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Guide · Open source

How to use chatGPTBox: install, summarize pages and set up custom models

Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data

ChatGPTBox is an open-source browser extension that opens an AI chat window on most web pages. This guide explains how to install it, which keyboard shortcuts to use, and how to summarize pages or work with selected text. It also covers the Custom Model setting and the privacy behaviour you should know about before you use it.

ChatGPTBoxChatGPTBox-dev/chatGPTBox · ★ 10.8k · MIT

Quick start

  1. 1Install the extension. Open the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons link from the README and add ChatGPTBox to your browser.
  2. 2Try the shortcut. Press Ctrl+B on a web page to open the chat dialog box.
  3. 3Summarize a page. Use Alt+B or the right-click menu to summarize the current page.
  4. 4Work with selected text. Highlight text and use the selection tool to translate or explain it.
  5. 5Turn site adaptations on or off. Open settings and enable only the site integrations you want.
  6. 6Set up Custom Model. If you have your own API endpoint, select Custom Model and enter its address.

Install ChatGPTBox in your browser

ChatGPTBox is installed as a browser add-on. The project README links to official store pages for Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari, and the Chrome and Firefox links are listed below.

  • Chrome: Chrome Web Store page linked from the README
  • Firefox: Firefox Add-ons page linked from the README
  • Edge, Safari and Android: links are in the README, with Safari and Android instructions on the project wiki
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chatgptbox/eobbhoofkanlmddnplfhnmkfbnlhpbbo https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/chatgptbox/

Open the chat window with keyboard shortcuts

Once the extension is installed, you can call up the chat dialog on any page. The README lists the shortcuts below. Check your browser's extension settings if a shortcut conflicts with another key binding.

  • Ctrl+B: open the chat dialog box on the current page
  • Alt+B: summarize the page through the right-click menu
  • Ctrl+Shift+H: open the independent conversation page

Summarize pages and work with selected text

The extension can summarize an article or video page, and it has selection tools that act on text you highlight. The README names translation, summarization, polishing, sentiment analysis, paragraph division and code explanation as examples.

  • Select text, then use the selection tool or right-click menu to translate or explain it
  • Use the right-click menu to summarize the current page
  • Video summaries are shown in the README preview for YouTube pages

Use the site integrations

ChatGPTBox can appear beside search results and on several sites. The README lists Reddit, Quora, YouTube, GitHub, GitLab, StackOverflow, Zhihu and Bilibili, and says you can switch individual site adaptations on or off in settings.

  • Search engines: integration with all mainstream search engines, plus custom queries for other sites
  • Developer pages: GitHub and GitLab integrations, including the Git analysis shown in the README preview
  • Settings: each site adaptation and selection tool can be turned off if you do not need it

Connect a custom model or self-hosted API

The Custom Model mode lets you point ChatGPTBox at your own endpoint. The README says LLM APIs can be converted to OpenAI format with LiteLLM or one-api, and that Ollama and OpenRouter can be used with Custom Model mode. The README does not give setup steps for these, so check the project wiki and each provider's documentation.

  • Select Custom Model in the settings
  • Enter your API address (the README lists custom API address support)
  • Supported named services include GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Claude, New Bing, Moonshot, Self-Hosted and Azure

Understand privacy before you use it

The README states that the extension does not collect your data and that it sends prompts or page content only when an AI-powered feature is triggered. It is not activated automatically by default. The README suggests searching the code for fetch( and XMLHttpRequest( to check network calls yourself.

  • Prompts go to the AI service you configure, so an offline setup is not possible with this tool
  • Free Web API access is mentioned, but the README does not explain its limits
fetch( XMLHttpRequest(

What people use it for

  • Summarizing long articles while reading in a browser tab
  • Getting a summary of a YouTube video from its page
  • Translating or explaining selected text on any page
  • Asking an AI assistant about code on GitHub or GitLab pages
  • Sending chats to a self-hosted or custom API endpoint

Frequently asked questions

Is chatGPTBox free?

The project is MIT licensed and the README describes it as completely free. It also mentions a Web API option for Free and Plus users, but does not explain its limits, so check the extension's current terms before relying on it.

How do I install chatGPTBox?

Install it from the Chrome Web Store or Firefox Add-ons using the links in the README. The README also links to Edge, Safari and Android installation options.

Does chatGPTBox work offline?

No. It sends prompts to a configured AI service when an AI feature is used, so it needs a connection to that service.

Does chatGPTBox collect my data?

The README says the extension does not collect your data and that prompts or page content are sent only when an AI feature is triggered. It suggests searching the code for fetch( and XMLHttpRequest( to verify this.

Can I use Ollama or OpenRouter with chatGPTBox?

The README says you can use Ollama and OpenRouter with the Custom Model mode. It links to an issue comment for Ollama and to OpenRouter's model documentation.

What are the alternatives to chatGPTBox?

The analysis lists Sider and Monica as comparable projects, plus chatgpt-google-extension as an alternative. Compare features and privacy terms before choosing one.

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Our verdict

ChatGPTBox suits people who want an AI chat panel on web pages, want to summarize articles or videos, or want to connect their own API endpoint. It is not a good fit for anyone who needs fully offline use, guaranteed free access, or a standalone desktop chat app.

Install options & downloads