# How to Use Dots > An independent, plain-language guide to Dots. Independent guide. Not affiliated with OpenAI. Published by The Full Stack PM (https://fullstackpm.com). Every page has a plain-markdown twin at the same address plus ".md", and carries the date it was last verified. The twins include the content of each page's interactive widgets (lookup entries, gallery cards, table cells) as text. All of the twins in one file: https://howtousedots.com/llms-full.txt Start here: [How to Use Dots](https://howtousedots.com/index.md): A plain guide to OpenAI Dots, the always-on agents in ChatGPT: get access, set up your dot, hand it a job, fix problems and check what it costs. ## Start here - [What is ChatGPT Dots? A plain explanation](https://howtousedots.com/what-is-dots.md): A dot is an always-on agent inside ChatGPT with its own cloud computer. See how it differs from a chat, what it does while you're away, and when it asks you. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: You close the laptop. Then what?. - [Try ChatGPT Dots: a simulated first day, no account needed](https://howtousedots.com/try.md): Drive a simulated first day with a dot: create it, hand over a job, watch it work, answer its approval request and set a rule. Three minutes, no account. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Your first day with a dot. - [Can I get ChatGPT Dots? Plan, country and workspace checker](https://howtousedots.com/availability.md): Check if you can get a dot in three taps: which ChatGPT plans include one, where Pro leaves it out, and what a work account needs before Your dot appears. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Can you get a dot?. - [How to set up ChatGPT Dots: create your first dot](https://howtousedots.com/setup.md): Create your dot in about a minute: click Your dot in ChatGPT on a computer, choose which apps to connect and where it can work, then give it a name. (last verified 2026-10-06) - [ChatGPT Dots pricing: what a dot costs on every plan](https://howtousedots.com/pricing.md): A dot comes with ChatGPT Pro from $100 a month or a Business Premium seat at $100 to $125. Work out your bill and the cheapest way to get one where you live. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Dots plan calculator. - [ChatGPT Dots in Europe and the UK: how to get a dot](https://howtousedots.com/europe-uk.md): ChatGPT Pro has no dot in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland. A Business Premium seat does, from $120 a month. Find your country and price the switch. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Dots in Europe: the map and the route calculator. ## Using your dot - [How to give your ChatGPT dot a job, a schedule, and a stop](https://howtousedots.com/tasks-and-schedules.md): Type a four-part brief into your dot's conversation, ask for a schedule in plain words, check on the work in Recent activity, and stop it three ways. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive parts of the page: Brief builder for your dot; Pause, stop a task or cancel a schedule. - [ChatGPT Dots custom rules: what your dot can do without asking](https://howtousedots.com/custom-rules.md): Your dot reads and drafts freely and asks before it sends, buys or deletes. Add a custom rule in Settings to change that, with one of four behaviors. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Rule simulator: where does an action stop?. - [ChatGPT Dots memory: what it remembers and how to wipe it](https://howtousedots.com/memory.md): A dot remembers with three things: the conversation, its own notes and ChatGPT memory. See where each fact lands, what you can view, and how to delete it. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Tool: where does this get remembered?. - [Your dot's cloud computer: watch it, take over, sign it in](https://howtousedots.com/cloud-computer.md): Every dot has its own computer in the cloud. Open it from the profile, take over the mouse, sign it in to a website privately, and handle sites that block it. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Which machine does the job?. - [Let your ChatGPT dot use your own computer](https://howtousedots.com/connect-your-computer.md): Connect your computer to your dot in the ChatGPT desktop app: click Allow, confirm, and it can work with your local files and apps while the computer is awake. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Cloud or my computer?. - [ChatGPT Dots voice calls: how to call your dot](https://howtousedots.com/voice-calls.md): Call your dot from the phone button in its conversation, on a computer or a phone. What a call can do, what hanging up stops, and fixes when it won't connect. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Simulator: call a dot. - [ChatGPT Space and Pages: how to use your dot in a page](https://howtousedots.com/space-and-pages.md): Call your dot into a ChatGPT Space page with an @ mention in a comment, have it build a page from your conversation, and save a schedule that keeps it current. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Where to ask your dot about a page. - [ChatGPT Dots use cases: 14 jobs to hand over, with prompts](https://howtousedots.com/use-cases.md): Fourteen jobs to hand your dot today: the prompt to copy, the apps it needs, the rule to set, how long it runs and what comes back, with real results. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Recipe shelf: jobs to hand to your dot. ## Connect apps - [Connect apps to ChatGPT Dots and set what they can do](https://howtousedots.com/apps.md): Connect Gmail, Calendar, Drive and other apps to your dot, then pick one of four permission levels to decide what it does without asking you first. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: The permission playground. - [How to connect ChatGPT Dots to Slack](https://howtousedots.com/slack.md): Add your dot to Slack from its profile: click Slack, pick a workspace, click Allow. Then DM it or mention it in a thread. Who it answers, and prompts to copy. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Simulator: who does your dot answer in Slack?. - [Does ChatGPT Dots work in Microsoft Teams?](https://howtousedots.com/microsoft-teams.md): You can't message your dot in Microsoft Teams yet: it's an invite-only alpha. Your dot can still read Teams through a plugin. Here's what works today. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: What do you want Teams for?. - [ChatGPT Dots with Gmail and Google Calendar: setup and recipes](https://howtousedots.com/gmail-google-calendar.md): Connect Gmail and Google Calendar to your dot from the chat, see when it sends and when it only drafts, and copy four prompts for briefs, triage and scheduling. (last verified 2026-10-06) - [ChatGPT Dots with Google Drive: connect it and hand over files](https://howtousedots.com/google-drive.md): Connect Google Drive to your dot, check it can read your Docs, Sheets and Slides, see when it edits or shares without asking, and copy three prompts. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Walk a proposal update through Google Drive. - [ChatGPT Dots with GitHub: connect it and get pull requests](https://howtousedots.com/github.md): Connect GitHub to your dot, see the two setups it codes in and which usage each draws on, and copy three prompts that end in a pull request to review. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Which setup for this coding job?. ## Troubleshooting - [ChatGPT Dots not showing up? Find the cause and fix it](https://howtousedots.com/not-showing-up.md): No Your dot entry in ChatGPT? Answer a few questions to find the cause, see exactly where your dot should appear on each device, and try the fixes in order. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Why is my dot not showing up?. - [ChatGPT Dots error messages: what each one means](https://howtousedots.com/error-messages.md): Type any part of a Dots message, from Your dot is on a break to Paused as a precaution, and see what it looks like, what it means and what to do next. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Dots message decoder. ## Comparisons - [Dots vs Codex, Work and scheduled tasks: which to use](https://howtousedots.com/dots-vs-codex-work-scheduled-tasks.md): Pick the job and get the tool: a dot for ongoing work, Work for a deliverable, Codex for code, a scheduled task for a fixed check, and how a dot uses the rest. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Which one do I use: a dot, Work, Codex, a scheduled task or a workspace agent. ## Reference - [Is ChatGPT Dots safe? What your dot can see, and who else can](https://howtousedots.com/privacy-security.md): Your dot reads what you connect and keeps it until you delete your dot. See what each connection opens, when OpenAI trains on it and what stops a hostile email. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive parts of the page: What can my dot see?; An email tries to hijack your dot. - [ChatGPT Dots limits: what's free and what uses your plan](https://howtousedots.com/limits.md): Dots aren't unlimited. Chatting with your dot is free, its own work runs on a hidden allowance, and Work or Codex tasks it starts use your plan's usage. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Where does this get counted?. - [Dots for workspace admins: enable, restrict and audit](https://howtousedots.com/admin.md): Workspace owners turn dots on under Permissions & roles in Workspace settings. See what each of the eight switches allows and how to remove a member's access. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Dots rollout checklist for workspace admins. - [ChatGPT Dots glossary: every term explained](https://howtousedots.com/glossary.md): Every word you'll meet in ChatGPT Dots, from Recent activity and Monitoring to Auto-review and Take over, in one line each with a link to its lesson. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Find a Dots term. - [OpenAI Dots changelog: release date and what changed](https://howtousedots.com/changelog.md): OpenAI released dots on 29 September 2026. A dated timeline of every change since: the rollout, plan and usage changes, and the dates already set. (last verified 2026-10-06) Its twin also writes out, as text, the interactive part of the page: Dots timeline: what changed, and when.