Every great team starts with one good player. Your first Grok Bot is that player. The goal isn't to build something perfect on day one. It's to get a bot doing one useful thing for you, then build from there.
This is an unofficial fan guide. The app is the source of truth for the exact buttons and options.
Pick a position before you draft
Before you create anything, decide what job this bot has. A bot with a clear role does better work than a bot that does everything. Good first jobs:
- Email triage: summarize what's important in your inbox.
- Research scout: gather information on a topic and report back.
- Document drafter: turn your notes into a clean first draft.
- Personal organizer: keep track of tasks, reminders, and follow-ups.
Start with one. You can always create more bots later.
Create the bot
In the Grok Bot app, create a new bot and give it a name. A name that matches the job helps you remember which bot does what. "Inbox Scout" is clearer than "Bot 1."
Write the role
When you create or edit the bot, you'll give it a description or instructions that define its job. Write this like you're briefing a new teammate on their first day. Include:
- What the bot is for.
- How you like work delivered (short bullets, formal tone, etc.).
- What it should never do without asking.
Example for an email bot: "You help me stay on top of email. Summarize new messages, flag anything urgent or from people I care about, and draft replies when I ask. Never send anything without my approval. Keep summaries to five bullets or fewer."
Run a first play
Chat with your new bot and give it a small, concrete task. Something you can check easily:
- "Summarize the last five emails in my inbox."
- "Draft a short reply to the latest message from [name]."
- "List three things I should follow up on from this week's email."
Read the result. If it's off, tell the bot what to change. The first few conversations are where you teach it your preferences.
Connect what it needs
If the bot needs access to email, files, or another service, add the connector. Grant only the access the job requires. An email bot needs email. It doesn't need your calendar unless that's part of the job.
Build the habit
Use the bot for a few days on real work. Note what it does well and where it misses. Update the role description with those preferences so you don't have to repeat them. Once the bot is reliable on its core job, you can add a routine so some of the work happens automatically.
Common first-bot mistakes
- Making the role too broad. "Help me with everything" produces generic results.
- Skipping the first small task. You learn how the bot works by using it, not by reading about it.
- Connecting more than needed. Start with the minimum access and add more later if the job requires it.