How to Use ChatGPT on Mac

ChatGPT runs natively in your Mac's web browser and through OpenAI's desktop application. This guide covers both access methods and essential usage techniques for productive AI conversations.

1. Open ChatGPT in Safari or Chrome. Launch your preferred web browser and navigate to chat.openai.com. Click Sign up if you don't have an account, or Log in with your existing OpenAI credentials. The web interface provides full ChatGPT functionality without additional software.
2. Download the ChatGPT desktop app. Visit openai.com/chatgpt/desktop and click Download for macOS. Open the downloaded .dmg file and drag ChatGPT to your Applications folder. Launch the app and sign in with your OpenAI account for a native Mac experience.
3. Set up keyboard shortcuts. In the ChatGPT desktop app, press Cmd+Comma to open preferences. Navigate to the Shortcuts tab and enable Option+Space for quick access. This creates a global shortcut that opens ChatGPT from any application.
4. Start your first conversation. Click in the message box at the bottom of the screen and type your question or request. Press Enter or click the send arrow to submit. ChatGPT will process your input and provide a response in the conversation thread above.
5. Manage conversation history. Click the sidebar toggle in the top-left corner to view your chat history. Previous conversations appear chronologically with auto-generated titles. Click any conversation to resume it or click the pencil icon to rename it manually.
6. Upload files and images. Click the paperclip icon next to the message box to attach files. ChatGPT accepts images, PDFs, text files, and code files up to 25MB each. Drag and drop files directly into the chat window for faster uploads.
7. Use voice conversations. Click the headphone icon in the bottom-right corner to start a voice conversation. Speak naturally into your Mac's microphone and ChatGPT will respond with synthesized speech. Click the icon again to return to text mode.