Custom Instructions tell ChatGPT who you are and how you want it to respond — so you don't have to repeat yourself every single conversation. Set this up once and your results improve immediately.
HOW TO SET UP CUSTOM INSTRUCTIONS
- Click your profile picture (bottom-left in ChatGPT)
- Go to "Customise ChatGPT"
- Fill in the two fields below
FIELD 1: "What would you like ChatGPT to know about you?" Tell it about yourself: who you are, what you do, what you're working on.
TEMPLATE: "I am [YOUR ROLE] at/for [YOUR CONTEXT]. I primarily use ChatGPT for [USE CASES]. My level of technical knowledge is [BEGINNER / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED]. Key context about my work: [ANYTHING RELEVANT — niche, industry, audience, goals]."
REAL EXAMPLE: "I am a freelance content writer working primarily for SaaS and B2B clients. I use ChatGPT for writing assistance, content research, and client communication. My knowledge level is intermediate. I write for marketing managers and founders, not technical audiences. My clients are mostly UK-based."
FIELD 2: "How would you like ChatGPT to respond?" Tell it your preferences: tone, length, format, things to avoid.
TEMPLATE: "Please respond in a [TONE] tone. Keep responses [LENGTH PREFERENCE]. Format responses using [BULLET POINTS / HEADERS / PLAIN TEXT] when appropriate. Avoid [THINGS YOU DISLIKE — jargon, filler phrases, over-explaining]. When I ask for [SPECIFIC THING], always [SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION]."
REAL EXAMPLE: "Respond in a direct, professional but conversational tone. Avoid filler phrases like 'Great question!' or 'Certainly!' Keep responses focused — don't pad with unnecessary context. When I ask for copy, give me 2-3 variations so I can choose. Use British English spelling. Format longer responses with clear headers."
SETUPS FOR DIFFERENT USERS
FOR ENTREPRENEURS: Field 1: "I run a small business selling [PRODUCT/SERVICE] to [AUDIENCE]. My biggest challenges are [X, Y, Z]." Field 2: "Help me think like a business owner. Be direct. Give actionable advice, not generic tips. Format recommendations as numbered action steps."
FOR MARKETERS: Field 1: "I'm a marketing manager at [COMPANY TYPE]. I work on [EMAIL/SOCIAL/ADS/CONTENT]. My audience is [DESCRIBE]." Field 2: "Write in a persuasive but not salesy tone. Always consider the audience perspective. When writing copy, give me 3 variations. Use short sentences."
FOR STUDENTS: Field 1: "I'm a [SUBJECT] student at [LEVEL]. I use ChatGPT to help me understand complex topics and improve my academic writing." Field 2: "Explain concepts clearly, with examples. When I share my writing, give specific, actionable feedback. Don't write things for me — guide me to improve my own work."
FOR DEVELOPERS: Field 1: "I'm a [FRONTEND / BACKEND / FULL-STACK] developer primarily working in [LANGUAGES]. I'm [JUNIOR/SENIOR LEVEL]." Field 2: "When giving code examples, use [LANGUAGE]. Comment code clearly. If there are multiple approaches, explain trade-offs. Prefer clean, readable code over clever one-liners."
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