How to see how full a ChatGPT chat is

Step by step

1. 1

   Step 1: Find the ring above the AI Toolbox button

   Open any chat on chatgpt.com. In the bottom-right corner is the round AI Toolbox button. Just above it is a small ring with a number and the word Context. This is the Context Meter.

   The ring only shows once the chat has messages, or once you start typing a message. If you moved the round button, the ring moves with it.

   You should see: A ring with a number such as 12% and the word Context under it.

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Read the color of the ring

   ChatGPT can only keep a certain amount of a chat in mind at once. This is called the context window. The ring fills up as the chat gets longer.

   Green means there is plenty of room. The ring turns amber at 70% and red at 95%.

   You should see: The ring's color and number change as you send messages.

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Click the ring to see the details

   Click the ring. A card called Context Meter opens above it. The top line reads like 9.2k of 54k tokens.

   Tokens are small pieces of text. One token is about three quarters of an English word. The first number is how much of the chat ChatGPT is holding. The second number is the most it can hold for your plan and model.

   This is an estimate. AI Toolbox counts the text it can see in the chat. Files, images and ChatGPT's own hidden instructions also take up room, so the real number can be higher.

   You should see: The Context Meter card with the token count, the model name and a row of plan buttons.

   Click the ring again, or the X at the top of the card, to close it.

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Check that your plan is right

   At the bottom of the card is a row of buttons: Auto, Free, Plus and Pro. The limit depends on your ChatGPT plan, so the meter needs to know it.

   Auto asks ChatGPT which plan you have and shows the answer, for example Auto · Plus. If that looks wrong, click the plan you really pay for.

   You should see: The plan you clicked is highlighted, and the second number in the token count changes to match it.

   The ChatGPT Go plan has the same limits as Plus, so Go users can pick Plus.

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Watch for the warnings

   When the chat reaches 80%, the card says Context is filling up. At 95% it says Context window is nearly full.

   A very full chat is a good time to start a new one. ChatGPT may start to lose track of details from early in the chat.

   You should see: A yellow or red line of text in the card, under the token count.

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Continue in a fresh chat (Premium)

   On Premium, click Continue in a fresh chat in the card. AI Toolbox writes a short summary of this chat, opens a new ChatGPT chat in a new tab, and puts the summary in the message box. Nothing is sent for you: read it, then press send.

   Premium also shows about how many messages are left, and buttons under Or continue on another platform to carry the summary to Claude, Gemini or Grok instead.

   On the free plan, the card shows Continue in a fresh chat with a PRO badge and an Upgrade link.

   You should see: The button says Summarizing conversation... for a moment. Then a new tab opens with a new ChatGPT chat and the summary waiting in its message box.

   Your old chat is not changed, and nothing is deleted.

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Hide the ring if you don't want it

   Click the round AI Toolbox button in the bottom-right corner of ChatGPT. A search box called Command Palette opens. Type settings and press Enter.

   In the Settings window, find the Context Meter section and click the switch next to Show the context meter to turn it off. Turn it on again the same way.

   You should see: The ring is gone from the bottom-right corner. It is also hidden on Claude, Gemini and Grok.

   

That's it. You have finished every tutorial in this section.

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