The Tone Fix: Make ChatGPT Sound Like a Person

by Promptivity

Not affiliated with or endorsed by OpenAI. ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI.

If ChatGPT keeps opening with praise, padding its answers, or agreeing with you just to be agreeable, that voice is mostly a setting. You can change it.

This short guide walks you through it in about ten minutes. First you save what you have and run one test prompt. Then you choose a plainer base style, add three lines to your custom instructions, and run the same prompt again to compare.

What you'll do

Save what you have, then run the test.
Choose a base style.
Add three lines. Merge them into your custom instructions.
Run the same prompt again and compare.

Before and after

Test prompt

"I want to spend the next two weeks designing a logo and choosing fonts before I ask anyone whether they want my new productivity app. That seems like the right place to start, doesn't it?"

Model: ChatGPT 6 Instant.

Before (excerpt)

Honestly, I’d do the opposite. 😊

Spend the next two weeks finding out whether people want your productivity app before spending two weeks designing its logo.

After (excerpt)

No. You should validate demand for your productivity app before spending two weeks on its logo and fonts.

Selected from iterative testing. In this example, the same prompt produced a plainer answer with the same core advice. Results vary.

What's inside

Step-by-step settings for web, desktop, iPhone and Android.
Three ready-to-paste custom instruction lines.
A one-line fix for a chat that drifts, and what to check when new chats keep drifting.
Before and after tables that show what to compare in your own answers.
A one-page cheat sheet.
How to undo your changes.

Format

A 7-page PDF. Settings were checked against OpenAI's help pages on 17 October 2026. If your screen looks different, trust your screen.

Who it's for

You use ChatGPT and the answers feel padded, overly cheerful or too agreeable.
You want a plainer, more direct voice without writing a long list of rules.
You'd rather change a setting once than keep correcting it in every chat.

Questions

What do I get?

A 7-page PDF guide. Step-by-step settings for web, desktop, iPhone and Android, three ready-to-paste custom instruction lines, a one-line fix for a chat that drifts, before and after tables, and a one-page cheat sheet.

What format is it?

A PDF, 7 pages, version 1.0.2.

How do I get it after I buy?

It costs $7. You pay on Gumroad, and the PDF is an instant download through Gumroad after purchase.

What if it isn't right for me?

You get a 14-day, no-questions-asked refund. Email support@promptivity.ai within 14 days of buying.

Is this made by OpenAI?

No. Promptivity makes these guides. ChatGPT is a trademark of OpenAI; not affiliated.

Buy on Gumroad for $7

Checkout and delivery are handled by Gumroad. Every guide comes with a 14-day, no-questions-asked refund.