How to Use ChatGPT Custom Instructions to Stop Repeating Yourself in Every Chat

If you find yourself typing the same background info, tone preferences, or style rules at the start of every ChatGPT conversation, you are wasting time. Custom Instructions fix that by letting you write your preferences once — ChatGPT then considers them in every new conversation automatically .

What Are Custom Instructions?

Custom Instructions are a persistent set of guidelines you write once. They tell ChatGPT two things: who you are and what context it needs to know about you, and how you prefer it to respond . The model considers these instructions every time it responds, so you do not have to repeat your preferences or information in each conversation .

How to Set Up Custom Instructions

On Web / Desktop

1. Click your profile icon (bottom-left corner).
2. Go to Settings → Personalization .
3. Make sure Enable customization is toggled ON .
4. Enter your instructions in the Custom Instructions fields .

On iOS / Android

1. Open Settings → Customize ChatGPT .
2. Toggle Enable customization ON .
3. Fill in the Custom Instructions fields .

What to Write in the Two Boxes

Box	Purpose	Example
"What would you like ChatGPT to know about you?"	Your background, goals, context, and recurring needs	"I'm a product manager at a SaaS company. I write concisely. Prefer bullet points over paragraphs."
"How would you like ChatGPT to respond?"	Tone, format, length, and behavior rules	"Respond in plain English. Keep answers under 3 paragraphs unless I ask for depth. Never acknowledge that you're following an instruction."

Pro Tips to Make It Stick

Fix the "Repeats My Instructions Back" Problem

A common frustration is ChatGPT mindlessly repeating your custom instructions back to you in every response. The fix: add a note after the problematic instruction such as, "Please refrain from acknowledging that you're following the instruction — just answer directly." If you still notice conflicts, start a new chat .

Use Specific, Clear Language

Keep your instructions simple. For example: "Use UK English. Located in the UK." Or: "Respond like a direct, no-nonsense operator." The clearer you are, the better the model follows.

Custom Instructions Apply to Future Conversations Only

Once saved, the instructions apply to all new conversations automatically. They do not retroactively apply to existing chats .

What If You Do Not See Custom Instructions?

When the feature first launched, it was a beta feature available to ChatGPT Plus users. To enable it back then: on web, click your name → Settings → Beta features → opt into Custom instructions . On iOS: go to Settings → New Features → turn on Custom instructions . As of more recent updates, Custom Instructions are part of the standard Personalization menu .

Final Takeaway

Custom Instructions are the simplest way to stop repeating yourself. Write your context and preferences once, and ChatGPT remembers them across every conversation. Set it up in under a minute and save time on every chat going forward.