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ChatGPT Unleashed on Desktop - Explore How It Outshines Its Online Alternative

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Key Takeaways

The ChatGPT app for macOS introduces Voice Mode and a convenient launcher, allowing users to access ChatGPT from any window on their Mac.
The macOS app includes unique media attachment options such as direct access to the Apple Photo Library, screenshots, and webcam use, which are not available on the website.
To get the macOS app, users must subscribe to ChatGPT Plus/Team, download the dmg file from OpenAI’s website, and install it on an Apple silicon-powered Mac running macOS 14 or later.

Thanks to the ChatGPT app for macOS, you can now launch ChatGPT from any window on your Mac and use Voice Mode. OpenAI also added a few media attachment options to the app that aren’t available on the website, such as screenshots and access to the webcam.

I’ve been using the ChatGPT desktop app for a little while now, and despite my first impressions, it’s clear it’s better than ChatGPT’s website version in almost every way.

How to Get ChatGPT for macOS

macOS, iOS, and Android are the only OSs that have a native ChatGPT app so far. OpenAI says it will bring apps to other platforms in the future but hasn’t yet disclosed when. While you can get the official app on Android and iOS from their respective app stores, the ChatGPT app doesn’t yet have a version for the Mac App Store. Therefore, you shouldavoid any ChatGPT apps on the Mac App Store because they’d likely be reskins or fakes.

The only way to get the macOS app is to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus/Team and download the app’s dmg file from OpenAI’s website. For those who don’t see why they should keep their subs now that GPT-4o is free, this is just one of thereasons to keep paying for ChatGPT Plus .

You must be running macOS 14 or later and using an Apple silicon-powered Mac (M1 chip or later).

That said, after joining a Plus or Team subscription, this is what to do:

Go tochatgpt.com and make sure you’re logged into your premium account.
Click your profile icon in the top-right corner.
SelectDownload the macOS app and chooseDownload when the prompt appears
Run the dmg file from Finder and install ChatGPT.

Of course, after installation, you should log in with your Plus or Team account to access the desktop app.

You Get Voice Mode and the Launcher

The desktop app offers a few extra features over the website, but the strongest and most obvious two are Voice Mode and the launcher.

If you use ChatGPT on your phone, you’re likely already familiar with Voice Mode. It allows you to talk to ChatGPT with your voice as it responds and transcribes the entire conversation. You can activate it on your Mac by clicking the headphones button on the right side of the input box.

The launcher, however, is a unique-to-macOS feature that lets you use a shortcut (Option +Space ) to open a small prompt box. Enter your queries, and you can reach ChatGPT anywhere on your Mac. I’ve grown quite fond of it, and that’s the sole reason I now use the desktop app instead of the website.

The ChatGPT App Can Also Access Your Apple Photo Library, Take Screenshots, and Use the Webcam

After the big two features, Voice Mode and the launcher, a few useful features still earmark the Mac app from the website. OpenAI took advantage of the direct permissions an app can have on macOS and has expanded the options for uploading media.

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Apple users know the dichotomy of having photos in the Photo Library (which syncs through the Photos app on all your devices) and having an image stored in Files (iOS) or Finder (macOS). On the website, you’re limited to uploading files and images from the latter, but the ChatGPT app can access your photo library directly, letting you filter through them better.

You can also give the app permission to take screenshots and automatically upload them to the chat. This feature is very useful for quick analysis of text on your screen. Finally, it can also use your webcam with permission, which could be useful for quick photos of documents.

All these media features are in the attachment menu on the left side of the input box, both on the launcher and in the app. Just click thepaperclip icon, and all media options appear in the small menu. Of course, you’ll need to give ChatGPT permissions the first time you use them.

Is It Worth Using the ChatGPT Desktop Version?

Apart from the launcher, the desktop version of ChatGPT is similar to the ones on Android and iOS. Taking photos and handling media (on a small scale) is also much easier on a phone than on a computer. However, some of these features were unavailable on desktop, and this app has remedied that.

As we wait for the new advanced Voice Mode with Vision and the ability to read your screen, these media features lay the groundwork for a rudimentary version. It’s certainly built in preparation for the Voice Mode OpenAI is planning down the line.

For now, though, the launcher remains the strongest argument for the desktop app. The convenience of launching ChatGPT from anywhere on your Mac is a strong one. If you use ChatGPT daily, it’ll save you plenty of time and your computer’s resources.

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