OpenAI's new prompting guide tells users to stop overthinking and start with the result

On July 13, 2026, OpenAI released a prompt guide for everyday users, replacing the previous developer documentation focused on API parameters and model tuning. This shift coincides with the launch of ChatGPT Work, which is based on Codex technology and the GPT-5.6 model, capable of handling complex projects that take hours and generating complete Excel or Word documents.

The guide integrates usage methods for ChatGPT and Codex, reflecting their ongoing convergence. OpenAI explicitly states that users don't need to overthink: start with a simple prompt, specify the desired result, and add rules only when necessary.

OpenAI divides the prompt structure into four optional building blocks: Goal, Context, Output Format, and Boundaries. None are required. The company notes that short prompts are often sufficient; only for large tasks do you need to use all four.

The core recommendation is to 'start with the result,' rather than describing a sequence of steps. The original text says: 'Describe the process only when the process itself matters. Otherwise, give ChatGPT space to search, compare information, and adjust its approach.' Specifying the target audience or output format shapes the result far more than detailed instructions.

OpenAI recommends using one or two hard rules to prevent undesirable behavior, rather than scripting every step. For example: 'Keep the approval date and budget numbers unchanged' or 'Prepare the message as a draft without sending it.' This 'less is more' logic also applies to context: only attach materials that will actually change the answer, such as spreadsheets, PDFs, images, web searches, or shared project files.

For high-risk tasks, OpenAI suggests letting ChatGPT self-validate the output—for example, checking that every action item has an owner and a deadline. This mechanism adds reliability without requiring additional instructions.

The new guide clearly defines two usage scenarios: Chat for quick questions and rewrites, and Work for tasks that require referencing multiple sources, making changes, or generating larger deliverables (like reports). Work tasks consume more credits but pay off when saving time or supporting important decisions.

Users don't need to write a perfect prompt in one go. Follow-up questions are considered an expected means of output optimization. Cross-session preferences should be placed in 'Custom Instructions' under 'Settings > Personalization,' while task-specific instructions remain in the single prompt.

For the coding assistant Codex, OpenAI introduces two ways to influence tasks mid-execution: 'Steer' adds a message to the current run and redirects it; 'Queue' queues a message for the next execution. In the CLI, Enter and Tab keys serve as shortcuts.

Codex executes commands in a sandbox with restricted file and network access. Exceeding limits requires user approval. Two slash commands support multi-step projects: '/plan' lets Codex analyze code before suggesting an approach; '/goal' sets a higher-level goal for Codex to follow across steps. For code review, users can run '/review' locally or mention '@codex review' in GitHub comments, and can specify focus areas like 'review security vulnerabilities.'