A ChatGPT dot is quick to set up, but the settings you pick at the start decide what it can do while you are away. Dots are OpenAI’s always-on agents. They keep working on a goal between your chats, on their own cloud computer, through the apps you connect.
Many teams first heard about dots from an OpenAI email titled "Meet dots" that reached Business Premium users on October 15. The email says dots are "Available only on Business Premium seats." That line matters. A standard Business seat does not include a dot.
The short version: confirm your plan, create the dot on your phone or desktop, connect only the apps it needs, set custom rules before the first real task, and leave your own computer disconnected at first. Then give it a small, low-risk job and watch how it handles approvals.
If you want the background first, our explainer on what ChatGPT dots are covers the product, the controls and how it compares with Meta’s Muse. This post is the setup walkthrough, current as of October 16, 2026.
Before you set up a ChatGPT dot: check your plan
Dots are not on every ChatGPT plan. OpenAI’s getting started guide lists who can create one. You also need to be 18 or older.
| Plan | Can create a dot? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pro | Yes | Not in the European Economic Area, Switzerland or the UK at launch |
| Business Premium seat | Yes | All supported ChatGPT regions |
| Business standard seat | No | OpenAI’s email tells these users to ask their workspace owner to upgrade |
| Enterprise, Edu, Healthcare | Beta | Off by default until a workspace admin turns it on |
For a nonprofit or association on ChatGPT Business, this is a per-seat decision. A Premium seat costs more than a standard one, as we covered in Business Premium seat vs standard. Premium is sold per seat, so a trial of a ChatGPT dot can start with one Premium seat for the person running it.
OpenAI says the rollout is gradual. If you are on an eligible plan and cannot find dots, go to chatgpt.com/dots and confirm you are signed in to the right account and workspace.
Step 1: Start your ChatGPT dot on your phone or desktop
Since October 9, you can create a dot in the ChatGPT mobile app on iOS or Android. You can also use the ChatGPT desktop app, including on Windows, or ChatGPT in a desktop browser. OpenAI’s guide says to use the latest version of the mobile app. Dots do not work in a mobile web browser.
Open ChatGPT and follow the onboarding prompts. Your new ChatGPT dot then introduces itself.
Our advice is to start on the desktop. Several settings you will want later, such as connecting a computer and adding Slack, are set up from the desktop app.
Step 2: Name it and pick an avatar
Every dot gets a handle. The default is @yourname-dot. When you give your dot a name, the handle changes to @yourname-agentname.
You also choose a character or a pet as its avatar, or let the dot make one. To change either later, open the dot’s profile and select the pencil icon.
The name is more than decoration. If the dot will post in a shared Slack or Teams channel, coworkers need to recognize it. A plain name such as "Membership dot" works better than a clever one.
Step 3: Connect only the apps it needs
A dot works through apps you connect, which OpenAI calls plugins. OpenAI says there are more than 4,000 available. On mobile, open your dot’s profile and go to Customize, then Plugins. Pick an app and review its permissions before you connect it.
Start small. If the first job is a weekly summary of your inbox, connect email and nothing else. Each extra app is another place the dot can read from and, with your approval, act in.
Two details from OpenAI’s guide are easy to miss:
- A dot cannot use your personal browser sign-ins. Its cloud browser keeps separate sessions.
- A dot does not get its own email address. You can connect your own email instead.
Step 4: Leave your computer disconnected at first
You can let a dot use your own computer, but it is off by default. Turning it on lets a dot work with your local files and run commands there.
To connect it, install and open the ChatGPT desktop app on that computer. In your dot’s profile, find Computers, then Your computer, and select Allow access. You confirm a second time.
We suggest skipping this step for the first few weeks. The cloud computer and connected apps cover most early tasks. Once you trust how the dot asks for approval, you can add your computer later. In Enterprise workspaces, an admin setting called "Allow local computer access" must also be on.
Step 5: Set custom rules before the first real task
Custom rules tell your dot how to handle a kind of action. OpenAI’s controls documentation puts them under Settings, then Personalization, then Custom rules under Permissions. Select Add, describe the action, pick a behavior and select Add rule.
There are four behaviors:
| Behavior | What it means | Good fit |
|---|---|---|
| Take action without asking | The dot proceeds on its own | Reading and summarizing |
| Take action when you say so | The dot waits for your go-ahead | Drafting files in a shared drive |
| Ask before taking action | The dot asks each time | Sending email or posting in Slack |
| Hand off to you | You do the step yourself | Payments, account changes |
OpenAI is clear about the limits. Rules are instructions the dot tries to follow, and it can make mistakes. Rules do not grant access, override safety checks or remove required confirmations. Some steps, like changing a password, always stay with you.
Step 6: Give your ChatGPT dot a small first task
Describe the job in your ChatGPT dot’s conversation. You can attach files or photos with the plus button. Each task gets its own conversation, so corrections go in that task’s thread.
Good first tasks are useful but low risk:
- Summarize unread email from the past week and list anything that needs a reply.
- Draft a one-page recap of a shared document for a board packet.
- Track a list of grant deadlines and remind you a week before each one.
Recurring work is saved as a schedule. You can review it under Scheduled, or ask the dot to list, change or cancel its scheduled tasks. In the desktop app, the Activity tab on the dot’s profile shows progress, files and background work. That is where you answer approval requests.
Pausing a dot stops its current main task. It does not stop delegated tasks or future scheduled runs. Those are stopped separately in Activity and Scheduled.
Reaching your dot in Slack, Teams, voice and text
After setup, you can talk to your dot in several places.
- ChatGPT: message it in the mobile app, desktop app or desktop web.
- Voice: select the phone button in the dot’s conversation. A dot cannot call you on its own yet.
- Slack and Microsoft Teams: open the dot’s profile and add the connection. OpenAI’s guide says Slack setup starts from the desktop app. If your Slack workspace requires app approval, a Slack owner or app manager must approve it.
- Text messages: a limited beta for Pro users in the US only, per OpenAI’s getting started guide. It is not offered in Business or Enterprise workspaces.
In Slack, a dot answers you by default. OpenAI’s admin guide for Enterprise says only a dot’s owner can direct it, so coworkers cannot assign it work by mentioning it.
What it costs after the first month
Your first ChatGPT dot is included with Pro and Business Premium at no extra cost. OpenAI’s launch post says extended limits apply for the first month after the September 29 launch.
OpenAI also says chatting with your dot does not count toward ChatGPT usage limits. Work the dot runs through Codex or ChatGPT Work does count.
As of October 16, OpenAI has not published usage terms for after the first month, or prices for extra dots. If you are running a trial, note your start date and check OpenAI’s plan pages near the end of October.
For workspace admins
On Business, the key decision is which people get Premium seats. On Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare, dots stay off until an admin turns them on.
OpenAI’s workspace admin guide puts the switch under Workspace settings, then Permissions and roles, then Workspace capabilities. Look for "Use dots (Beta)" and three related permissions: Slack and Teams, local computer access, and custom rules.
One detail matters for cleanup. A custom role that grants dots access can still allow it even if another role turns it off. To remove access, check the workspace default and every role.
Dots are part of a wider move toward agents that keep working in the background. Google announced Gemini agent for work on October 8, and Anthropic now runs Claude scheduled tasks in the cloud. The same setup habits apply to all three: connect less, require approval for anything sent outside, and start with a small job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can set up a ChatGPT dot?
Pro users outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK, Business Premium seat holders in supported regions, and Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare members once an admin turns on the beta. You must be 18 or older. Standard Business seats, Plus, Go and Free do not include dots.
Can I create a dot on my phone?
Yes. Since October 9, you can create a dot in the ChatGPT mobile app on iOS or Android. Use the latest app version. Dots do not work in a mobile web browser.
Why can’t I find dots in ChatGPT?
The rollout is gradual. Check that you are on an eligible plan and signed in to the right workspace, then go to chatgpt.com/dots. On Business, you need a Premium seat. On Enterprise, an admin must turn dots on.
Do I need to connect my own computer?
No. It is off by default. A dot works on its own cloud computer and through the apps you connect. You can allow access to your computer later from the desktop app.
What are custom rules?
Custom rules tell your dot whether to act on its own, wait for your go-ahead, ask first, or hand a step to you. You set them under Settings, Personalization, Custom rules. They guide the dot but do not guarantee its behavior.
Can my dot send email for me?
It can if you connect email and approve the action. Permission to draft a reply is not permission to send it. Set “Ask before taking action” for sending until you trust its work.
How much does a ChatGPT dot cost?
The first dot is included with Pro and Business Premium. Usage had extended limits for the first month after launch. As of October 16, OpenAI has not published what comes after that.
How do I stop a dot?
Pause stops its current main task. Stop delegated tasks in Activity and cancel schedules in Scheduled. Deleting a dot is permanent and does not undo actions it already took.
