Getting started with DeepSeek for everyday help

Set up your free account

Your first action is to visit the official DeepSeek website in your web browser or download the DeepSeek app from your device's app store. Once on the site or in the app, you'll see a landing page. Look for a button like Sign Up or Log In, usually located in the top-right corner or centre of the screen. Tap or click this to begin. After choosing to create an account (e.g., with email, Google, or mobile number), you'll be guided through providing your details and verifying them. If it looks different: The buttons might say "Register" or "Create Account". Just pick the option that lets you set up a new account. You'll know it worked when you see a clean, simple chat screen appear, usually with a text box at the bottom ready for your messages.

Turn on "Deep Think"

DeepSeek has a special superpower called Deep Think, which is its reasoning model. Think of a reasoning model like a thoughtful chef who talks through a complex recipe out loud, planning each step before they start chopping, rather than just handing you a plate of food instantly. This mode helps DeepSeek slow down, plan its thoughts, and makes it incredibly accurate for puzzles, maths, or tricky organisation tasks. On your chat screen, look for a toggle switch or button near the text input box that says Deep Think (or shows a small brain or lightbulb icon). Click or tap it to turn it on. If it looks different: The toggle might be labelled "Reasoning Mode", "Plan & Execute", or might be hidden under a small settings icon next to the chat box. Look for any option that implies a more thoughtful, step-by-step approach. You'll know it worked when the toggle switch changes colour, moves to an "on" position, or shows a clear indicator that Deep Think is active.

Write your first prompt

Now it's time to write your first prompt. A prompt is simply the instructions or questions you type to the AI, like giving clear directions to a helpful assistant. Because DeepSeek excels at reasoning, you can ask it complex questions that involve budgets, scheduling, or making difficult decisions. Type your instructions into the text box at the bottom of the screen, ensuring you provide as much detail as possible to help the AI understand your needs. If it looks different: The text box might have placeholder text like "Ask me anything..." or "Type your message here."

You'll know it worked when your text appears clearly in the input box, ready to be sent.

Send your prompt and observe the 'thinking'

With your detailed prompt ready in the text box, your next action is to send it to DeepSeek. Look for a "send" button, usually an arrow, paper plane icon, or a button labelled "Send" or "Enter", typically located next to your text box. Click or tap this button. What happens next is a small moment of anticipation. DeepSeek will start to process your request, and you'll often see an indicator showing it's "thinking" or "generating" a response. This process might take a few seconds, especially with Deep Think enabled, as it meticulously plans its answer. If it looks different: The send button might be a simple text label that says "Go" or "Submit." Just click the clear action that makes your message go to the AI. You'll know it worked when your prompt disappears from the input box and appears in the chat history above, and you see an animation or text like "DeepSeek is thinking..." appear.

Review DeepSeek's thought process

Once DeepSeek has finished processing your request, it will display its "thought process" before giving you the final answer. This is a unique and valuable feature. You'll see a small section appear, often collapsible, labelled something like "Thought Process" or "Steps Taken". Your action is to click on this section to expand it. What happens next is fascinating: you'll see a detailed breakdown of how the AI approached your problem, organising the timeline, double-checking travel distances, and ensuring everything fits your criteria. If it looks different: Look for a small arrow, a "Show details" button, or "Expand" next to the thought process summary. This might also be represented by a small brain icon that you click. You'll know it worked when the thought process section opens up, revealing several bullet points or numbered steps explaining the AI's internal logic.

Read the final answer

After reviewing DeepSeek's planning steps, scroll down past the expanded thought process. Your next action is simply to read the final, polished answer or solution that DeepSeek has generated based on its detailed reasoning. What you see is the practical outcome of its "thinking" mode – in our example, a perfectly organised, stress-free schedule for your Saturday. The answer will usually be clearly presented, often using bold text, bullet points, or numbered lists to make it easy to follow. If it looks different: The formatting of the final answer might vary slightly, but the core information will be there. It might be a solid block of text if your prompt was very simple. You'll know it worked when you see the complete, well-structured schedule, or the answer to your question, displayed clearly below DeepSeek's thought process.