When OpenAI first rolled out the ChatGPT app for Mac, it was unique to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Except you paid $20 per 30 days, you wanted to stay to the online app or the one in your smartphone. As of Tuesday, nevertheless, the Mac app is now free for everybody. And, truthfully, you must in all probability give it a go.
At first look, OpenAI’s Mac app provides the standard ChatGPT expertise you are used to. If you log in, you may discover all of your earlier conversations saved to the sidebar, simply as they’re within the internet and cellular apps. You may sort your prompts within the textual content discipline, use the mic button to ask questions together with your voice, and click on the headphones icon to enter Voice mode. (Not the “Her” Voice mode, thoughts you: That function has been delayed.) You may as well use options like Short-term Chats (conversations that do not pull out of your chat historical past), change your GPT mannequin, generate pictures with DALL-E, and entry GPTs.
A greater expertise than the online app
However there are some Mac-specific options that make this specific app price utilizing over the online choice. First, along with importing information and photographs to ChatGPT, you’ll be able to take a screenshot of any open window in your Mac straight from the app. Should you click on on the paperclip icon, and choose Take Screenshot, you’ll be able to choose an lively window from the pop-up checklist to share with ChatGPT. (The primary time you do that, you may have to grant the ChatGPT app entry to display screen recording.)
Alternatively, you’ll be able to take a screenshot of the window manually, then share it to ChatGPT as a picture, however this skips a step and makes the bot really feel a bit extra built-in with macOS.
Credit score: Jake Peterson
However what’s much more handy, for my part, is the ChatGPT “launcher.” This launcher is actually Highlight search, however for ChatGPT. Utilizing a keyboard shortcut, you’ll be able to deliver up a ChatGPT textual content discipline straight over any window you are presently utilizing on macOS to begin a dialog with the bot. You will then be taken to the app to proceed chatting. This mainly saves you the step of switching out of the present app you are in and beginning a brand new thread in ChatGPT; when you see one thing in your Mac you wish to know extra about, you’ll be able to hit Choice + Spacebar, sort your question, and get began.
Credit score: Jake Peterson
This launcher additionally has the identical paperclip icon because the app itself, which implies you’ll be able to add information and take screenshots straight from the shortcut. Should you’re a ChatGPT energy consumer, this launcher ought to be a welcome function. (I do not even use ChatGPT that a lot, and I actually prefer it.)
Sadly, OpenAI is simply making the ChatGPT app out there on M-series Macs—the machines operating Apple silicon. When you have an older Intel-based Mac, you may nonetheless have to move to the online app with the intention to use ChatGPT in your laptop.
When you have a Mac with an M1 chip or newer, you’ll be able to obtain the app from OpenAI’s obtain website.
