Unable to find the right YouTube video, a beginner fixed the receiver of a wireless N64 controller by sending ChatGPT photos of the parts and describing what he saw. It walked him through tests, explained how to use his own multimeter from a photo, and he soldered a jumper wire that got it working, saving the $30 cost of a new controller.
I'm a beginner trying to fix my [DEVICE] which [FAULT]. I have [TOOLS, E.G. A MULTIMETER AND SOLDERING IRON]. I'll send photos of the parts and describe what I see. Walk me through one test at a time, tell me exactly which setting to use on my tools, wait for me to report the result before moving on, and warn me before anything risky.
Replace the [PLACEHOLDERS] with your own details before you send it.
How to try it
- Unplug the device and take sharp photos of the board and parts, plus your multimeter’s dial.
- Go one step at a time with ChatGPT, reporting back each test result.
- Stop if anything involves mains power or big batteries, and ask a repair café for help instead.
More tech help use cases
Check a suspicious text message with Grok
One user received a text she suspected was a scam and asked Grok to check it. Grok also explained how to forward the message to her mobile carrier to report it.
I've received this text message: '[PASTE THE TEXT, WITHOUT CLICKING ANY LINKS]'. Does it show signs of a scam? Explain which parts are suspicious, what I should do (and not do), and how to report it to my mobile network in [COUNTRY].
Fix a video call camera that won’t work by showing Claude a photo
One user's video wouldn't connect on a WhatsApp call, so she uploaded a photo of her screen to Claude. Within seconds it spotted the problem: her ThinkPad has a tiny privacy shutter slider above the screen, and she'd closed it by accident.
My camera isn't working on [APP, E.G. WHATSAPP OR ZOOM] on my [DEVICE MAKE AND MODEL]. Here's a photo of my screen and the top of the device. What could be wrong? Start with the simplest physical checks (shutters, covers, switches, keyboard shortcuts), then app and system permissions, and give me step-by-step instructions for each.
Cut down ads in your children’s phone games with Grok’s step-by-step help
A parent asked Grok how to stop ads appearing in their children's games on an Android phone. Grok walked them through the network settings to the Private DNS option and adding an ad-blocking DNS provider's hostname, after which the ads were under control.
My child plays games on my [PHONE MODEL AND ANDROID/iOS VERSION] and keeps seeing ads. Walk me step by step through safe, free ways to reduce ads on the phone, for example a family-friendly ad-blocking Private DNS setting, telling me exactly which menus to tap. Explain any downsides, which provider you're suggesting and why, and how to undo it.
Reference: Hacker News