ChatGPT has a default conversational style that isn't for everyone. Maybe you find it too casual when you're trying to get work done, or too formal when you just want quick answers to everyday questions. You might wish it would skip the explanations and get straight to the point, or maybe you'd prefer responses with more personality and humor. Thanks to the lastest update, you can now do something about it.
Whatever your chat preference, you can customize your assistant by choosing from eight preset personalities ranging from Professional to Cynical. You can also write custom instructions that tell the AI assistant exactly how you want it to respond.
You may like
OpenAI now lets users customize how enthusiastic ChatGPT is — here's how to do it
ChatGPT-5.1 offers 8 different personalities to choose from — here's how to use them
AI burnout is real — 5 simple ChatGPT prompts to get more done with less effort
The 8 ChatGPT assistants you can choose fromChatGPT offers eight preset personalities, each designed for different situations and preferences. Each personality changes how ChatGPT communicates without affecting the accuracy of information it provides.
Professional: Makes responses more formal and business-appropriate, ideal for work emails, reports, or professional correspondence.
Friendly: Adds warmth and casual language, making interactions feel more like chatting with a knowledgeable friend.
Candid: Gives you straightforward, no-nonsense answers without sugarcoating or excessive politeness.
Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.Quirky: Injects personality, humor, and creative flair into responses, making interactions more entertaining.
Efficient: Strips away extra explanations and gives you concise, direct answers when you're in a hurry.
Nerdy:Embraces technical detail and enthusiastic explanations, perfect for diving deep into complex topics.
Cynical: Adds a skeptical, sarcastic edge that questions assumptions and offers critical perspectives.
How to use different assistants in -GPT 5 1. Choose from preset personality options
The quickest way to change how ChatGPT talks is by selecting one of the predefined personality presets. Click your profile icon in the bottom left corner, then select Personalization from the menu.
Look for the dropdown labeled "Base style and tone" and you'll see options including Default, Professional, Friendly, Candid, Quirky, Efficient, Nerdy, and Cynical. Each preset adjusts ChatGPT's tone, word choice, and overall vibe without changing the accuracy of information it provides.
Select whichever personality fits what you're working on, and you'll see a green pop up at the top of the screen confirming your changes. ChatGPT will use that tone in all future conversations until you change it again.
2. Use custom instructions for more control
If the preset options don't quite match what you want, custom instructions let you describe exactly how ChatGPT should respond. Just under the "Base style and tone" section you'll see a text field called "Custom instructions".
You can provide context about yourself like what you typically use ChatGPT for as well as describing your preferred response style by specifying tone, length, format, and any other preferences you might he.
For example, you might write "Be conversational but skip small talk. Keep answers under 3 paragraphs unless I ask for more detail. Use examples when explaining concepts."
Once filled out, click se and ChatGPT will apply these instructions to every new conversation.
3. Combine both personalization methods
You can use preset personalities and custom instructions together for even more tailored responses. Start by selecting a preset personality that gets you close to what you want, then add custom instructions to fine-tune specific aspects.
For instance, you might choose the Professional preset but add custom instructions like "Avoid corporate jargon and explain technical concepts simply." The preset handles the overall tone while your custom instructions address specific preferences the presets don't cover.
Combining gives you ChatGPT responses that feel natural and match your exact needs. Remember that you can change your preset personality anytime without losing your custom instructions, so experiment with different combinations until you find what works best.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
More from Tom's Guide ChatGPT Wrapped reveals everything you asked AI this yearI've been using ChatGPT since its release — here's 5 tips I wish I knew soonerThis one ChatGPT prompt unlocks next-level intelligenceCategory
Back to Mobile Cell PhonesBrandStorage SizeColourConditionMinimum PriceAny Minimum PriceMaximum PriceAny Maximum PriceShowing 10 of 183 dealsFilters☰Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max(256GB Silver)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆1
$1,419View DealSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraOur Review☆☆☆☆☆2
$1,299.99 $899.99View DealGoogle Pixel 10 Pro(128GB)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆3
$999 $749View DealGoogle Pixel 9aOur Review☆☆☆☆☆4
$499 $399View DealbundleApple iPhone 17 Pro Max(512GB Orange)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆5
$1,399.99View DealSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra(Black)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆6
$1,280View DealGoogle Pixel 10 Pro(128GB)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆7
$999 $749View DealGoogle Pixel 9a(256GB)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆8
$599 $499View DealApple iPhone 17 Pro Max(256GB Blue)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆9
$1,199View DealSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra(512GB Grey)Our Review☆☆☆☆☆10
$1,219.99View DealShow more