{"id":5047,"date":"2026-01-20T09:19:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T09:19:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/?p=5047"},"modified":"2026-01-30T22:03:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T22:03:00","slug":"how-to-get-chatgpt-to-summarize-an-article","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/undetectable.ai/blog\/how-to-get-chatgpt-to-summarize-an-article","title":{"rendered":"How To Get ChatGPT To Summarize an Article: Step-by-Step Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019ve ever had to stare down a truly massive article you didn\u2019t have the time (or patience) to read, you know that a quick summary is sometimes all you need to get the basic idea. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With ChatGPT<\/a>, you can distill that mountain of words into a clear, concise summary with just a single prompt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a student buried in assignments or a researcher knee-deep in data, ChatGPT\u2019s knack for summarizing makes it much easier to get straight to the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting the information you need from articles does require some creative prompt writing, so here\u2019s your guide on how to use ChatGPT to summarize an article and help you cut to the chase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Getting Started: The Basics of Summarizing with ChatGPT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably already heard of ChatGPT, the generative AI that OpenAI introduced to the world<\/a> in November of 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to advanced machine learning algorithms that can analyze huge amounts of human text in seconds, ChatGPT can perform useful research and writing tasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to summarizing, ChatGPT \u201creads\u201d your content, understands, and zeros in on the main points while leaving out the unnecessary details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you have an entire essay to trim down or just a news article, it\u2019s a practical, time-saving tool for anyone who needs a quick and clear summary without losing the essentials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to get started? Here\u2019s a quick guide to using ChatGPT to summarize articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Open ChatGPT<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Begin by accessing ChatGPT on your desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet via this link<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on where you live in the world, you may be able to immediately use ChatGPT without creating an account. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you do need to create an OpenAI account, don\u2019t worry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a free option available that gives you access to the 4o-mini model by default\u2014more than enough for most summarization needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Prepare Your Article Text<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Copying the content you need to summarize is the best way to get accurate results<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the text is quite long, you may need to break it down into several sections of approximately 1000 words. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To copy, you can highlight the text you need, right-click, and select \u201ccopy.\u201d Keep the source material or the article\u2019s URL in case you need to refer back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 3: Write a Clear Prompt<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Back in ChatGPT, you will need to write a direct and specific prompt to \u201cask\u201d ChatGPT to provide the summarization. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your prompt will depend largely on what you need and what level of detail you require. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something like \u201cSummarize the following text in two paragraphs\u201d<\/em> works well, but you can also get creative (more on this later in the article). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being clear and to the point helps ChatGPT understand exactly what you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 4: Paste the Article<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Below your prompt, paste the text you copied from step 2. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the text is too long for ChatGPT, an error will appear and you will need to cut it into several segments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ChatGPT remembers where you left off, so don\u2019t worry about having to remind it of your task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 5: Decide on the Summary Length (Optional)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you need something longer than a few paragraphs, or maybe even shorter, you can ask ChatGPT to be as detailed as you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adjust your prompt as needed. For example, ask for a 200-word summary or for bullet points only. This additional instruction can be added to your initial prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 6: Execute and Review<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Hit enter, sit back, and watch ChatGPT do its thing. In a few seconds, you will have a summarized version of the article following your specific instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a moment to look and make sure it captures everything you need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it\u2019s not perfect, so a quick review is ideal to make sure nothing important was missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 7: Adjust and Refine<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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If your summary doesn\u2019t quite hit the mark, you can adjust the prompt<\/a> to be more specific. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This could mean asking to focus on more specific details, shortening or lengthening the summarization, or asking to change the format of the summarization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It\u2019s important to note that ChatGPT will still retain the original prompt instructions unless you instruct it otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To take your research a step further, you can also use our Undetectable AI’s AI Essay Writer<\/a> to transform a basic article summary into a fully developed and humanized essay draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This bridge between raw data and finished prose allows you to expand on the AI’s initial findings while maintaining a sophisticated, academic tone throughout your work.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Best Practices for Effective Summarization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowing precisely what you\u2019re looking for in a summarization can make all the difference with ChatGPT\u2019s output. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just a few straightforward and clear tweaks of the initial prompt can drastically improve the clarity, accuracy, and tone of voice (ToV) of what you receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some best practices for getting a perfect summarization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Be Specific with Your Prompts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

ChatGPT can be quite intuitive, but it can\u2019t read your mind. Spelling out your requirements directly in the prompt can help it better understand what you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example you can ask something like, \u201cSummarize only the main points in two sentences,\u201d<\/em> or \u201cGive me a three-point summary of this article.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Set a Tone or Style<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want your summarization to not sound so bland and robotic, you can instruct ChatGPT to adopt a different tone and style. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your prompt, you can include instructions such as \u201cwrite the summarization in a friendly way,\u201d or \u201csummarize in bullet points for better readability,\u201d or even get creative and ask to write in the style<\/a> of a well-known author, \u201cwrite the summary in the style of Neil deGrasse Tyson.\u201d<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This way you not only get a great summary, but it\u2019s more tailored to your audience and purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Break Down Lengthy Articles<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While you might be hard-pressed to exceed ChatGPT\u2019s word limit, the longer the text it needs to summarize, the more likely you will receive information you don\u2019t want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For very long and complicated articles, it\u2019s best to break them down into smaller chunks and then ask ChatGPT to combine the summaries together at the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Use a Humanizer to Rework the Output<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After using the summarization feature of ChatGPT for quite some time, you may notice the output is quite \u201cAI-sounding,\u201d with repeated phrases and an obviously robotic tone of voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re planning on submitting or publishing a summarization, it\u2019s best to run the output through a humanizer like Undetectable<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These tools can tweak phrasing and tone, helping to produce a summary that reads less like a robot wrote it\u2014a nice touch if you\u2019re looking for a more professional summary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Test it instantly using the widget below!<\/p>\n\n\n\n