What is a ChatGPT secret code?
It is a short prompt that starts with a slash, like
/goldenhour. You may have seen them in reels about
"hidden ChatGPT tricks".
Here is the honest part: they are not hidden. ChatGPT has no list of secret commands. It reads the words inside the code and works out the rest from your photo. So a code works when its words paint a clear picture.
How to use a code
- Open ChatGPT.
- Upload one clear photo of a person.
- Type the code, for example
/goldenhour, and send it. Nothing else. - Not what you wanted? Generate again, or paste the longer prompt under the code.
If the code misses
A short code leaves a lot for ChatGPT to guess, so results change from try to try. Run it again, or use the longer prompt under each code. It spells out exactly what you want.
You can also paste the longer prompt into other image tools, for example GPT Image 2.5 or Nano Banana on OpenArt.
Golden hour
Code #1Warm, low evening sun.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Relight the photo with warm golden-hour sunlight from the side, soft glow in the hair.
Window light
Code #2Soft daylight from one side.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Relight the photo with soft daylight from a large window on one side, gentle shadows.
Rembrandt light
Code #3Classic painter light with a small triangle on the dark cheek.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Rembrandt lighting: one light high to the side, a small triangle of light on the shadow cheek, dark background.
Butterfly light
Code #4Light from above the face, classic for beauty.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Butterfly lighting from above and in front, small shadow under the nose, glowing skin, beauty portrait.
Split light
Code #5Half the face lit, half in shadow.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Split lighting: one side of the face lit, the other in deep shadow, dark background.
Rim light
Code #6A bright outline around the hair and shoulders.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Strong rim light from behind outlining the hair and shoulders, soft front fill, dark background.
Backlight
Code #7The light behind you, with a soft glow.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Bright backlight from the sun behind them, soft glow and lens flare, face gently lit.
Low key
Code #8Dark and moody, mostly shadow.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Low-key lighting: mostly black frame, one soft light on the face, moody portrait.
High key
Code #9Bright and clean, almost no shadows.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. High-key lighting: bright white background, even soft light, almost no shadows.
Neon
Code #10Pink and blue neon light at night.
Keep the person from the uploaded photo exactly the same: face, skin, eyes and body shape. Same pose. Pink and blue neon light from both sides, night city mood, glossy highlights.
How to make your own code
A code is a picture squeezed into one word. Name things you can see, not feelings.
| Part | Examples |
|---|---|
| Where | city, café, beach, studio |
| How big or close | giant, tiny, close-up, full body |
| What happens | splash, walking, laughing, frozen |
| How it is shot | low angle, flash, golden hour, black background |
Put two or three of these together into one word. Then test your code in a new chat, three times, with a different photo each time. Keep it only if all three look good.
Questions
Are ChatGPT secret codes real hidden commands?
No. ChatGPT has no secret list of codes. A code like /goldenhour is just a short prompt with the spaces taken out. ChatGPT reads the words inside it and guesses the rest. That is why a good code is a clear picture in two to four words.
Why does my result look different from the example?
ChatGPT makes a new image every time, and it fills in the details itself. Your photo and even your chat history change the result. If the code misses, run it again, or use the longer prompt under it.
Do these codes work in other AI image tools?
Many image tools send your text straight to the image model, with no chat model in between to read the code. There, the longer prompt is the safer choice.
What photo should I upload?
One sharp, front-facing photo in good light, with the face easy to see. ChatGPT copies what it can see, so a dark or blurry photo gives you a dark or blurry face.
Can I make my own codes?
Yes. Name the picture you want: the place, the size, the light or the style. Every word in a good code describes something you can see. A word like /cool does not, so the results jump around.
Are these codes free?
Yes. Copy them, change them and use the images for your own posts.
