So, you’ve heard about ChatGPT and are excited to give it a try – that’s wonderful! It’s like having a super smart friend you can chat with, and getting started is easier than you might think. We’ll go step-by-step, just like we’re walking through it together.

Here’s how to create your very own ChatGPT account:

Step 1: Open Your Internet Helper (Your Web Browser)

Think of your internet helper as the special door that lets you go online. You probably use it every day! Look for one of these icons on your computer screen:

• A colorful circle (Google Chrome)
• A blue “e” (Microsoft Edge)
• A blue circle with a fox (Mozilla Firefox)
• A compass (Safari, if you have an Apple computer)

Click on one of them to open it up.

Step 2: Go to the ChatGPT Website

Now that your internet helper is open, you need to tell it where to go.

• At the very top of the window, you’ll see a long white bar. This is where you type in website addresses.
• Click in that white bar, and then carefully type this: chat.openai.com
• After you’ve typed it, press the “Enter” key on your keyboard (it’s usually a big key on the right side).

You should now see a page that talks about OpenAI or ChatGPT.

Step 3: Look for “Sign Up”

On this new page, you’re looking for a button that says either “Sign Up” or “Get Started.” It might be in the middle of the page or in the top right corner. Click on it!

Step 4: Choose How You Want to Sign Up

Now, they’ll give you a few easy ways to create your account:

• “Continue with Google”: This is often the easiest! If you have a Gmail email address, you can click this. It will ask you to pick your Gmail account, and then it does most of the work for you.
• “Continue with Microsoft account”: If you use Outlook or Hotmail for email, you can click this.
• “Continue with Apple”: If you have an Apple ID, you can use this option.
• “Sign up with email”: If you prefer to use any other email address (or don’t want to link your Google/Microsoft/Apple accounts), click here.
  • If you choose this, a box will pop up asking for your email address. Type it in carefully, then click “Continue.”
  • Next, it will ask you to create a password. This is like a secret code to keep your account safe.
    • Choose something you can remember but that’s not too easy for others to guess (like your birthday).
    • It’s a good idea to mix in capital letters, small letters, and a number or two.
    • Write down your password somewhere safe!
    • You’ll type your password twice to make sure you got it right.

Step 5: Verify Your Email (Important!)

If you used the “Sign up with email” option, this is a very important step!

• Open a new tab in your internet helper (or open your email program).
• Go to your email inbox (where you get all your emails).
• Look for an email from “OpenAI” or “ChatGPT.” It might be in your main inbox, or sometimes it accidentally goes into a “Spam” or “Junk” folder, so check there too if you don’t see it.
• Open that email. Inside, you’ll see a button or a link that says “Verify email address” or “Confirm my account.” Click on it! This tells ChatGPT that you’re a real person.

Step 6: Tell ChatGPT Your Name and Birthday

After you’ve verified your email (or if you signed up with Google/Microsoft/Apple), it might ask you for your first name and last name. Type those in.

It will also ask for your birthday. This is just to make sure you’re old enough to use it. Fill in the month, day, and year.

Step 7: You’re In!

That’s it! You should now see the ChatGPT screen, ready for you to start typing. There might be a few welcome messages or tips, which you can read or just click “Next” or “Done” to get past.

A Few Friendly Tips:

• Don’t share your password with anyone.
• If you forget your password, there’s usually a “Forgot password?” link on the sign-in page that can help you reset it.
• ChatGPT is still learning, so sometimes it might not understand exactly what you mean, or it might give you an answer that’s not quite right. Just try asking in a different way!

You did it! Now you can start chatting with your new super smart friend. Have fun exploring!