How to ask a side question without starting a new chat
Updated May 28, 2026
Quick answer
A side question in ChatGPT usually means starting a new chat to keep the main one clean. That works but it costs the context you built up. GPT Master adds a Side Chat panel that lives next to your current conversation. Highlight the part the question relates to, ask in the panel, and the answer appears alongside the main thread. No new chat, no lost context.
New chats are the standard workaround for tangents, and they are fine for short conversations. In long threads with twenty or thirty messages of context, opening a new chat to ask a small tangential question is an expensive trade. The side panel exists for exactly that case.
- 1
Stay in your current ChatGPT conversation
You do not need to open a new chat, switch tabs, or copy the existing thread. With GPT Master installed, the right panel is one click away from any ChatGPT conversation.
- 2
Select the relevant part of the response
Drag-select the section your side question is about. Even a small selection works; the point is to give Side Chat the right context for the answer.
- 3
Ask in the side panel
Click "Ask in Side Chat" from the popover. The side panel opens with the selection attached. Ask the tangent, get the answer, close the panel when you are done. The main thread continues from where it was.
GPT Master
Ask the tangent. Keep the thread.
Frequently asked questions
- Why not just open a new chat?
- A new chat works but you lose every message of context you built in the original conversation. For one-off small questions, the trade is rarely worth it. Side Chat is designed for exactly this case.
- Can I have multiple side questions open at once?
- Side Chat keeps the most recent exchange visible in the right panel. You can ask successive questions, each one tied to whatever you highlight. The panel scrolls within the session.
- Does the side question save anywhere?
- Side Chat is per-session in the current version. Once you close or refresh the ChatGPT tab, the side panel resets. The exchange is not saved to ChatGPT history.
- Is this only for short questions?
- It is best suited to short, focused questions tied to a specific selection. For long multi-turn explorations, your main ChatGPT thread or a fresh dedicated chat is a better fit.
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