ChatGPT Interface Walkthrough: Buttons, Features, and Functionalities

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by

Himanshu
in

Whether you’re using ChatGPT Free or ChatGPT Plus, the interface is designed to be user-friendly, minimal, and responsive. Here’s a breakdown of what each part does:

🔷 1. Left Sidebar (Navigation Panel)

This is your command center for managing chats and settings.

  • New Chat Button
    ➤ Starts a brand-new conversation from scratch.
    ✅ Use when switching topics.
  • Recent Conversations List
    ➤ Shows your past chats, organized by date and auto-generated titles.
    ✅ Click to revisit and continue a previous conversation.
  • Edit or Rename Chat
    ➤ Hover on a chat title > click the pencil icon to rename for better organization.
  • Trash Icon
    ➤ Click to delete old chats from the list.
  • Upgrade Button (Only on Free Plan)
    ➤ Lets you upgrade to ChatGPT Plus for access to GPT-4 and other features.

🔷 2. Main Chat Window

The core workspace where interaction happens.

  • Prompt Input Box (Bottom of Screen)
    ➤ This is where you type your questions or instructions.
    ✅ Press Enter to send or Shift+Enter for a new line.
  • Send Button (Paper Plane Icon)
    ➤ Sends your message when clicked (if you prefer clicking over pressing Enter).
  • Stop Generating Button
    ➤ Appears when ChatGPT is generating a reply.
    ✅ Use it to stop long or incorrect responses midway.
  • Regenerate Response
    ➤ Replaces the previous reply with a new version.
  • Copy Button
    ➤ Copies the generated response to your clipboard.
  • Thumbs Up / Down
    ➤ Gives feedback to OpenAI to improve quality.

🔷 3. Top Toolbar

This varies based on plan and interface updates.

  • Model Selector (Free vs Plus)
    ➤ Free Plan: Access to GPT-3.5
    ➤ Plus Plan: Switch between GPT-3.5 and GPT-4
    ✅ Some versions also show GPT-4o, the fastest and most capable model (as of 2024–2025).
  • Memory Settings (For GPT-4 Users)
    ➤ Controls whether ChatGPT remembers information between chats.
    ✅ You can enable/disable memory and manage what it remembers about you.
  • Profile & Settings (Bottom-left corner)
    ➤ Click your profile icon to access:
    • Account info
    • Theme (light/dark mode)
    • Language preferences
    • Data and privacy settings
    • Log out

🔷 4. Additional Functionalities (For GPT-4 Users)

These tools are available only on ChatGPT Plus (GPT-4) and Pro users:

  • Code Interpreter / Python Tool
    ➤ Allows ChatGPT to run calculations, process files (CSV, Excel), analyze data, etc.
  • Image Input
    ➤ Upload images directly and ask questions about them (e.g., analyze charts, read text, troubleshoot UI).
  • File Upload
    ➤ Upload documents like PDFs, DOCs, and ask it to summarize, extract, or rewrite.
  • Canvas / Code Editor (for Developers)
    ➤ Interactive space for code generation, editing, and visualization (used with “Canmore” in GPT-4).
  • Voice & Vision (Mobile App)
    ➤ Chat via voice (conversation mode) and camera input for real-world problem-solving.

✅ Tips for Effective Use

  • Use clear instructions: e.g., “Write a blog post in 200 words about Excel macros.”
  • Ask follow-up questions: ChatGPT remembers your current thread context.
  • Use markdown for formatting: You can request bulleted lists, tables, or code blocks.
  • Switch to a new chat when changing topic to avoid confusion.

🏁 Summary

SectionKey Features
Left SidebarChat management, history, settings
Main WindowPrompt area, response controls
Top ToolbarModel selector, memory control
Plus FeaturesFile uploads, vision, code tools, image inputs
PersonalizationTheme, language, privacy settings

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