Using Scheduled Tasks in ChatGPT

Scheduled Tasks is a feature for automating reminders and information delivery in ChatGPT. You can set the tool to send custom messages at specific times.

This guide explains what Scheduled Tasks are, how to set them up, and how to use them effectively.

What Are Scheduled Tasks?

Scheduled Tasks is an automation feature available for ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers. It functions in chats that use the GPT-4o mini or GPT-4o-3 models.

You create tasks directly within a chat conversation and can choose to receive the automated messages in the chat thread, as a push notification, or by email.

Steps to Set Up Your First Task

1. Open a new chat. Scheduled tasks require a new chat thread to work correctly. Ensure you are using a Plus or Team account and have selected the GPT-4o mini or GPT-4o-3 model.
2. Write your request. Type a specific instruction for the task. For example, you can ask it to remind you every Monday at 7 a.m. to take out the trash. ChatGPT will then guide you to confirm the schedule and notification settings.
3. Add details and data sources. If a task needs to include specific information, state where it should come from. You could ask it to summarize the top five AI news stories from TechCrunch every morning at 8 a.m. Clear, brief requests are more reliable.

How to Use Scheduled Tasks

Users rely on scheduled tasks for managing daily routines, tracking information, and saving time. Here are detailed use-cases with example prompts you can copy and customize:

Home and Life Management

Recurring Chores and Maintenance Set reminders for household tasks with customizable tones and specific instructions.

Example Prompts:

Every Monday at 6:30 PM, send me a friendly reminder to take out the trash bins for pickup tomorrow morning. Include a motivational message to make it feel less like a chore.

On the 1st of every month at 9 AM, remind me to change the air filter in my HVAC system. Include tips on what to look for when inspecting the old filter.

Every Wednesday at 7 AM, send me a cheerful reminder to water my indoor plants. Include a different plant care tip each week.

News and Information Tracking

Personalized News Digests Create custom news summaries from specific sources and topics that matter to you.

Example Prompts:

Every morning at 8 AM, create a 5-minute news summary covering AI developments, climate change updates, and major tech announcements. Source information from TechCrunch, The Verge, and Reuters. Format it as bullet points with brief explanations.

Every weekday at 6 PM, give me a summary of the top 3 stock market moves for the day, focusing on tech stocks (AAPL, GOOGL, MSFT, NVDA). Include percentage changes and brief explanations for any major movements above 3%.

Every Sunday at 10 AM, provide a weekly sports roundup focusing on [your favorite teams/sports]. Include game results, upcoming matchups, and any major trades or injury news.

Content and Hobby Tracking

Content Discovery and Updates Monitor your favorite creators and websites for new content without manually checking.

Example Prompts:

Every Friday at 5 PM, check if [specific YouTube channel] has uploaded any new videos this week. If yes, provide the titles and a brief summary of what each video covers. If no new content, just let me know.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 AM, check [favorite blog/website] for new articles. Summarize any new posts in 2-3 sentences each and include the direct links.

Every morning at 9 AM, scan Reddit's r/MachineLearning for the top 3 posts from the past 24 hours. Provide the post titles, brief summaries, and links to the discussions.

Fitness and Wellness

Health and Motivation Automate fitness motivation and wellness check-ins with variety and personalization.

Example Prompts:

Every morning at 7 AM, suggest a different 15-minute workout routine suitable for home exercise. Include specific exercises, rep counts, and a motivational message to start the day strong.

Every evening at 8 PM, send me a mindfulness prompt for 5 minutes of evening reflection. Ask me one thoughtful question about my day and suggest a brief meditation or breathing exercise.

Every Sunday at 8 AM, ask me to reflect on my health goals for the week. Provide 3 specific, achievable health-related goals I can focus on, including nutrition, exercise, and mental wellness.

Professional Development and Job Searching

Career Advancement and Opportunities Automate job searches and professional development tracking.

Example Prompts:

Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9 AM, search for new remote software engineering positions on [specific job boards]. Focus on roles requiring [your skills] and filter for companies with 50-500 employees. Provide a summary with company names, role titles, and key requirements.

Every morning at 8:30 AM, find 1-2 interesting articles or resources about [your professional field] from industry publications. Provide a brief summary and explain how this information could be useful for professional development.

Every Friday at 4 PM, remind me to update my professional learning log. Ask me what new skills I practiced this week and suggest one specific action for skill improvement next week.

Family and Local Community

Local Events and Planning Stay informed about your community and family activities.

Example Prompts:

Every Friday at 6 PM, provide a weekend summary including: local weather forecast, family-friendly events in [your city], and any community activities or festivals happening. Format it as a planning guide for weekend activities.

Every school day at 7 AM, remind me of important family schedule items for the day, including school pickup times, extracurricular activities, and family meal planning suggestions based on our busy schedule.

Every month on the 15th at 2 PM, research and suggest 3 new local restaurants or activities my family hasn't tried yet. Include brief descriptions, price ranges, and why each might be a good fit for family time.

Learning and Personal Growth

Knowledge and Skill Building Automate learning reminders and educational content delivery.

Example Prompts:

Every morning at 8 AM, teach me one new word in [language you're learning] with its pronunciation, usage in a sentence, and a memory tip to help me remember it.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 PM, give me a 10-minute programming challenge related to [specific programming language/concept]. Include the problem description, expected output, and a hint to get started.

Every Sunday at 9 AM, suggest one book, podcast episode, or documentary related to [your interest area] that I could explore this week. Include a brief description and why it's worth my time.

Task Reliability and Best Practices

Scheduled tasks may not always work perfectly, as users report that tasks can sometimes fail to run, deliver old information, or stop working.

Follow these best practices to improve reliability:

• Use a supported platform. Tasks work best on the ChatGPT web interface with the GPT-4o mini or GPT-4o-3 models.
• Be specific in your instructions. Clearly state the topic, information source, and desired format because vague requests lead to poor results.
• Create separate tasks. Avoid bundling multiple requests into a single task. It is better to split complex requests into smaller, individual tasks, each in its own chat thread.

When to Look for an Alternative to ChatGPT

While ChatGPT's scheduled tasks are a convenient way to automate simple reminders and content lookups, they have limitations, especially when it comes to reliability and handling complex workflows. If you find that your automated tasks require more robustness, multiple steps, or better management, it might be time to consider a dedicated AI automation platform.

For users who need to build and schedule more advanced, multi-step AI applications, a platform like AI Flow Chat offers a more powerful solution. Here’s when you might consider it:

• You need to automate complex, multi-step workflows. ChatGPT tasks are best for single-shot requests. If your process involves multiple AI steps—like scraping data, summarizing it, and then formatting it into a report—a visual workflow builder is more suitable.
• Reliability is critical. For business-critical tasks, such as daily market analysis or lead generation, you need a system that runs dependably. Dedicated platforms are built for this kind of scheduling reliability.
• You need to manage many schedules. AI Flow Chat provides a centralized dashboard to create, manage, and monitor all your scheduled applications, which is a significant advantage over managing tasks across multiple, separate ChatGPT threads.
• You need to customize inputs for each run. With a dedicated platform, you can configure specific inputs for each scheduled run (e.g., scraping a different URL each day) without creating entirely new tasks.

In short, for simple, personal reminders, ChatGPT's feature is a great start. But for more serious automation, especially for business or content creation, a specialized tool will provide the power and reliability you need.

Scheduled Tasks vs. Reminder Apps

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my scheduled tasks sometimes fail to run?

Scheduled Tasks can be unreliable due to several factors. The feature is still relatively new and users commonly report tasks that stop working, deliver outdated information, or fail to trigger entirely. To improve reliability:

• Ensure you're using the web version of ChatGPT (not mobile app)
• Use GPT-4o mini or GPT-4o-3 models specifically
• Create each task in a fresh chat thread
• Follow OpenAI's setup instructions exactly
• Keep prompts clear and specific rather than complex

For tasks that demand higher reliability, you may want to explore dedicated AI automation platforms like AI Flow Chat, which are designed for more robust scheduling.

Do Scheduled Tasks work on mobile apps?

Currently, Scheduled Tasks work best on the ChatGPT web interface. Mobile app support may be limited or inconsistent. If you're having trouble, try setting up your tasks using the web version at chat.openai.com.

How are notifications delivered?

You can choose to receive scheduled task notifications through:

• In-chat messages: Appears in the original chat thread
• Push notifications: Sent to your device (if enabled)
• Email: Delivered to your registered email address

Can I edit or delete a scheduled task?

Yes, you can manage your tasks by returning to the original chat thread where you created them. You can ask ChatGPT to modify the schedule, change the content, or cancel the task entirely. For complex changes, it's often easier to create a new task in a fresh chat.

Why does my task provide outdated or incorrect information?

This is a common issue with information-gathering tasks. ChatGPT may:

• Use cached or outdated data
• Hallucinate information when it can't access current sources
• Fail to properly access the websites you specified

To minimize this:

• Be very specific about your information sources
• Ask for links or references in your prompts
• Create simpler tasks that don't require complex data gathering
• Consider using tasks for reminders rather than real-time information

How is this different from regular reminder apps?

Can I create multiple tasks in one chat?

It's better to create separate tasks in individual chat threads. Bundling multiple requests into a single task often leads to poor results or failures. Each task should have one clear, specific purpose.

What should I do if a task stops working?

If your scheduled task stops running:

1. Check the original chat thread - Look for any error messages or notifications
2. Verify your account status - Ensure you still have Plus or Team access
3. Recreate the task - Set up a new task in a fresh chat thread with the same instructions
4. Simplify your prompt - If the original was complex, try breaking it into simpler components
5. Contact support - If problems persist, reach out to OpenAI support

Are there limits on how many tasks I can create?

OpenAI hasn't published specific limits on the number of concurrent scheduled tasks. However, for better reliability, it's recommended to:

• Start with a few essential tasks
• Test each one thoroughly before adding more
• Focus on high-value automations rather than creating many simple ones

Can tasks access my personal information or accounts?

Scheduled Tasks can only access information that ChatGPT can normally access through its web browsing capabilities. They cannot:

• Log into your personal accounts
• Access private emails or documents
• Pull data from behind login walls
• Access your calendar or other personal apps

For tasks requiring personal data, you'll need to provide that information in your initial prompt.

What happens if I downgrade from Plus to free?

Scheduled Tasks are only available for ChatGPT Plus and Team subscribers. If you downgrade to a free account, your existing scheduled tasks will stop working and you won't be able to create new ones.

Future Updates

OpenAI plans to improve the reliability and functionality of scheduled tasks. Users have requested new features, including:

• Calendar integration to automatically create reminders based on your calendar events.
• IFTTT-style triggers that start a task based on a specific action, such as emailing you if a new job is posted.
• Combined daily digests that provide a single, structured summary including reminders, news, and other updates.

Resources

• OpenAI’s official Scheduled Tasks explainer
• r/ChatGPT community discussions on scheduled tasks
• ChatGPT Scheduled Tasks on Reddit