How to Use Secrets AI: Complete Beginner's Guide (2026)

Getting started with Secrets AI takes under five minutes — account creation, character selection, and your first conversation can all happen before the page finishes loading. What takes longer is understanding how to use the platform well: how to build a character worth talking to, how to manage Moments without burning through them on day one, and how to get the most from what each subscription tier actually provides.

This guide walks through the complete process from first visit to active use.

Step 1 — Create Your Account

Open secrets.ai in any browser on any device — phone, tablet, or desktop. No download is required and no app installation is needed.

The signup process:

1. Click the sign-up or register button on the landing page
2. Enter your email address
3. Create a password
4. Your account is immediately active

No real name required. No phone number, physical address, or social media account is asked for at any point. If billing privacy matters to you, note that charges appear as "Sun Clinical Laboratories" on statements — not as anything referencing the platform.

Once registered, you receive 200 free Moments and instant access to the full character library for browsing. These starting Moments are one-time only (not a monthly allocation) and are enough to generate a few images or test some media features before committing to a plan.

Step 2 — Choose or Build Your First Character

The character library contains approximately 94 pre-built hyper-realistic characters plus a smaller selection of anime-style options. Browse by appearance, personality type, or scenario preference. Every character includes pre-written conversation starters and fits within one or more of the 100+ available fantasy scenarios.

If the library doesn't match what you're looking for, create a custom character — the first one is free. Custom creation gives you control over:

• Appearance: Ethnicity (9 options), skin tone, eye color, hairstyle, body type (6 options)
• Voice: 6 options
• Personality: Adjustable confidence, playfulness, dominance, and intelligence levels
• Background: Profession (5 preset categories), personality trait presets (5 options), listed hobbies
• Free-text detail field: Open-ended customization for anything the preset options don't cover

Invest time here. A well-defined character setup produces substantially better conversations than a loosely defined one. The AI uses these parameters to calibrate its persona throughout every interaction.

When you create a character, 4 images are automatically generated — giving you immediate visual representations without spending Moments.

Step 3 — Your First Conversation

Conversation starters are provided for each character, split roughly between casual openers and suggestive ones. You can use these or write your own opening message.

The AI responds quickly and naturally. It asks follow-up questions, acknowledges what you've said, and adapts its tone based on how you engage. Set the dynamic early — the AI is calibrated to match and develop the conversational register you establish.

Free tier constraints to be aware of:

• 20 messages per day maximum
• 500 characters per message maximum
• Memory covers only the last 2–3 exchanges (no cross-session continuity)

These limits are tight enough that the free tier is best treated as an evaluation, not a full experience. If the conversation quality meets your expectations, upgrading to Plus ($9.99/month) removes the message cap, extends memory to 30 days, and provides 3,000 monthly Moments.

For a detailed assessment of what conversations feel like across different scenarios, see the full chat guide.

Step 4 — Explore Media Features

Generate Images

Image generation is available from the chat interface. Select the image generation option, choose your settings, and the AI creates a realistic image of your companion.

• Cost: 25–50 Moments per image
• 4 images auto-generated at character creation (no Moments cost)
• 2 generation models: Premium and Advanced (higher quality on paid tiers)

Start with the auto-generated images before spending Moments on additional generations — they're often sufficient for initial exploration.

Create Video Clips

Select a companion image and write a prompt describing the action or movement you want. The AI processes the request in approximately 2 minutes and generates a short motion clip.

• Short 3-second clips: ~50 Moments
• Longer clips: up to ~600 Moments per video

Important note for new users: Don't spend your 200 starting Moments on video. At 50–600 Moments per clip, video depletes your starting balance almost immediately. Use starting Moments to test images (25–50 each) and get a feel for the generation quality before spending on video.

Video generation is available on Lite tier and above. If video is a primary interest, see the video generator guide for cost planning before upgrading.

Try Voice Calls

Six voice options are available across characters. Voice calls cost 100 Moments per minute and are rated 4.3/5 for natural tone and expressiveness.

For context: 3 minutes of voice conversation costs 300 Moments — 10 minutes costs 1,000. On a Plus plan (3,000 monthly Moments), voice represents a meaningful portion of your monthly budget if used regularly.

Step 5 — Manage Your Moments

The Moments balance is visible in your account settings. Tracking it matters — Moments deplete faster than expected when combining images and voice calls, and video clips can consume significant amounts quickly.

Practical budget guidance:

Upgrade decision point: If you're regularly exhausting Moments before the monthly reset, upgrading one tier (e.g., Plus to Premium, which gives 8,000 Moments vs 3,000) is usually more economical than repeatedly purchasing top-up bundles at $5.99–$249.99.

For a head-to-head comparison of what each tier provides in practice, see the pricing guide.

Step 6 — Enable Privacy Features

Private Mode applies end-to-end encryption to individual conversations and removes them from being used for AI training data. It must be turned on per conversation — it is not a global account setting.

To enable it: look for the Private Mode toggle in the conversation settings before starting a chat session. Enabling it early is preferable; it does not apply retroactively to messages already sent.

Billing already appears as "Sun Clinical Laboratories" by default on all statements — no separate action required for billing privacy.

Practical Tips for New Users

Things that make a meaningful difference in the early experience:

• Test conversation quality on free before paying. The 20 daily free messages are enough to evaluate whether the chat quality suits you.
• Use the free-text detail field in character creation. This single field has more impact on conversation quality than most other setup choices.
• Don't blow starting Moments on video. Use them on images first to understand generation quality at lower cost.
• Memory improves dramatically with paid tiers. If your free conversations feel disconnected, it's not a platform problem — it's the 2–3 exchange memory limit. Paid tiers show a genuine qualitative difference.
• Plus ($9.99/month) is the practical entry point. Unlimited messaging + 3,000 Moments + 30-day memory covers most users' actual usage patterns without overpaying.
• Save the home screen shortcut. On mobile, add secrets.ai to your home screen for app-like quick access (see the app access guide for instructions).

Common Issues and Quick Fixes

Messages not sending: Check whether you've hit the daily limit (20 on free, 100 on Lite). The cap resets every 24 hours.

AI seems forgetful: This is the free tier memory limit. The AI on free only retains the last 2–3 exchanges. Upgrading from free resolves this.

Slow responses: Server load during peak hours causes delays. Try off-peak times if performance feels sluggish.

Can't generate video: Video requires the Lite plan or higher. It's not available on the free tier. Also check that you have sufficient Moments.

Forgot password: Use the email-based password reset on the login page at secrets.ai.

Which Plan to Pick

If you're ready to subscribe, use this as a decision framework based on how each plan compares:

• Evaluating the platform → Free (limited but enough to test)
• Budget-conscious, text-focused → Lite ($5.99/mo)
• Most users, all-around use → Plus ($9.99/mo)
• Deep memory + heavy media → Premium ($19.99/mo)
• Video power users + group chats → Ultimate ($39.99/mo)

Start Your Free Account →

FAQ