ChatGPT is easily the most popular and widely used AI-powered tool out there. There are three ways to use the powerful AI chatbot: the mobile app, the desktop app and the web app. While the majority of users either use the mobile app or the web app, Mac users should definitely try ChatGPT’s Mac app.
Yes, the macOS has a standalone ChatGPT app, which was released in mid-2024. This eliminates the need to use the browser to access ChatGPT. But is it worth switching to the ChatGPT’s Mac app over the web app? Does the ChatGPT app on Mac perform better than the web app? Let’s find out in the article below!
Is ChatGPT’s Mac app better than the web app?
It won’t be wrong to say that yes, the ChatGPT app for macOS is better than its web app. This is simply because of the number of features and added perks offered by the Mac ChatGPT app. While using it on a browser may be more straightforward, it doesn’t have enough features or perks to stand a chance against the Mac app. Let’s have a look at the top features that make the ChatGPT Mac app better than the web version.
You can trigger ChatGPT with just a single click, almost instantly
One of the biggest advantages of using the Mac app of ChatGPT is that you can trigger it almost instantly using a simple keyboard shortcut. You don’t need to go to a browser and then write the URL and hit enter. You hit the Option+Space shortcut on your keyboard and ChatGPT will open right in front of you, or directly pin it in the dock. This makes it easier for the users to access and use the ChatGPT. While this is not something groundbreaking, it can save a lot of time during multitasking.
Directly search for images from Mac’s camera and screenshots
Another feature that makes the Mac app better than the web app is the support for image search. While the web app also has this feature, the usability isn’t very easy since you have to manually upload and ask things. In the Mac app, you can simply ask to search anything from the image taken from the webcam as well as the screenshot. Thanks to the Apple ecosystem, you can also directly select iPhone as your camera take a picture from your device and then search for things from it. This is a very very underrated feature.
Support of voice mode for seamless conversation
Voice mode is, no doubt, one of the best features ever introduced by OpenAI in ChatGPT. It allows the user to talk and interact directly with the ChatGPT using voice. It also responds and there’s a lot of different sounds to choose from. Though the conversation is not very human and it takes some seconds before replying to the query, future iterations will make it better only. Advanced voice enables the AI to think and look for the latest resources before providing an accurate and detailed response.
Shortcuts
Another advantage of using ChatGPT Mac app is the support for shortcuts. You can use shortcuts to open ChatGPT, switch to a new chat, and perform various other tasks.
- Open ChatGPT instantly: Press Option + Space to open the app from anywhere
- New chat: Press Cmd + N
- Switch between chats: Use Cmd + [ ] to navigate
Better Performance
Since the ChatGPT app runs natively on macOS, it also offers better performance and consume less memory than the web-based ChatGPT. Additionally, the app may get an offline feature in the future.
ChatGPT app integration with Mac apps
ChatGPT can also be used for specific tasks within apps like Xcode to get help with the code-related queries. As of now, it is limited to a select range of apps and tools. However, it could be integrated with most apps in the future.
Is it a good idea to use the ChatGPT Mac app over the web app?
It definitely is a good idea to use the ChatGPT Mac app compared to the web app. Using it for a few minutes will make you realize how useful the shortcut open feature is. Moreover, once you get used to the direct media search feature, there’s no way to come back.
While writing an email, you will not have to open the web app, copy-paste the content and then ask ChatGPT to re-write it. You can simply press the shortcut keys while typing the email, and ask the AI to re-write it. As easy as it seems. All these arguments are strong enough for anyone to make the switch from a web app to a Mac app. And in the future, the Mac app will be getting further polished so the answer should be clear for you.
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