Tech for Beginners Part 40: Getting Started with ChatGPT: Sign Up and First Uses

In the last part, we learned what AI chatbots are and where they can go wrong. Now it is time to try one. ChatGPT, made by the American company OpenAI, is one of the best-known AI assistants in the world and is widely used in India by students, office workers, shopkeepers and retired people alike. This is Part 40 of our Tech for Beginners series. Today we will create a ChatGPT account, understand the free and paid plans in general terms, and try first useful tasks: explaining, summarising, drafting and translating. We will also take a quick look at its voice and image features, and the settings that protect your privacy.

You will need an email account to sign up, which we set up in Part 18. Use a strong, unique password as explained in Part 20, and turn on extra login protection like the two-factor authentication in Part 21.

A note on changes: ChatGPT's design, features, plan names, limits and prices change frequently. The prices mentioned below were shown on OpenAI's Indian pricing pages and app listing when we checked in October 2026 and may have changed. Always check the current details in the app before paying.

Step 1: Get ChatGPT from the right place

• On a computer: open a browser and go to chatgpt.com. Check the address carefully.
• On Android: search for ChatGPT in the Play Store and check that the developer is OpenAI.
• On iPhone: search for ChatGPT in the App Store and check that the developer is OpenAI.

There are many look-alike "AI chat" apps with similar names and logos, some of which push expensive subscriptions or collect data. Avoid them.

Step 2: Create your account

1. Open ChatGPT and tap Sign up.
2. Choose how to sign up: with your email address, or with an existing Google, Microsoft or Apple account. Using your Google account is quick if you already have Gmail.
3. If you use email, create a password and confirm your email by clicking the link or entering the code sent to you.
4. Enter your name and date of birth when asked. OpenAI's terms set a minimum age, and teenagers need a parent's permission.
5. You are in. You will see a message box at the bottom of the screen, usually with the words "Ask anything".

You can try a limited version of ChatGPT without an account on the website, but an account saves your chats and gives you more features.

Free and paid plans in simple terms

• Free: enough for most everyday use. OpenAI describes free users as having unlimited everyday text chats, with limits on features such as image creation, file uploads and voice.
• Go: a low-cost plan with higher limits than Free. It was ₹399 a month in India when we checked. OpenAI says ads may be shown on this plan.
• Plus: for heavier use, with more advanced models and features. It was ₹1,999 a month in India when we checked.
• Pro, Business and Enterprise: expensive plans for professionals and companies. Beginners do not need them.

Our advice: start with the free plan for a few weeks. Upgrade only if you keep hitting limits for something you genuinely need. Paid plans renew automatically every month until you cancel, so note the renewal date.

Step 3: Your first conversation

1. Tap the message box and type a question in plain language.
2. Tap the send arrow.
3. Read the answer. If it is too long or too hard, just say so: "Make it shorter" or "Explain it more simply".
4. To start a fresh topic, tap New chat. Your old chats are listed in the side menu.

You do not need special words or commands. Write as you would to a helpful, well-read friend. We will learn a simple formula for better prompts in Part 42.

First useful tasks to try

1. Explain something

Try: "My electricity bill mentions 'fixed charges' and 'energy charges'. Explain the difference simply, with an example."

Or: "Explain what SIP means in mutual funds, as if I am 65 and new to investing. Keep it under 150 words."

2. Summarise

Paste a long article, circular or terms and conditions (without personal details) and ask: "Summarise this in five bullet points. What are the important dates and charges?"

You can also upload a PDF using the plus or paperclip icon, within your plan's limits.

3. Draft a letter or message

Try: "Write a polite email to my housing society secretary asking for the water tank to be cleaned, as there has been a bad smell for a week. Keep it short and respectful."

Or: "Write a leave application for my son to his class teacher. He has fever and will miss school on Monday and Tuesday."

Always read and edit the draft. Add correct names, dates and details yourself.

4. Translate

Try: "Translate this message into simple Tamil for my grandmother: 'The doctor's appointment is on Friday at 10 am. I will pick you up at 9:15.'"

Or ask it to translate a Hindi message into English. For official or legal documents, have a human check the translation.

5. Plan something

Try: "Suggest a simple 7-day vegetarian dinner plan for a family of four in Pune, using seasonal vegetables and under 30 minutes of cooking each day."

6. Learn or practise something

Try: "I want to improve my spoken English for job interviews. Ask me one common interview question at a time, wait for my answer, and then suggest a better way to say it."

Or for a student: "Explain photosynthesis for a Class 7 student and then give me five practice questions. Do not show the answers until I reply." This turns the chatbot into a patient tutor instead of a way to copy homework.

Helping parents and grandparents use ChatGPT

• Install the official app and sign them in with their own Google account.
• Show them the microphone button so they can ask questions by speaking in their own language.
• Give them three starter questions, such as explaining a medicine leaflet in simple words or suggesting a recipe with the vegetables at home.
• Remind them that the AI can be wrong, and that they should never share bank or Aadhaar details with it.

Voice and image features in brief

Talking to ChatGPT

In the app, tap the microphone to speak instead of typing, or the voice icon (often a sound-wave symbol) to have a spoken conversation. This is useful for elders or anyone who finds typing hard. You can speak in Hindi or other languages, though quality varies.

Sending a photo

Tap the plus or camera icon to share a photo and ask about it. For example: a photo of a plant to ask what is wrong with it, or a confusing appliance error message. Do not share photos of documents with personal numbers.

Creating images

You can ask ChatGPT to create pictures, such as a simple birthday card design or a poster idea for a shop. Free plans have limits on how many images you can make.

Privacy settings to check

1. Tap your profile or name and open Settings.
2. Look in Data controls for an option about using your content to improve the model. You can turn it off if you prefer your chats not be used for training.
3. Check the Memory or Personalisation settings. ChatGPT can remember facts about you between chats; you can view, delete or turn off memory.
4. Use a temporary chat for one-off questions you do not want saved in your history, if your app offers it.
5. Under Security, turn on multi-factor authentication if available.

Whatever your settings, follow one rule: never type Aadhaar numbers, bank account details, card numbers, passwords or OTPs into any chatbot.

Check the answers

ChatGPT can be wrong. Before acting on its answers:

• Check facts about laws, government schemes, banking rules and deadlines on official websites.
• Check calculations with a calculator.
• Ask it: "How sure are you? What should I double-check?" It will often point out uncertain parts.
• For health, legal and money decisions, use it to prepare questions for a professional, not to replace one.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use ChatGPT on both phone and computer?

Yes. Sign in with the same account on both, and your chats will appear on each device.

How do I cancel a paid plan?

Cancel from the same place you paid: ChatGPT's settings on the website, or the Play Store or App Store subscriptions page if you paid through the app. Uninstalling the app does not cancel the subscription.

Can I delete my chats?

Yes. You can delete individual chats from the chat list, or clear all chats from the settings. You can also delete your whole account from settings if you stop using it.

What is next

Try this today: sign up for ChatGPT from the official app or website, then ask it to explain one confusing word from a bill or letter you received. In the next part of Tech for Beginners, we will try Google Gemini and look at other AI assistants, including Microsoft Copilot and Meta AI on WhatsApp.