ChatGPT's Windows desktop app is now available to free users, too

ChatGPT and other similar AI chatbots are becoming a bigger part of everyday life for many people. Though a Windows app for ChatGPT has been available for some time, it’s only been for those who have ponied up for a premium plan — until now.

The Windows app for ChatGPT is now available to all, just like the web and mobile apps. You can download it from the Microsoft Store.

Poking around a bit in the Windows app, it seems more or less the same as the interface I’ve tested on my Android phone, though of course in Windows it’s easier to input larger amounts of text or submit images for scanning. It has the popular conversation mode along with a handful of digital voice options, but it’s just as restrictive as it is elsewhere — I hit the freebie interaction limit in just a few minutes. (And just in case my editor is looking over my shoulder: don’t worry, I’m only testing the app out. I promise this news post was written with my fleshy, human fingers.)

Those who do spring for ChatGPT’s premium service, which starts at $20 per month for individual users, will likely find the Windows app far more useful. While it’s largely the same as the web interface, having a dedicated window on your desktop will be a boon to those who integrate it into their workflows. Whether or not it’s worth paying for a premium AI chatbot? Well, that’ll depend on how you use it.

And not for nothing, it’s another point for OpenAI to tick in competition with Microsoft’s home-grown AI product, Copilot. Anecdotally, ChatGPT is much more positively received by general users, whereas Microsoft is more interested in integrating Copilot into core Windows features, from the taskbar to Office to Paint.

Further reading: ChatGPT Plus vs. Copilot Pro, compared

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld

Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.

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