Prompting in LibreChat

Questions

  • What are prompts in LibreChat and how do I write effective ones?
  • How do I start chatting with an AI model in LibreChat?
  • What follow-up actions can I take after getting a response?
  • How do I edit or regenerate an AI response in LibreChat?
  • What is the temporary chat feature and when should I use it?
  • How do I use LibreChat without saving the conversation?

Environment

This article applies to all current Bowdoin College faculty, staff, and students who have access to LibreChat. It applies when using LibreChat in a web browser on Bowdoin-managed or personal devices.

Resolution

What is a prompt?

A prompt is the input or instruction you provide to LibreChat to guide the AI's response. Prompts can range from a simple question to a detailed, multi-part request. Effective prompts are specific, clearly framed, and include any relevant context — the more clearly you communicate what you need, the better the response.

Start a conversation

  1. Sign in to LibreChat at librechat.bowdoin.edu.
  2. Select a model from the drop-down in the upper-left corner. The default is GPT-5.
    Choosing your model in LibreChat from the drop-down in the upper-left corner.
  3. Type your prompt in the message field at the bottom of the window and press Enter or click the send button.
  4. The AI's response appears in the main chat window.
    LibreChat prompt response showing an AI-generated reply in the main chat window.

Follow-up actions on a response

After the AI responds, a row of action icons appears below the message. These let you interact with the response without starting a new conversation:

Icon Action What it does
Read aloud icon Read aloud A computer-generated voice reads the message out loud
Copy to clipboard icon Copy to clipboard Copies the message content to your clipboard
Edit icon Edit Edit your original prompt or the AI's response. Save & Submit resubmits the edited content; Save saves the edit without resubmitting
Fork icon Fork Creates a new branch of the conversation starting from that message — useful for exploring different directions without losing the original thread
Love It icon Love This Positive feedback on the response
Needs Improvement icon Needs Improvement Negative feedback on the response
Regenerate Response icon Regenerate Asks the model to generate a new response to the same prompt without additional context

Temporary chat — private, unsaved sessions

LibreChat's temporary chat feature lets you start a conversation that is not saved to your chat history. It works like incognito mode — once you leave or refresh the session, the conversation is gone.

  1. Click the speech bubble icon in the upper-right corner of the chat window to enable temporary chat.
    LibreChat temporary chat mode enabled, shown by the speech bubble icon in the upper-right corner.

When temporary chat is active:

  • No records are stored — the conversation disappears when you leave or refresh
  • You can still chat with the AI as normal during the session
  • Any context or conversation memory is lost when the session ends
Tip: Use temporary chat for private queries, quick experiments, or when you do not want to add to your saved history.

Video walkthrough

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.
Print Article

Related Articles (5)

Adjusting model parameters in LibreChat
Explains the model parameters available in LibreChat — including temperature, Top P, max tokens, and reasoning effort — how to adjust them before sending a prompt, and how to save preferred settings as a Preset. Applies to all Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students using LibreChat
Choosing an AI model in LibreChat
Guidance on choosing the right AI model or Agent in LibreChat, including a comparison table of available model groups (OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude, Amazon Nova, Meta LLaMA, DeepSeek), when to use each, and how to access pre-configured Agents such as the Image Generation Agent and Artifacts Agent.
Getting Started with LibreChat
Instructions for logging in to LibreChat, Bowdoin's AI chat platform, for the first time — including both sign-in methods, completing the Terms of Service, and an overview of the interface layout. Applies to all current Bowdoin faculty, staff, and students with LibreChat access.
Improve Your AI Results by Writing Better Prompts
Tips and techniques for writing clear, effective prompts to get better results from AI tools including LibreChat, Copilot, and Bowdoin Bot. Covers the basics of prompt engineering with practical examples. Applies to all Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff.
Manage prompts in LibreChat
Instructions for creating, using, organising, and deleting reusable prompt templates in the LibreChat Prompt Library, including how to add placeholder variables, use backslash commands, and filter saved prompts.