Ever tried finding old chat in ChatGPT? You know how frustrating it can be. With everything listed in chronological order, scrolling through endless conversations or searching to locate a specific chat feels like searching for a needle in a haystack. OpenAI introduced the Projects feature to help with that. Here’s what the Projects feature is and how to use it in ChatGPT.
What Is the Projects Feature in ChatGPT
Think of Projects like folders for your chats—useful for group conversations, files, and ideas related to a specific task. For example, you can group all chats related to a particular event. You can have a different project for your work, students can create projects for each subject they need to study, etc. Instead of sifting through unrelated conversations, you get dedicated folders for different topics or goals, making chats easier to find and organize.
Projects in ChatGPT come packed with several other features. You can upload files like documents, datasets, and code to your Projects, and ChatGPT can access all files in any of those chats in the project. You can set custom instructions for each project for better control. For example, ask ChatGPT to respond formally in a Work project but keep things casual in Personal chats.
Here are some other example use cases:
- Writing a book? Create a project to store your plot ideas, drafts, and character details.
- Planning a wedding? Organize budgets, vendor lists, and timelines so nothing slips through the cracks.
- Students can set up separate projects for each course to keep assignments and notes organized without mixing them up.
- Running a marketing campaign? Collect drafts, research materials, and performance data to streamline collaboration with your team.
- Even developers can benefit by keeping all their code files, frameworks, and design documents in one workspace for easier debugging and updates.
How to Use the Projects Feature on ChatGPT
The Projects feature is available to Plus, Pro, and Team users. Enterprise and Edu accounts will get access by January 2025. Currently, the Projects feature in ChatGPT can be accessed through the web interface and the Windows desktop app. While users on macOS and mobile devices can view projects, they cannot create or edit them yet.
How to Create a New Project:
- Open ChatGPT in your web browser or Windows app.
- Click the New Project option in the left sidebar to create a new project.
- In the pop-up window, give your project a name. Choose a meaningful name or add an emoji to identify it easily later.
- Click Create Project to save it.
Once the project is created, you can adjust the color of the icon from the project page—blue for work, red for urgent tasks, green for planning trips—the choice is yours! The project appears in the sidebar as a folder with the color you picked.
Adding Chats to Projects:
To add a new chat, open the Project from the sidebar and start typing the prompt in the text box. It will create a new chat and save it inside the Project.
Already have chats that fit into your new project? Here’s how to move your existing chats to Projects:
- Open your Chat History.
- Locate the chat you want to move.
- Click the three dots next to the chat’s name.
- Choose Add to Project from the menu.
- Select the project where you want to move the chat.
Once these chats are added, click on the Project name in the sidebar to view all the chats in that Project. You can also click the Project’s folder icon in the sidebar to see the chats list in a dropdown. To delete the project, click on the three-dot menu and select Delete project option. This will also delete all the chats inside that project.
Adding Files to Projects:
It is easy to add files like documents, PDFs, Excel sheets, and other datasets to the Project. As mentioned, ChatGPT can access these files in all the chats within the Project.
For example, if you are creating a website, you can add details such as your icon style, fonts, architecture, and UI details, and ChatGPT will use this information when coding. You won’t have to provide these files repeatedly.
- Open the Project you want to add files to.
- Click the Add Files button.
- Drag and drop files into the project window or browse to select files.
Limitations: Each file must be under 100MB, and the total storage limit for all files in a Project is 1GB.
Providing Custom Instructions to Projects:
Here is how to give specific instructions applicable to a specific Project.
- Open the Project.
- Click on Add Instructions.
- Write your instructions.
- Click Save.
These instructions override your account-level settings but only apply when working inside that Project.
Also Read:
- ChatGPT Search Is Now Free for All With Rich Results and Voice Support
- OpenAI Canvas Unveils New Era of AI-Assisted Writing and Coding
- ChatGPT Can Now See and Talk to You: Advanced Voice Mode with Video Launched
- Now You Can Call or WhatsApp Message ChatGPT Directly
Using Projects in ChatGPT
Once you have created the Project, added files, and typed instructions; you just need to open that Project and begin a conversation. ChatGPT will follow your instructions, remember all the details you added via files, and keep all your chats organized.
