Setting Up Your Account
Yesterday you learned what ChatGPT is and what it can do. Today, we're getting hands-on. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a working ChatGPT account, understand the interface, and know how to pick the right model for any task.
This is a practical lesson — open a browser tab to [chat.openai.com](https://chat.openai.com) and follow along as we go.
Creating your OpenAI account
Getting started takes about two minutes. Go to chat.openai.com and you'll see the sign-up screen. You have several options:
Email and password — Create a traditional account with any email address. You'll verify it through a confirmation link.
Sign in with Google — One click if you have a Google account. This is the fastest option for most people.
Sign in with Apple — Uses your Apple ID. You can choose to hide your email address if you prefer privacy.
Sign in with Microsoft — Connects to your Microsoft/Outlook account. Convenient if you're already in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Pick whichever method you prefer — they all give you the same access. If you already have an account from a previous ChatGPT version, just sign in. Your history and settings are still there.
Once you're in, you'll land on the main chat screen. Don't worry about upgrading yet — the Free plan gives you everything you need for this course's first week.
Choosing your plan
When you first sign up, you're on the Free plan. Here's a quick decision framework for when to upgrade:
Stay on Free if:
- You're just starting out and exploring
- You use ChatGPT a few times per week
- You mainly need writing help, Q&A, and basic tasks
- You don't mind occasional ads
Upgrade to Go ($5-8/month) if:
- You want an ad-free experience
- You use ChatGPT several times per day
- You want some access to Thinking mode for harder problems
Upgrade to Plus ($20/month) if:
- You use ChatGPT as a core work tool
- You need full access to all models including o3
- You want Advanced Voice, better image generation, and priority access
- You process a lot of files and data
Upgrade to Pro ($200/month) if:
- ChatGPT is central to your professional workflow
- You need unlimited usage with no caps
- You want access to Sora video generation
- You need the longest context windows for massive documents
For this course, Free is perfectly fine for Week 1 and Week 2. If you find yourself hitting usage limits by Week 3, that's a natural time to consider Plus.
Navigating the interface
Let's walk through every part of the ChatGPT screen:
The Sidebar (left side):
- New Chat button at the top — starts a fresh conversation with no prior context
- Search — find any previous conversation by keyword
- Conversation History — every chat you've ever had, organized by date. Click any one to continue it
- Explore GPTs — browse or create custom versions of ChatGPT for specific tasks (we'll cover this in a later lesson)
- Settings — account preferences, custom instructions, data controls, and subscription management
The Chat Area (center):
- This is where your conversation lives. You type at the bottom, and responses appear above
- You can use the paperclip icon to attach files (PDFs, images, spreadsheets, code files)
- The microphone icon lets you dictate messages by voice
- The headphone icon (on Plus and above) activates Advanced Voice mode for spoken conversations
The Model Selector (top of chat):
- This dropdown lets you pick which AI model to use. It's one of the most important controls in the interface, and we'll cover it next.
Understanding the model picker
The model selector at the top of the chat is your most important tool for getting the best results. Here's when to use each option:
GPT-5.2 Instant (the default)
- Use for: writing, brainstorming, summarizing, Q&A, casual tasks, quick coding questions
- Speed: Fast — responses in 2-5 seconds
- When to pick it: This should be your default for 80% of tasks
GPT-5.2 Thinking
- Use for: math problems, logic puzzles, complex analysis, detailed planning, nuanced writing
- Speed: Slower — it "thinks" for 5-30 seconds before responding, and you can watch its reasoning process
- When to pick it: When you need careful, step-by-step reasoning. You'll see a "thinking" indicator while it works through the problem
o3
- Use for: advanced mathematics, scientific reasoning, complex multi-step coding problems, research synthesis
- Speed: Slowest — can take 30-60+ seconds for hard problems
- When to pick it: When other models get the answer wrong, or when you need the most rigorous reasoning available
A practical rule: Start every conversation with GPT-5.2 Instant. If the answer feels shallow or wrong, switch to Thinking. If it's a genuinely hard reasoning problem, try o3. You'll develop intuition for this quickly.