The first time I tried Character AI I felt like a ike a caveman discovering a smartphone for the first time.
The problem?
I had no clue how to use Character AI. Sure, I could send a message, but that was about it. Little did I know, there are simple character AI tips and tricks that can guide the roleplay exactly where you want it to go and make the experience way more fun.
In this post, we’ll cover 8 Character AI Tips and Tricks that will blow your mind!
C.AI Tip 1: Master the Rewind Button
Ever been in a roleplay session and thought, “Hmm, what if I said this instead?” Or maybe you didn’t like the response the AI gave?
In both cases, C.AI has a handy Rewind button for situations like these. It might be a little hidden, but here’s how you can use it.
- Scroll to the top
- Press the three dots “..” next to a message
- Click on Rewind from here
💡 Character AI also lets you start a new chat from any point in the conversation, which is great for exploring alternate storylines. Just follow steps 1 and 2 mentioned earlier, but instead, click on Start new chat from here.
C.AI Tip 2: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel—Use Character AI Templates
The first time I tried creating my own bot on Character.ai I felt like I’d just been handed the controls to a spaceship without a manual. Seriously, If you are used to pressing a few buttons and now need to prompt your own AI character it is extremely overwhelming.
That’s why I felt like I won the lottery when I discovered Character AI templates existed.
Character AI templates are structured formats you can copy and paste into the character AI customizer.
Simply fill in the blanks, and BAM you have your own customized chatbot.
I recommend checking out the official Character AI Reddit which is full of awesome templates.
C.AI Tip 3: Break the Fourth Wall with OOC Commands
You: OO- what?
OOC stands for ‘out of character’ and is used to give instructions to the AI out of the context of the conversation. So in plain English; you can give the AI instructions that have nothing to do with the roleplay.
This can be great for;
- Change AI behavior
- Adjust story
- Clarify responses
- Ask for help
- Adding details
For example, you can use an OOC command like;
(OOC: what does Mary look like? Describe her outfit in detail. How is she wearing her hair? Makeup, jewelry?…)
If you want to learn more about OOC then check out my list of Character AI OOC commands
C.AI Tip 4: Avoid Awkwardness—Go Third-Person
When you’re roleplaying, it’s best to write in the third person. Ever had a character awkwardly ask you, “👉👈 so.. what’s your name?” Mid-RP? Writing in the third person helps avoid confusion like that and prevents misgendering.
It makes it clearer who’s doing what and keeps the AI from mixing up characters.Also, use action for movements and “quotes” for dialogue. This trains the AI to follow the same structure, making the RP smoother and more realistic!
C.AI Tip 5: Rate Like You Mean It 🤩
When chatting with your bot, make sure to use the star-scoring system at the bottom of each message. You need to be freaking ruthless, especially in the first 30 messages. Try rerolling the responses a few times to find the best one, and rate each of them.
Save the four-star rating for responses that really impress you! This helps train the bot to respond better over time.
C.AI Tip 6: First 20 Messages = Roleplay Gold
The first 20 messages are crucial in setting the tone for your roleplay, especially if you’re aiming for a long-term session. Take your time—don’t rush into things! Slower, more detailed roleplays tend to be more engaging and enjoyable.
(Psst… for bot creators, this is key to creating an immersive experience!)
C.AI Tip 7: Shift Gears When Scenes Stall
If a scene starts dragging or you want to speed things up, try using phrases like
- Suddenly
- Just then
- Out of nowhere
- In the blink of an eye
- Without warning
- or to shift the action
You can also change the scene entirely or jump ahead in time to keep things fresh and interesting.
C.AI Tip 8: Get Your Format Right from the Get-Go
I know I’ve said this before but Character AI adapts to your message style in the first 3-5 messages, so it’s crucial to get the format right from the beginning.
Whether you’re roleplaying or just chatting, make sure you stick to the format you prefer, like using quotes, asterisks, or brackets. The AI will try to follow your lead in terms of message length and structure.
If you notice that the character’s responses aren’t formatted the way you want, you can use the edit button to adjust them (follow steps 1-2 in my first tip but click on edit instead of Rewind).
This feature is especially helpful if you’re roleplaying and the responses don’t match your preferred style.
Wrapping Up and My Experience With Character AI
I have been using Character.ai since it was still in its infancy and I had to figure all this stuff out myself because there weren’t any c.ai tips online whatsoever.
These Character AI tips and tricks will not only save you a lot of time but also a lot of ‘what the heck is going on?’ moments that we’ve all experienced at least once.
Character AI Guides
Our Character AI guides include tips & tricks, tutorials and other handy content to help you elevate your AI roleplay experience.
Character AI Vs Other AI Girlfriend Apps
We’ve compared Character AI’s test results with other popular AI girlfriend apps. Check out our AI girlfriend comparison page or click one of the Character AI comparisons below to see how it stacks up!
