Your pharmacy wants you to use its app. Your grandchildren want you on a video calling app. Your doctor's office has a patient portal. AI can act as a patient teacher, showing you one step at a time and answering the same question as often as you need.
When this helps
Use this for a patient portal, a pharmacy app, a banking app, video calls on FaceTime or Zoom, WhatsApp, or a photo-sharing app.
Step by step
- Tell the AI the name of the app and your device, for example "Zoom on my iPad."
- Say what you want to do first, such as join a call or see a test result.
- Ask for one step at a time with the words below.
- Practice the step, then type "done."
Copy these words
“I am new to the [app name] app on my [device]. Teach me how to [task] one step at a time. Give me only the first step, and wait until I say done before giving me the next one.”
Fill in anything in [brackets] with your own details, then send.
Good follow-up questions
- "What are the three things most people use this app for?"
- "How do I make the text bigger in this app?"
- "How do I know I downloaded the real app and not a fake one?"
Before you trust the answer
Download apps only from the App Store on an iPhone or the Google Play Store on Android, and check that the company name under the app is right. Never type your app password or a verification code into an AI chat.
Frequently asked questions
What if the AI's steps do not match my screen?
Apps change often. Describe what you see or send a screenshot, and the AI will adjust.
Can AI set up the app for me?
No. It can explain each step, and you tap the buttons yourself.
Is it okay to ask the same question again?
Yes. AI does not mind repeating itself. Ask until you feel confident.
Get 5 more tasks like this, free
The free guide 5 Everyday Things AI Can Help You With gives you one task per page in large print, with the exact words to copy and a list of what to never give AI.
About the author: Nelson Lopatin
Nelson has worked on the internet since 1995 and runs US WebSites in the Rochester, NY area. He writes Easy AI for Seniors in plain English so adults 55 and older learn AI at their own pace.