ChatGPT Desktop App: Installation, Features, Tips

HOWTO

The ChatGPT desktop app for macOS is being rolled out to all Plus users. The app is surprisingly useful and can be summoned within any workflow with a simple Option + Space shortcut. It allows you to upload files, take screenshots, and have voice conversations. The Windows desktop app will follow later this year.

How-to steps:

• If you have access, you will see a popup on the ChatGPT main web page, with a download link.

  

• Also, check your ChatGPT profile menu (top right-hand side). The download link will also appear there.

• 1. Install the app and log in your ChatGPT account (Plus users only, with macOS 14+ and Apple Silicon, M1 or better).

• 2. Open the launcher: Press Option + Space to open the ChatGPT prompt from any app. This shortcut is much faster than keeping ChatGPT open in a browser.

• 3. Upload files/photos: Click the paperclip icon to add content from files, your photo library, or take a photo using your webcam. You can also drag and drop files onto the app window, or drag and drop images from your browser, or copy and paste images. Uploaded files are deleted after 3 hours.

• 4. Capture screenshots of any open window, or the entire screen. Then ask ChatGPT questions about anything that was showing up.

• 5. Another useful feature missing in the web version is the search field for quickly finding past conversations. It will search across both titles and the content of chats. Open the sidebar to access it.

• 6. You can enable an option from the top bar to keep the ChatGPT app window on top, ensuring it remains visible even when you switch to other apps.

• 7. Switch AI models between GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4o and GPTs.

• 8. Toggle the headphone icon to enable the voice chat. Currently, voice works with an older text-to-speech model. The advanced new voices announced recently will be available later this year.

Current limitations:

• Missing edit/zoom for DALL-E

Tips:

• You can customize the launcher shortcut in the app settings

• Dragging and dropping images from a browser or pasting a screenshot seems faster than using the screenshot feature