AI WORLD HQHow to use custom GPTs (and build your own without coding)
Discover how to find pre-made AI assistants for your daily tasks, and easily build your own tailored helper in minutes.
This guide was written by AI. It passed automated fact and quality checks, and our editor spot-checks published guides every day.
See AI World HQ first on GoogleAdd us as a preferred source and our stories show up higher in Google’s Top Stories.Add on GoogleImagine having a digital assistant who already knows your household budget, your business's brand voice, or your weekly fitness goals, without you having to explain it every single time you open a chat. This is the power of custom GPTs – personalized versions of ChatGPT built for a single, specific task. You don't need to know how to write computer code to build one; you simply have a conversation with the AI about what you need.
This guide will show you how to find ready-made helpers in the GPT Store and how to create your very own tailored AI assistant in minutes. While your custom GPT is great at conversation and information processing, it can't directly connect to external apps like your smart fridge or automatically order groceries for you.
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- A ChatGPT account: You can browse and use many pre-made GPTs with a free ChatGPT account. However, creating your own custom GPT currently requires a paid ChatGPT Plus subscription.
- A device: You can access ChatGPT and the GPT Store from a web browser on a computer (laptop or desktop) or through the ChatGPT app on a smartphone or tablet.
- An idea: If you plan to build your own, think of a repetitive task you do often, such as drafting weekly emails, planning school lunches, or organizing meeting notes.
- Rough total time: This guide should take about 6-10 minutes to follow, not including the time you might spend experimenting with your new GPT.
Explore the GPT Store
First, you'll need to open ChatGPT. On a computer, navigate to the ChatGPT website. If you're using a smartphone, open the ChatGPT app. On the left side of the screen, or by tapping a menu icon (often three horizontal lines) if you’re on mobile, you’ll see a navigation sidebar. Look for the menu item called Explore GPTs and click or tap on it. The GPT Store is like a digital marketplace, but instead of apps, it's filled with helpful chatbots (computer programs designed to simulate human conversation) created by other people and companies.
: the screen changes to show a directory of different custom GPTs, often categorised by tasks like "Writing," "Designing," or "Learning."
Start building your own custom helper
From the GPT Store screen, look for a button in the top-right corner that says Create. Click or tap this button. This action will open a split-screen workspace, which is your construction zone. On the left side, you'll see the GPT Builder, which is itself an AI assistant designed to help you create your custom GPT by asking questions. On the right, you'll find the Preview panel, where you can test your new creation as you build it.
If it looks different: The "Create" button might be slightly different depending on your device or if you're editing an existing GPT (it might say "New GPT" or have a plus icon). Ensure you have a ChatGPT Plus subscription, as this feature is currently exclusive to paid plans.
: the screen changes to a split view, with a chat interface on the left (the GPT Builder) and an empty chat area on the right (the Preview panel).
If you can't find exactly what you need in the store, or you want something perfectly tailored, you can build your own.
Tell the builder what you want
The GPT Builder on the left side of your screen will start by asking you what you want to make. Speak to it in plain, everyday English, just as you would talk to a helpful colleague. You don't need to use technical jargon or complex coding terms; simply describe your idea. For instance, if you're looking for a cooking assistant, you might describe its purpose directly.
What happens next is the builder will process your request and usually suggest a name and a profile picture (which it will generate for you using AI) based on your description. You can then accept these suggestions or ask for changes, refining it to your liking.
: the GPT Builder responds with a suggested name for your custom GPT (e.g., "Fridge Feast Planner") and displays a generated profile picture for it.
the builder might ask a clarifying question first before suggesting a name, especially if your initial description was broad.
Refine your helper's personality and rules
Next, the builder will ask you about the tone of voice and any specific things your helper should avoid or prioritize. These crucial instructions are called prompts, and they are the rules and guidelines that tell your AI how to behave. This helps ensure your custom GPT has a consistent "personality" and follows your specific requirements.
What happens next is the builder will confirm it has updated the GPT's instructions based on your feedback.
: the builder confirms it has updated the GPT's instructions and might even summarize the new rules for you in the left-hand chat.
the order of questions from the builder might vary slightly, or it might ask for more clarification if your instructions are ambiguous.
- Sharing private information: Never put sensitive personal or confidential business data into the general instructions of your custom GPT. The AI might accidentally include it in a response to a user, or it could be stored in a way you didn't intend.
- Fix: Keep instructions general and focus on the type of information to process, not specific sensitive details. If you need to work with private data, use a custom GPT privately and manually input sensitive bits for single-use scenarios, deleting the chat history afterwards.
- Overcomplicating the rules: Trying to give the AI fifty rules at once can sometimes confuse it, leading it to ignore some instructions. It's like trying to tell too many people too many things at once.
- Fix: Start with one or two simple, clear rules. Test it, then add more details incrementally. You can always edit your custom GPT later to refine its instructions.
- Not being specific enough: While plain language is good, vague requests like "be helpful" can lead to generic or uninspired responses from your GPT.
- Fix: Think about exactly what "helpful" means for your task. Instead of "be helpful," try "be helpful by suggesting solutions and providing pros and cons for each." The more specific you are, the better the AI can tailor its responses.
Open ChatGPT, click on Explore GPTs in your sidebar (or tap the menu icon on mobile), and search for the word "Recipe". Click on a recipe suggestion helper and type in the names of three ingredients you currently have in your fridge to see what it suggests next. It takes less than two minutes and is a great introduction to how specialized these helpers can be.
❓ Quick questions
How long does this take?
About 6 minutes — the guide has 7 steps, and you can tick each one off as you go.
Which tool do I need?
This guide uses OpenAI ChatGPT — but the approach works very similarly in other AI assistants.
Do I need to prepare anything?
- A ChatGPT account: You can browse and use many pre-made GPTs with a free ChatGPT account. However, creating your own custom GPT currently requires a paid ChatGPT Plus subscription.
- A device: You can access ChatGPT and the GPT Store from a web browser on a computer (laptop or desktop) or through the ChatGPT app on a smartphone or tablet.
- An idea: If you plan to build your own, think of a repetitive task you do often, such as drafting weekly emails, planning school lunches, or organizing meeting notes.
- Rough total time: This guide should take about 6-10 minutes to follow, not including the time you might spend experimenting with your new GPT.
What mistakes should I avoid?
- Sharing private information: Never put sensitive personal or confidential business data into the general instructions of your custom GPT. The AI might accidentally include it in a response to a user, or it could be stored in a way you didn't intend.
- Fix: Keep instructions general and focus on the type of information to process, not specific sensitive details. If you need to work with private data, use a custom GPT privately and manually input sensitive bits for single-use scenarios, deleting the chat history afterwards.
- Overcomplicating the rules: Trying to give the AI fifty rules at once can sometimes confuse it, leading it to ignore some instructions. It's like trying to tell too many people too many things at once.
- Fix: Start with one or two simple, clear rules. Test it, then add more details incrementally. You can always edit your custom GPT later to refine its instructions.
- Not being specific enough: While plain language is good, vague requests like "be helpful" can lead to generic or uninspired responses from your GPT.
- Fix: Think about exactly what "helpful" means for your task. Instead of "be helpful," try "be helpful by suggesting solutions and providing pros and cons for each." The more specific you are, the better the AI can tailor its responses.
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