Web and X assistant
How to use
Grok.
Exploring current conversations, searching public web and X material, brainstorming, and pressure-testing a question from another angle.
Grok is a general AI assistant with web and X search. Exploring current conversations, searching public web and X material, brainstorming, and pressure-testing a question from another angle. This guide covers the whole path in one place: official access, a first session that produces something reviewable, the checks that make output trustworthy, and the permissions worth limiting before you connect real work.
AI should make the work easier to inspect. If the workflow removes the source, the owner, or the review step, redesign the workflow.
Access & setup
Find, install, and sign in to Grok
Get into the official Grok experience with the right account and a setup you understand.
- 01
Start at https://grok.com/ and confirm the domain before entering account or payment information.
- 02
Availability: Consumer web and mobile apps, plus access through X on iOS, Android, and the web.
- 03
Use grok.com in a modern browser or access Grok from the navigation in X. Availability, model access, and usage limits can vary by account and plan.
- 04
Sign in with the account you intend to keep using, then review plan, data, notification, and permission settings.
- 05
Run one low-risk test task before connecting sensitive files, repositories, or workspace data.
- Use official download pages.
- Review permissions during setup.
- Keep installers and applications updated.
First session
Your first useful Grok session
Learn the interaction loop using a small task with a clear outcome.
- 01
Open grok.com or select Grok from the X navigation and confirm which account you are using.
- 02
Define the question, the time window, and whether current web or X material is relevant.
- 03
Ask for direct links and dates beside material claims instead of accepting an uncited summary.
- 04
Open the decisive sources and compare them with the response before repeating a claim.
- State the outcome before the background.
- Provide the real source material.
- Review the result before expanding the task.
Quality control
Check the quality of Grok output
Turn a plausible draft into work you are willing to stand behind.
- 01
Restate the original outcome and acceptance criteria before reviewing the response.
- 02
Mark every factual claim, calculation, quotation, or figure that could materially affect the result.
- 03
Check those items against the original source, a primary reference, or direct inspection.
- 04
Ask the tool to list its assumptions and uncertainty, but never rely on self-review as the only check.
- 05
Complete a human edit for relevance, tone, privacy, accessibility, and the exact delivery format.
- Verify consequential claims independently.
- Fluency is not accuracy; confident phrasing is not evidence.
- Keep a record of sources and review decisions.
Privacy & permissions
Use Grok safely
Use the platform productively without giving it unnecessary access or authority.
- 01
Classify the task and its data before uploading or connecting anything.
- 02
Review the product, account, organisation, retention, and training settings that apply to you.
- 03
Grant the narrowest file, workspace, microphone, screen, or integration permissions needed.
- 04
Remove secrets and personal or regulated information unless your approved policy explicitly permits it.
- 05
Review the output and revoke permissions or disconnect sources that are no longer needed.
- X states that Grok may confidently provide incorrect information or miss context. Review X’s Grok data-sharing and personalization controls, avoid sensitive information, and independently verify results.
- Follow your organisation's approved-use policy.
- Never treat fluent output as authorization to act.
Models & pricing
What Grok costs, model by model.
xAI's Grok line prices in tiers with a long-context step-up above 200K input tokens, similar in shape to Gemini Pro.
| Model | Role | Input | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grok 4.6 (<200K) | Current flagship | $2.00 | $6.00 |
| Grok 4.6 (≥200K) | Long-context tier | $4.00 | $12.00 |
| Grok 4.3 | Previous generation | $1.25 | $2.50 |
| Grok 4.1 Fast | Low-cost, high-volume | $0.20 | $0.50 |
Figures verified 2 September 2026 against xAI API pricing ↗. Model pricing changes frequently — confirm before you budget.
| Provider | Frontier tier | Balanced default | Low-cost tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAI | GPT-5.6 Sol — $5 / $30 | GPT-5.6 Terra — $2 / $12 | GPT-5.6 Luna — $0.20 / $1.20 |
| Anthropic | Fable 5.1 — $10 / $50 | Sonnet 5 — $2 / $10 | Haiku 4.5 — $1 / $5 |
| Gemini 3.1 Pro — $2 / $12 | Gemini 3.1 Pro — $2 / $12 | Gemini 3.5 Flash-Lite — $0.15 / $1.25 |
Cross-provider comparison verified 2 September 2026. Sources: OpenAI API pricing ↗ · Claude platform pricing ↗ · Gemini API pricing ↗
Common questions
Grok questions people actually ask.
How much does the Grok API cost?
Grok 4.6 is $2 input / $6 output per million tokens below 200K input tokens, doubling to $4 / $12 at or above that threshold. Grok 4.3 is $1.25 / $2.50 and Grok 4.1 Fast is $0.20 / $0.50.
Core workflows
Step-by-step ways to use Grok for the work it does best.
Each workflow is a separate guide with its own steps and review checkpoints.
Use web and public X context as leads while separating source evidence from fast-moving conversation.
↗ 02 WorkflowPressure-test an argument with GrokUse Grok to surface objections, alternative explanations, and missing evidence before you publish or decide.
↗Official references
Check the current product documentation.
Features, plan limits, availability, and data controls change. These official pages are the starting points used for this guide.