How to use it

There's really just one skill to learn — plus a few handy tricks. That's it.

You can't break it. There is no wrong button and no way to mess it up. If something confuses you, you can always close it and start over. Relax and play.

It's a conversation

You don't have to ask perfectly the first time. You just keep talking, the same way you would with a helpful person.

The four magic follow-ups

Don't love the first answer? Type one of these and press send:

Make that shorter. Explain it more simply. Give me three options instead. Use a friendlier tone.

See it in action

You asked

"Write a note to my neighbor about their dog barking at night."

Then you said: "Make it shorter and kinder"

"Hi Tom — I hope you're well! I've noticed Buddy barking a bit at night and wanted to gently mention it. No rush at all — just thought you'd want to know. Thanks so much!"

Bonus tip: tell it about you. The more it knows, the better it helps. Try starting with: "I'm 72 and brand new to this — explain it simply."

You can come back later

A conversation doesn't disappear when you close it. You can return hours or days later and pick up right where you left off.

As long as you're signed in, your past chats are saved in a history list — usually a menu on the left side (on a computer) or a list you reach from a menu button (on a phone). Tap an old conversation to reopen it, then just keep typing. It still remembers everything you discussed in that chat.

All four keep your history: ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Claude all save your conversations when you're signed in. So you can start a question today and finish it tomorrow.

Changing to a brand-new topic? Start a new conversation (look for a "+" or "New chat" button) so things stay tidy — but you never have to.

A few handy tricks

Three little things that make AI easier and more fun. Try each once and it'll feel natural:

🎤 Talk instead of type (if you like). Tap the microphone and just speak. On a phone it can read answers aloud too — ChatGPT and Gemini even hold a back-and-forth, like a phone call. Prefer typing? That's perfectly good too — many people find they think more clearly on the page. There's no right way.
📷 Show it a photo. Point your camera at a houseplant, a pill bottle, a confusing letter, or an error message, and ask what it is. Try the picture workbook ›
🖨️ Ask for it your way. End your question with "make it a checklist," "put it in a table," or "give me something I can print out."

Staying safe & smart

Never share passwords, your Social Security number, or full bank or credit card numbers.
It can be confidently wrong. For anything that really matters — health, legal, money — treat its answer as a helpful starting point and double-check it.
It's not spying on you, and it's not a real person. Using it isn't dangerous.

Handy trick: use it to spot scams. Got a suspicious text or email? Paste it in and ask: "Is this a scam? Should I be worried?" → Try the "Is this a scam?" workbook

Ready to see it in action? Try a workbook › · Want paper to keep by your chair? Printable handout ›

📚 Browse the workbooks →