Getting started with Z.ai: a beginner's guide to the free chatbot

Open chat.z.ai and look around

Open your browser, type chat.z.ai into the address bar, and press Enter. You should see an empty chat with a message box at the bottom of the screen. This box is where you type. Chat assistants like this one work like a very fast, very patient text conversation: you type a message, and the reply appears below it.

Take a moment to look at the rest of the page. You may see a sidebar with past conversations, a button to start a new chat, and a menu for settings. Don't worry about any of it yet. If you're asked to sign in or create an account, follow the on-screen steps and use an email address you check often. If the page looks different from this description, look for the message box first, because that's the one thing you need.

Next step ↓

Check which model you're using

Z.ai is built on what it calls its GLM models. "Model" is simply the name for the AI engine behind the chat. Think of it like a car engine: the same dashboard can sometimes sit on different engines, and each one handles tasks a little differently. Some sites let you choose a model from a menu near the top of the chat or near the message box.

If you see a model menu, tap or click it and look at what's available. Model names and options can change over time, so don't rely on a name from this guide or someone else's article. Pick the option that's labeled as the general or everyday choice if you're unsure.

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Ask your first question

Click inside the message box, type a question in ordinary language, and press Enter, or tap the send arrow next to the box. Write as if you're talking to a helpful friend. A few seconds later, the reply should start appearing below your message, a few words at a time.

Start with something simple that you already know the answer to, so you can judge the reply yourself. Good first questions are about everyday topics. Remember: the assistant cannot see your screen, your files, or the live internet unless the site specifically offers those features. It answers from patterns it learned during training, so it can be wrong.

If the reply is very short or seems to ignore your question, press the button to start a new chat and try again with more detail.

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Improve the answer with a follow-up

The first answer is rarely the best one. The easiest way to improve it is to reply in the same chat, the way you'd continue talking with a person. The assistant remembers what you said earlier in that conversation, so you can ask it to adjust, shorten, or explain differently. Click in the message box below its reply and type your follow-up.

Be specific about what you want. Saying "make it simpler" or "give me three bullet points" helps much more than "try again." If the reply still misses the point, rephrase your original question with more detail about who the answer is for.

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Try a practical task

Now try something useful for your daily life. Chatbots are good at drafting, organizing, and explaining. For example, you can ask for help writing a polite message, planning a simple schedule, or making a shopping list from a recipe. The assistant can draft the text, but it can't send emails, book appointments, or make purchases for you. You still copy the result and use it yourself.

If you want the assistant to work with a longer piece of text, such as a paragraph from a letter you received, paste it into the message box. Only paste text you're comfortable sharing, and remove names, account numbers, and addresses first.

Next step ↓

Decide what to keep private

This step matters more than any other. Treat a chatbot like a public postcard: anything you type could be stored, reviewed under the company's rules, or seen by someone who gets access to your account. Z.ai has its own privacy policy, and different AI companies handle stored conversations differently, so read the policy on the official site before sharing anything personal. Look for the section on how long chats are kept and how to delete them.

As a simple rule, don't type passwords, bank or card numbers, Social Security numbers, medical records, or other people's private details. For a sensitive document, use a short summary or a made-up version instead. Also check whether your account has a way to clear your chat history, and use it if you're on a shared computer.