Secret codes for ChatGPT and Claude

Here’s a cool list of hidden commands you can use with ChatGPT and Claude.

They aren’t official, but they’re so powerful to use.

They’re super simple prompt instructions that tell the AI how you want it to think, respond or structure its answer.

Neither tool has them built in. Both just read the words as an instruction, so the same code works in either one.

These are for written answers. For diagrams, cheat sheets and infographics, use the 100 ChatGPT visual shortcuts.

Use one code at a time in your prompt.

Here’s an example of how you’d use them:

1. STEP BY STEP - Breaks a complicated task into clear, manageable steps.
2. FACT CHECK - Separates supported facts from assumptions, exaggerations and uncertain claims.
3. CRITIQUE - Gives honest, constructive feedback instead of automatically praising your work.
4. ACTION PLAN - Turns a vague goal into practical actions and clear next steps.
5. ASSUMPTION CHECK - Reveals the hidden assumptions that could weaken your plan or conclusion.
6. 80/20 - Identifies the few actions most likely to create the biggest results.
7. COMPARE - Evaluates different options using the same criteria.
8. FIRST PRINCIPLES - Breaks a problem down to its fundamentals instead of repeating generic advice.
9. ELI5 - Explains a complicated topic in extremely simple language.
10. DEVIL’S ADVOCATE - Builds the strongest argument against your current opinion or decision.
11. SOCRATIC MODE - Teaches you by asking guided questions instead of immediately giving you the answer.
12. TRUTH MODE - Challenges your reasoning, avoids reflexive agreement and clearly flags uncertainty.
13. HOOKIFY - Turns a weak or boring opening into a stronger, attention-grabbing hook.
14. HUMANIZE - Makes stiff, generic or robotic writing sound more natural.
15. RED TEAM - Attacks your idea, finds its weaknesses and shows you how it could fail.
16. SECOND ORDER THINKING - Looks beyond the immediate result and explores what could happen afterwards.
17. ANTI ADVICE - Identifies popular advice that may not suit your situation and suggests better alternatives.
18. LINDY MODE - Prioritises timeless principles and proven methods over short-lived trends.
19. FUTURE YOU - Responds from the perspective of a wiser and more experienced version of you.
20. STEELMAN - Creates the strongest and fairest version of an argument before evaluating it.
21. KEY TAKEAWAYS - Pulls out the most important points and removes the noise.
22. ONE SENTENCE - Condenses the entire answer into one clear sentence.
23. PLAIN ENGLISH - Replaces jargon and complex wording with everyday language.
24. ANALOGY MODE - Explains an unfamiliar idea by comparing it with something familiar.
25. EXAMPLE MODE - Makes an abstract explanation easier to understand with a practical example.
26. TEACH BACK - Tests your understanding by asking you to explain the idea in your own words.
27. QUIZ ME - Turns the topic into questions that test your knowledge.
28. MEMORY HOOK - Creates an easy way to remember important information.
29. BEGINNER MODE - Explains the topic without assuming you already know the basics.
30. EXPERT MODE - Gives a deeper, more technical answer without oversimplifying it.
31. GAP CHECK - Identifies what is missing from your knowledge, argument or plan.
32. ROOT CAUSE - Looks past the symptoms to find the underlying problem.
33. FIVE WHYS - Repeatedly asks why to uncover the real cause of an issue.
34. LOGIC CHECK - Tests whether your conclusion actually follows from your reasoning.
35. BIAS CHECK - Identifies biases that may be influencing the answer or decision.
36. EVIDENCE CHECK - Examines whether each important claim is properly supported.
37. CONFIDENCE LEVEL - Labels conclusions according to how certain or uncertain they are.
38. UNKNOWN UNKNOWNS - Surfaces risks, questions and possibilities you may not have considered.
39. COUNTERFACTUAL - Explores how the outcome might change if one key fact were different.
40. INVERSION - Approaches the problem backwards by asking what would guarantee failure.
41. OPPORTUNITY COST - Shows what you give up by choosing one option over another.
42. TRADE OFFS - Reveals what each choice improves, sacrifices or makes harder.
43. DECISION MATRIX - Scores your options against the criteria that matter most.
44. PRIORITY STACK - Ranks your tasks in the order they should be tackled.
45. NEXT THREE - Gives you only the next three actions to take.
46. TIMEBOX - Organises the work into focused blocks with clear time limits.
47. MILESTONE MAP - Breaks a long-term goal into measurable progress points.
48. RISK REGISTER - Lists the main risks, their impact and how to reduce them.
49. CONTINGENCY PLAN - Creates a backup plan for when the preferred approach fails.
50. BOTTLENECK FINDER - Identifies the single constraint slowing down your progress.
51. CHECKLIST MODE - Converts the answer into a simple list you can work through.
52. ROADMAP MODE - Organises a project into stages, priorities and timelines.
53. EXECUTION MODE - Focuses the answer on doing the work rather than discussing ideas.
54. DELEGATION MODE - Identifies what to delegate, who should own it and what instructions they need.
55. AUTOMATE IT - Finds repetitive tasks that could be simplified or automated.
56. CUT THE FLUFF - Removes filler, repetition and unnecessary explanation.
57. REWRITE CONCISE - Shortens your writing without losing the important meaning.
58. REWRITE PROFESSIONAL - Makes your writing more polished, credible and workplace-ready.
59. REWRITE FRIENDLY - Makes your message warmer and more approachable.
60. TONE CHECK - Explains how your words may sound to the person reading them.
61. CLARITY EDIT - Fixes confusing wording, weak structure and vague statements.
62. ACTIVE VOICE - Makes your writing clearer and more direct by reducing passive language.
63. STORY MODE - Turns information into a more engaging narrative.
64. SHOW DONT TELL - Replaces vague claims with specific details, actions and examples.
65. PUNCH IT UP - Makes flat writing more energetic, memorable and compelling.
66. THREE VERSIONS - Produces three meaningfully different approaches to the same request.
67. HEADLINE MODE - Creates strong headline options designed to earn attention.
68. CTA MODE - Writes a clear call to action that tells the reader what to do next.
69. SCROLL STOPPER - Creates an opening designed to interrupt scrolling and spark curiosity.
70. OBJECTION HANDLER - Identifies likely objections and answers them convincingly.
71. BENEFIT FIRST - Reframes the message around what the audience gains.
72. LOSS AVERSION - Frames the message around what someone risks losing by doing nothing.
73. SOCIAL PROOF - Strengthens a message with credible evidence that others trust or use the idea.
74. VALUE STACK - Combines the benefits of an offer so its total value feels clearer.
75. OFFER AUDIT - Identifies what makes your offer appealing, confusing or difficult to buy.
76. CUSTOMER VOICE - Rewrites the message using language your target customer would naturally use.
77. ICP MODE - Defines the ideal customer most likely to need and buy your offer.
78. POSITIONING MODE - Clarifies who your offer is for, what it does and why it matters.
79. DIFFERENTIATION MODE - Shows how your idea or offer can stand apart from similar alternatives.
80. BRAND VOICE - Rewrites content to match a consistent personality, tone and style.
81. CONTENT PILLARS - Organises your content into a small number of repeatable themes.
82. REPURPOSE MODE - Turns one piece of content into multiple formats for different platforms.
83. RETENTION EDIT - Tightens content to keep people reading or watching for longer.
84. PATTERN INTERRUPT - Adds an unexpected line or angle that recaptures attention.
85. CURIOSITY GAP - Creates interest by revealing enough to intrigue without giving everything away.
86. RESEARCH PLAN - Defines what to investigate, which questions to answer and where to begin.
87. PRIMARY SOURCES - Prioritises original research, official documents and first-hand evidence.
88. SOURCE CHECK - Evaluates whether a source is credible, relevant and current.
89. CLAIMS VS EVIDENCE - Separates what is being claimed from the evidence supporting it.
90. CURRENT INFO - Prioritises recent, up-to-date information instead of relying on older knowledge.
91. DATA TABLE - Organises information into clear rows and columns for easier comparison.
92. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Condenses the key findings, risks and decisions for a busy reader.
93. MEETING NOTES - Converts a discussion or transcript into structured notes.
94. ACTION ITEMS - Extracts the tasks, owners and deadlines from a conversation or document.
95. DEBUG MODE - Finds the cause of a problem in code and suggests a fix.
96. CODE REVIEW - Checks code for quality, efficiency, readability and maintainability.
97. EDGE CASES - Identifies unusual situations that could cause your plan or system to fail.
98. TEST CASES - Creates scenarios that test whether something works as expected.
99. PSEUDOCODE - Maps out the logic of a program before writing the actual code.
100. PROMPT IMPROVER - Rewrites a weak or vague prompt into a clearer, more effective one.