Ask ChatGPT sidebar
The Ask ChatGPT sidebar is a compact place to ask questions while you browse. It lives alongside your page so you can read, draft, or summarize without leaving the current tab.
Type in Ask anything or select the microphone to speak.
Use it to explain a page, extract details, or draft text, for example.
When you want ChatGPT to take actions (navigate, click, complete multi-step flows), switch to Agent mode.
Open the Ask ChatGPT sidebar
Select Ask ChatGPT at the top right of the browser.
The side panel opens. You’ll see quick options to get started with a chat, Agent mode, and a message box labeled Ask anything and a microphone button to speak your prompt.
Agent mode
Agent mode lets ChatGPT take actions in the browser for you. It can use sites you’re already signed in to (in “logged-in” mode), move faster for many tasks, and use browser memories (if enabled) to learn more about sites you’ve previously visited. It’s designed for natural handoff from you to ChatGPT and for continuing tasks you already started in a tab.
To use agent mode:
Open the side chat by selecting Ask ChatGPT, or by starting a chat in a new tab.
Choose Agent mode from the +menu.
Describe the task and send your message. The agent works in your current browsing session and reports back in the panel.
You can start Agent mode from a new tab by clicking on the + in the prompt window and selecting Agent mode.
You can set custom instructions for Agent mode to guide how ChatGPT navigates the web, such as preferred sources, required steps, approval checkpoints, and other rules as needed.
To set custom instructions for Agent mode:
Click on your profile icon on the top-right of the browser and select Settings.
Choose Agent mode from the menu.
Enter your custom instructions in the text box.
We prioritized safety as we built ChatGPT’s agent capabilities in Atlas, and added safeguards to address risks that can come from access to logged-in sites and browsing history while taking actions on your behalf:
It cannot run code in the browser, download files, or install extensions.
It cannot access other apps on your computer or file system.
It will pause to ensure you're watching it take actions on specific sensitive sites such as financial institutions.
Logged out mode
You can also use ChatGPT agent in logged out mode. In logged out mode, ChatGPT agent won’t use any pre-existing cookies and won’t be logged into any of your online accounts without your specific approval. Using logged-out mode helps reduce the risk of attackers successfully breaking our safeguards to access your data, or take actions as you on logged in sites.