As of June 2026 — menus move. Official help: ChatGPT release notes.
Open chatgpt.com and sign in.
1 — Find the model / mode picker
- Start a new chat (or use the home screen).
- Look at the top of the chat for the model name or dropdown (labels vary: GPT-4o, o3, Instant, Thinking, etc.).
- Open the dropdown and read what's available on your plan.
Write down: the names you see, and whether Thinking (or similar) is available or greyed.
2 — Find Images (or Create image)
- Look for Tools, +, or a sidebar item like Images / Create image.
- Open it — you don't have to generate unless you want to.
- If it's Plus-only, note not on my tier but confirm where the entry lives.
3 — Find Search or Deep Research (pick one)
| Option | Where to look |
|---|---|
| Web search | Composer Tools / + → Search (or browse-enabled model) |
| Deep Research | Sidebar or Tools → Deep Research |
Open the menu. Read any upgrade or cap message.
Optional — one safe message
If you want to test the chat box with lab rules, paste the Example Ink prompt from the intro. Otherwise skip — this step is about navigation.
You should see: (a) a model/mode control, (b) an Images (or equivalent) entry, (c) Search or Deep Research entry — or a clear note that your tier hides it.
ChatGPT is the one I overpay for purely out of habit. The genuinely useful trick for me is flipping to Thinking the moment a first answer comes back lazy — instead of leaving it on the fastest model for everything.
Continue — Claude next (a different shape entirely).