iOS users in the US can now download the ChatGPT desktop app to their Macs, while EU residents are struggling to access OpenAI’s immensely popular chatbot.
ChatGPT, a widely acclaimed large language model from OpenAI, has captivated the world with its capability to produce realistic and coherent conversations, translate languages, create various forms of content, and provide informative answers to questions.
Although ChatGPT was primarily accessed through web browsers initially, OpenAI recently introduced a desktop application for Mac computers during the OpenAI Spring Update event.
How to download ChatGPT desktop app
First, a quick warning: the top Google Search results for “ChatGPT desktop download” are all scams. Avoid using Google for this app. Instead, visit the ChatGPT website directly to download it.
The desktop app may not be the most exciting announcement, but it is a much-needed addition with some useful features. The ChatGPT Desktop app mirrors the look and feel of the ChatGPT website, featuring conversation history in the sidebar, a model selection tool at the top, and access to community-made GPTs in the GPT Store. Conversations sync across the ChatGPT website and mobile app, and there is a “share” button to share conversations anytime.
A notable feature is the keyboard shortcut (Option + Space) that brings up a mini ChatGPT window, resembling macOS’ Spotlight search tool. This similarity is likely intentional, as they use nearly identical key bindings. The mini window is useful for generating, copying, and pasting text for professional or creative tasks, and you can drag screenshots or images into the window for quick analysis. The desktop app also includes some of GPT-4o‘s vision and voice capabilities, allowing users to have the app analyze on-screen content or start a voice conversation by pressing the headphone icon.
What will Windows users do
Unfortunately, the app is currently exclusive to macOS at launch, with a Windows version anticipated for late 2024. It’s worth mentioning that Windows users already have Copilot, which runs on GPT-4 Turbo.
If you’re a Plus user, you can download the ChatGPT desktop app from the ChatGPT website today. Free users interested in trying the desktop app can either wait a few weeks for access or subscribe to the Plus plan by logging into the ChatGPT website and selecting the model dropdown at the top of the home screen.
Featured image credit: OpenAI
