What Grok is and where to find it

Grok is an AI chatbot built by xAI, a company founded by Elon Musk. It works similarly to ChatGPT or Claude — you type questions or prompts and it generates responses. The main difference is that Grok has access to real-time information from X (formerly Twitter), so it can answer questions about current events without the knowledge cutoff that limits other chatbots.

Grok is available through X Premium+, which is a paid subscription tier on the X platform. You cannot use Grok through a standalone website or app — it only works if you have an active X Premium+ subscription and access it through X itself.

Key Takeaways

  • Grok is only available to X Premium+ subscribers, which costs $168 per year or $19 per month, and requires a verified phone number on your X account.
  • You access Grok by logging into X, navigating to the Grok section, and typing your prompt into the chat interface.
  • Grok can see real-time posts and information from X, which means it has more current information than chatbots with older knowledge cutoffs.
  • Grok has usage limits — X Premium+ subscribers get a certain number of messages per day, and the exact limit changes based on server demand.
  • You can save conversations with Grok and share them as links, but the chatbot does not remember you between separate conversations.

Setting up your X account for Grok access

Before you can use Grok, your X account must meet two requirements. First, you need an X Premium+ subscription. This is the highest tier of X's paid plans and costs $168 per year if paid annually, or $19 per month if paid monthly. X also offers a lower tier called X Premium for $11 per month, but Grok is not included in that plan.

Second, you must have a verified phone number attached to your account. If you have not added one, go to Settings and Privacy, select Account, then Phone, and follow the prompts to add and verify a number. X will send a code to your phone to confirm.

Once both requirements are met, Grok should appear in your X sidebar or navigation menu. If you do not see it immediately after subscribing, try logging out and back in, or refreshing your browser.

How to start a conversation with Grok

Open X and look for "Grok" in your left sidebar (on desktop) or in your navigation menu (on mobile). Click or tap it to open the Grok interface. You will see a text box at the bottom that says something like "Ask me anything" or "What's on your mind?"

Type your question or prompt into that box and press Enter or tap Send. Grok will process your request and generate a response. Unlike some other AI tools, Grok does not require you to format your prompt in any special way — plain language works fine.

The response will appear in the chat window. You can continue the conversation by typing follow-up questions, and Grok will respond based on the context of your previous messages within that single conversation thread.

Understanding Grok's message limits and how they work

X Premium+ subscribers do not have unlimited access to Grok. Instead, you get a daily message allowance that resets each day. The exact number of messages you can send varies depending on server demand — during busy periods, the limit may be lower than during quiet times. X does not publish a fixed number, so you may see different limits on different days.

When you approach your daily limit, X will notify you. Once you hit the limit, you cannot send more messages to Grok until the next day when your allowance resets. This is different from some other AI tools that charge per message or offer truly unlimited access.

If you frequently hit your daily limit, you have no way to increase it through X — the limits are set by X's infrastructure and cannot be changed at the user level.

What Grok can and cannot do

Grok can answer factual questions, help you brainstorm ideas, explain concepts, write text, and analyze information. Because it has access to real-time X posts, it can tell you about recent news, trending topics, and current events that happened after other chatbots' knowledge cutoff dates.

Grok cannot browse the general internet — it only sees information from X and its training data. It cannot make phone calls, send emails, or take actions outside the chat interface. It also cannot access your personal files, photos, or documents unless you paste the text directly into the chat.

Like other AI chatbots, Grok can make mistakes, hallucinate facts, or produce biased responses. It is a tool to help you think through problems, not a replacement for research or professional advice. Always verify important information through other sources.

Saving and sharing your Grok conversations

Each conversation you have with Grok is saved automatically within your X account. You can return to past conversations by clicking on Grok in your sidebar and looking for a conversation history or archive section. The exact layout depends on whether you are using X on desktop or mobile.

You can share a conversation with others by generating a shareable link. Look for a share or export button within the conversation (usually represented by an arrow or three dots), and X will create a link you can send to anyone. People who click that link can read the conversation without needing their own Grok access, though they cannot continue the conversation themselves.

Grok does not remember you between separate conversations. Each new conversation starts fresh — the chatbot will not reference things you discussed in previous chats. This is a privacy feature, but it means you may need to repeat context if you start a new conversation about a related topic.

Troubleshooting common Grok access problems

If Grok does not appear in your X sidebar after you subscribe, first check that you have X Premium+, not the lower-tier X Premium plan. Then verify that your phone number is confirmed on your account. If both are correct, try logging out of X completely, closing your browser, and logging back in.

If you see an error message when trying to send a message, you may have hit your daily limit. Wait until the next day and try again. If the error persists, check X's status page or support account to see if there is a known outage.

If Grok is slow to respond or times out, this usually means X's servers are under heavy load. Try again in a few minutes. Grok does not work offline, so you must have an active internet connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need X Premium+ or is X Premium enough?

You need X Premium+, which is the highest tier. X Premium (the lower tier) does not include Grok access. Make sure you are subscribed to the right plan before you expect to see Grok.

Can I use Grok on my phone?

Yes, Grok works on the X mobile app for both iOS and Android, as well as on mobile web browsers. The interface is slightly different on mobile, but the functionality is the same.

What happens to my conversations if I cancel X Premium+?

You will lose access to Grok immediately, and you will not be able to view or continue past conversations. If you resubscribe later, those conversations will not be restored.

Can Grok see my private posts or direct messages?

No. Grok can only see public posts on X. It cannot access your private account, direct messages, or any content you have not made public.

Is Grok better than ChatGPT or Claude?

That depends on what you need. Grok's main advantage is real-time information from X. ChatGPT and Claude may be better for tasks that do not require current events. Try Grok and compare it to free versions of other tools to see which fits your needs.