ChatGPT Has Multiple Personalities: How to Choose the Best One for Your Questions
Key Points
- ChatGPT offers seven optional personalities plus the default mode.
- All personalities are available on the free plan and were introduced in November 2025.
- Settings are accessed via Settings → Personalization in the app.
- Users can add custom instructions, nicknames, occupations and formatting preferences.
- Different personalities change tone and style but not the model’s core abilities.
- OpenAI recommends matching personality to the query’s intent for optimal results.
- Examples show a friendly tone providing supportive language versus a cynical tone delivering blunt facts.
ChatGPT now offers several selectable personalities that change its tone and style without altering its core capabilities. Users can switch among options such as professional, friendly, candid, quirky, efficient, nerdy and cynical, all available on the free plan. The settings are accessed through the Personalization menu, where users can also add custom instructions, preferred nicknames, occupations, and formatting preferences. These tweaks influence how answers are framed, affecting the user’s perception of the information. Insider tips from OpenAI suggest matching personality to the query’s intent, such as using a professional tone for work‑related topics and a more direct style for sensitive subjects.
Overview of ChatGPT Personality Options
ChatGPT provides a suite of distinct personalities that modify the tone and style of its responses while leaving the underlying model unchanged. The default mode is supplemented by seven additional personalities: professional, friendly, candid, quirky, efficient, nerdy and cynical. These options were rolled out in November 2025 and are accessible to all users, including those on the free plan.
How to Access and Customize Settings
To adjust the personality, users open ChatGPT, navigate to Settings, and select the Personalization tab. From there, they choose a base style, tone and a set of characteristics. The interface also lets users tailor response formatting, such as heading styles, list structures and emoji usage. Custom instructions can be added, for example “Keep this to three bullets,” “Give me the answer first, then details,” “No emojis,” or “Add a checklist.” Users may also specify a preferred nickname, occupation or any other detail they want the model to know.
Impact on User Experience
The selected personality influences how information is presented, potentially shaping user perception. For example, a friendly personality may use a warm, conversational tone, while a cynical personality offers matter‑of‑fact, blunt answers. The same question can thus receive different phrasing and emphasis depending on the setting, which underscores the importance of aligning personality with the intent of the query.
Insider Tips from OpenAI
OpenAI communications staff shared practical advice for leveraging these settings. One recommendation is to adjust the personality based on the nature of the task: a professional tone works well for work‑related research, whereas a candid or direct style suits sensitive or time‑critical topics. By matching tone to purpose, users can obtain responses that feel more appropriate and effective.
Real‑World Example of Personality Contrast
The guide illustrates how two different personalities respond to the same question about discussing further testing after an early pregnancy loss. The friendly setting provides a gentle, supportive response, while the cynical setting delivers a straightforward, factual answer. This contrast demonstrates how personality selection can tailor the emotional tone of the output without changing the factual content.
Conclusion
ChatGPT’s personality features give users granular control over the conversational style of the AI, enhancing usability across diverse scenarios. By navigating the Personalization menu and employing custom instructions, users can align the chatbot’s tone with their specific needs, improving clarity and satisfaction in interactions.