# "Onboarding" users with custom prompts **URL:** \ **Category:** ChatGPT Apps SDK\ **Tags:** plugin-development, feature-request, improvements, apps-sdk\ **Created:** [July 24, 2026, 10:34am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102 "2026-07-24T10:34:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![philippexe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@philippexe](https://community.openai.com/u/philippexe)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 10:34am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/1 "2026-07-24T10:34:25Z")
Hey there! Is there an official way on how to smoothly onboard users to a Apps SDK app / plugin. Currently the process seems quite buggy and jumpy especially when the user does not have a ChatGPT Account yet. Furthermore if he has one, we would like to be able to provide them with a link to connect with the app including a CUSTOM prompt as soon as he clicks the use plugin button to have a seamless experience from a user’s perspective. This is especially for ways where the app is not discovered through ChatGPT Plugin Directory itself but from external efforts. At best would be a link to the Plugin Directory including a query param or anything to predefine the prompt that will be used when using the app via the button in the Plugin Directory. Does this exist? Is this planned? ---
**Author:** ![mitchell\_d00](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/mitchell_d00/32/765943_2.png) [@mitchell\_d00](https://community.openai.com/u/mitchell_d00)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:55pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/2 "2026-07-24T12:55:22Z")
Hi welcome to the forum! At the moment, there does not appear to be an official, documented onboarding flow that lets external sites open a specific Apps SDK app with a custom prompt prefilled or automatically submitted. Parameters such as ?prompt= or ?q= are not documented as a supported integration mechanism for Custom GPT or app links, so relying on them would be fragile. An official deep-link format for app discovery, account onboarding, app connection, and optional launch context would greatly improve the experience for users arriving from external websites. ---
**Author:** ![Tushar\_Dhar](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/tushar_dhar/32/451144_2.png) [@Tushar\_Dhar](https://community.openai.com/u/Tushar_Dhar)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/3 "2026-07-24T16:36:31Z")
Hi, Can’t you just give the user the URL to your plugin listing ([https://chatgpt.com/plugins/](https://chatgpt.com/plugins/)\ ) and then tell him to chat with @\ on chatGPT ---
**Author:** ![mitchell\_d00](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/mitchell_d00/32/765943_2.png) [@mitchell\_d00](https://community.openai.com/u/mitchell_d00)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 5:14pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/4 "2026-07-24T17:14:24Z")
That works as a basic workaround for users who already have a ChatGPT account, but it doesn’t fully address the original use case. It doesn’t improve the onboarding experience for users who don’t yet have a ChatGPT account, and there isn’t currently a supported way to pre-fill or automatically submit a custom prompt when launching an app. Users still need to complete account setup (if needed), connect the app, and start the conversation themselves. An official deep-linking mechanism that could streamline discovery, account connection, and optional launch context would make external onboarding much smoother. We the users have shared similar feedback in the forum with the team, and it’s useful to hear additional developer interest in this workflow. ---
**Author:** ![tlovett88](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/tlovett88/32/756989_2.png) [@tlovett88](https://community.openai.com/u/tlovett88)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2026, 11:55pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/5 "2026-08-13T23:55:36Z")
This is 100% what is needed. Without some sort of initial prompt to start users most people aren’t able to figure out how to use our plugin. ---
**Author:** ![OpenAI\_Support](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/openai_support/32/561845_2.png) [@OpenAI\_Support](https://community.openai.com/u/OpenAI_Support)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/7 "2026-09-08T15:02:44Z")
Thanks for explaining the external onboarding flow. Plugins can include starter prompts, and setup still needs any required account authorization: https://help.openai.com/en/articles/20001256. We haven’t verified a supported link that carries an arbitrary custom prompt through signup and connection. We’ll pass that request along; no timeline to share. ---
**Author:** ![Prashant\_Pardesi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Prashant\_Pardesi](https://community.openai.com/u/Prashant_Pardesi)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/onboarding-users-with-custom-prompts/1388102/8 "2026-09-08T15:04:53Z")
Closed on September 8, 2026, 3:04pm UTC