# How do I get better answers from ZeroTwo?

> Write clearer requests, give ZeroTwo reusable context, and refine a reply with the Retry menu and your style settings instead of starting over.

Source: https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/10032626-how-do-i-get-better-answers-from-zerotwo
Section: ZeroTwo
Last updated: 2026-10-05

A clear request gets a better first answer, and ZeroTwo has built-in places to keep context so you do not have to retype it. These habits work in any chat.

## Say what you need

- **State the goal and the reader.** "A short summary for a busy manager" gives ZeroTwo more to work with than "summarize this".
- **Name the format.** Ask for a table, a checklist, an email, or code in a specific language.
- **Set limits.** Give a length, a tone, and anything to include or leave out.
- **Break up big jobs.** Ask for an outline first, then build each part on the reply before it.

| Vague | Specific |
| --- | --- |
| Write about our launch. | Write a 150-word announcement of our June launch for existing customers. Friendly tone, one call to action at the end. |
| Fix this code. | This Python function raises a KeyError when the list is empty. Explain why and show a corrected version. |

## Give ZeroTwo the material

- Click the **+** button in the message box and choose **Files and folders** to attach what ZeroTwo should work from.
- Type **@** in the message box to search for something you already have and reference it in your message, such as a file from your Library, a page, or a file in Google Drive if you have connected it.
- In Work and Code mode, type **/** to see commands and skills.
- For short passages, paste the text into your message and say what to do with it.

## Save context you reuse

- **Project instructions.** If a set of chats shares background, put it in a project's **Instructions** once. See [How do projects work in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/10169521-how-do-projects-work-in-zerotwo).
- **Custom instructions.** In **Settings > Personalization > Companion**, make sure **Custom instructions** is on (it is on by default), write the background and preferences you want in every conversation, and click **Save**.
- **Base style and tone.** On the same tab, choose None, Default, Professional, Friendly, Candid, Quirky, Efficient, Nerdy or Cynical. This changes how ZeroTwo sounds, not what it can do.
- **Memory.** **Settings > Personalization > Memory** controls what ZeroTwo remembers about you. See the [Memory](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/collections/8471548-memory) articles.

## Refine instead of starting over

Under a reply, open the **Retry menu**. It has a box labelled **Ask to change response** where you can type what to fix, and one-click choices:

- **Try again** for a fresh attempt.
- **Add details** for a fuller answer.
- **More concise** for a shorter one.
- **Search the web** to redo the answer with current sources.
- **Switch model** to rerun the reply on a different model.

You can also point at one of your own messages and click **Edit** to reword it. Edit is not offered on messages that carry file attachments. When a reply has more than one version, arrows with a page count let you move between them.

## Pick the right tool and model

- Choose **Web Search** from the **+** menu when the answer depends on current information.
- For longer research tasks, **Deep Research** is a plugin: type `/deep-research` in your message. See [How does Deep Research work in ZeroTwo?](https://help.zerotwo.ai/en/articles/10500283-how-does-deep-research-work-in-zerotwo)
- Models differ in how many credits a message costs. In the web and desktop apps, open **Help and what's new**, choose **Help**, then **Model Tiers** to compare them.