is in this image?"
"Critique this design"
"Transcribe this handwritten note"
"What is wrong with this chart?"

Visual input unlocks many use cases.

Tip 24: File Analysis

Upload PDFs, spreadsheets, or documents:

"Summarize this 50-page report"
"Find inconsistencies in this data"
"Extract all action items from these meeting notes"

Handles documents most people manually skim.

Tip 25: Create Custom GPTs

If you do something repeatedly, build a custom GPT:

Go to Explore → Create a GPT
Describe what it should do
Add specific instructions
Upload reference documents if needed

Your custom GPT remembers everything and starts every conversation ready for that specific task.

Mistakes That Limit Your Results

Being Too Vague

"Help me with marketing" → Too broad "Write 5 LinkedIn post ideas for a B2B SaaS product targeting CFOs, focusing on cost savings" → Specific, actionable

Accepting First Responses

The first answer is a starting point. Follow up:

"Make this more concise"
"Add a specific example"
"Now make it more persuasive"

Not Providing Context

ChatGPT does not know:

Your industry
Your audience
Your skill level
Your preferences

Include relevant context or set it in custom instructions.

Using It for Simple Lookups

Google is faster for facts like "What time is it in Tokyo?"

Use ChatGPT for tasks requiring synthesis, analysis, or generation.

The Compound Effect

These tips compound. Combining custom instructions + specific prompts + iteration + the right format multiplies your results.

A user who implements even 5 of these tips will get dramatically better results than someone using default ChatGPT with basic prompts.

Start with Tip 1 (custom instructions) and Tip 4 (multiple options). Those two changes alone will transform your experience.

For comparison with other AI assistants, see our ChatGPT vs Claude guide and Gemini vs ChatGPT comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to use ChatGPT?

The best way to use ChatGPT is to be specific with your prompts, use custom instructions for personalization, break complex tasks into steps, and iterate on responses. Setting up your profile with context about your needs makes every conversation more relevant.

Does ChatGPT have hidden features?

Yes, ChatGPT has many underused features including custom instructions, memory settings, voice conversations, file analysis, image generation, and the ability to create custom GPTs. Most users only scratch the surface of what is possible.

How do I get better answers from ChatGPT?

Get better answers by providing context, specifying your desired format, asking for multiple options, using role-based prompts, and requesting step-by-step explanations. The more specific your input, the more useful the output.