What are Custom Instructions in ChatGPT?
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 8:11 am
Custom instructions are specific instructions or preferences you give to ChatGPT to influence or guide its responses. They act as guidelines to help the tool deliver responses in a desired style, tone, or format .
Let's imagine ChatGPT as an experienced agent with immense knowledge. They answer many of your questions based on a general standard. But with Custom Instructions, you can give them more specific instructions on how to respond . Perhaps you want them to speak in a formal tone, consider specific topics, personas, or backgrounds, or include specific content in their response—that's where Custom Instructions come in.
What is the difference between “normal” chats and custom instructions?
Unlike typical interactions, where ChatGPT attempts to provide the best possible luxembourg phone number data response based on the data it knows, Custom Instructions allow for more precise control over the output . This provides users with tailored responses and ensures the model responds in a specific, desired way. It's like giving the tool a specific lens through which it views the world—or at least the question being asked.
But ChatGPT could do that before – with clever prompt design, the AI can be steered in any direction anyway, right? Yes, it can. The difference: Custom instructions can be stored in the tool . It uses the information for each new chat, and you don't have to start writing a prompt from scratch every time, as with standard chat. There's even the option to create different profiles , e.g., for different customers. More on that later.
How do I set custom instructions?
First of all: Custom Instructions are now (as of September 2023) available to all ChatGPT users , even if they only work with a free account.
Step-by-step guide to setting custom instructions
Log in to ChatGPT.
Click on the three dots next to your account name.
Fig. 1: After the three dots next to your account name, click on “Custom Instructions”.
In the window that opens, click on “Custom Instructions”.
Enter the instructions in the next window.
Fig. 2: Here you can enter information about you or your project as well as instructions for the type of response.
After entering your information, select or leave "Enable for new chats" selected and click "Save." The profile is now saved to your account. Every new chat will be based on these instructions. If you don't want this, you can disable the feature by clicking the "Enable for new chats" button.
How do I create multiple custom instruction profiles in one account?
Do you serve different clients and therefore have many different projects? Then install the Super Power ChatGPT plugin – it allows you to create multiple profiles in one account. When you open a new chat, you'll have the option to select between your profiles.
Let's imagine ChatGPT as an experienced agent with immense knowledge. They answer many of your questions based on a general standard. But with Custom Instructions, you can give them more specific instructions on how to respond . Perhaps you want them to speak in a formal tone, consider specific topics, personas, or backgrounds, or include specific content in their response—that's where Custom Instructions come in.
What is the difference between “normal” chats and custom instructions?
Unlike typical interactions, where ChatGPT attempts to provide the best possible luxembourg phone number data response based on the data it knows, Custom Instructions allow for more precise control over the output . This provides users with tailored responses and ensures the model responds in a specific, desired way. It's like giving the tool a specific lens through which it views the world—or at least the question being asked.
But ChatGPT could do that before – with clever prompt design, the AI can be steered in any direction anyway, right? Yes, it can. The difference: Custom instructions can be stored in the tool . It uses the information for each new chat, and you don't have to start writing a prompt from scratch every time, as with standard chat. There's even the option to create different profiles , e.g., for different customers. More on that later.
How do I set custom instructions?
First of all: Custom Instructions are now (as of September 2023) available to all ChatGPT users , even if they only work with a free account.
Step-by-step guide to setting custom instructions
Log in to ChatGPT.
Click on the three dots next to your account name.
Fig. 1: After the three dots next to your account name, click on “Custom Instructions”.
In the window that opens, click on “Custom Instructions”.
Enter the instructions in the next window.
Fig. 2: Here you can enter information about you or your project as well as instructions for the type of response.
After entering your information, select or leave "Enable for new chats" selected and click "Save." The profile is now saved to your account. Every new chat will be based on these instructions. If you don't want this, you can disable the feature by clicking the "Enable for new chats" button.
How do I create multiple custom instruction profiles in one account?
Do you serve different clients and therefore have many different projects? Then install the Super Power ChatGPT plugin – it allows you to create multiple profiles in one account. When you open a new chat, you'll have the option to select between your profiles.