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

After testing the platform onboarding process across multiple fresh accounts, we identified the exact steps that take new users from zero to a functioning conversation in under 5 minutes — and the common mistakes that waste the 200 free Moments you get on signup. This guide skips the marketing and gives you the practical sequence.

Step 1 — Create Your Account

Navigate to secrets.ai in any browser — no app download required. Secrets AI is entirely browser-based and works on mobile (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) and desktop equally well.

Click the "Sign Up" button and enter:

• Your email address
• A password of your choice

That is the complete registration process. No real name is required. No phone number verification. No social media login. If you want maximum account privacy, use a dedicated email address not linked to your identity.

Account creation takes under 60 seconds. Upon completion, you receive:

• 200 free Moments (one-time starting credit)
• Full access to the character library for browsing
• 20 messages per day on the free tier

The 200 starting Moments are your evaluation budget. Our testing recommendation: do not spend them on video or voice before you've tested the conversation quality — text messages cost only 1–2 Moments each and give you the most data about whether the platform suits you.

Step 2 — Choose Your First Character

After logging in, you're presented with the character library. This is where most new users underinvest in setup — character selection and customization directly determines the quality of your subsequent conversations.

Two paths are available:

Browse pre-built characters (~94 hyper-realistic female characters and some anime options). Each has an established personality, visual identity, and conversation defaults. Browse by scenario type or visual preference. The library also includes 100+ pre-built fantasy scenarios.

Create a custom character (first one is free, subsequent characters cost 1,000–1,500 Moments). Customization parameters include:

• Ethnicity (9 options)
• Body type (6 options)
• Hair style, eye color, skin tone
• Voice (6 options)
• Personality traits: confidence, playfulness, dominance, intelligence
• Profession (5 preset categories)
• Personality trait presets (5 options)
• Hobbies and free-text details

The free-text details field is the most underutilized customization feature. This is where you can specify conversational preferences, relationship context, scenario backstory, or personality nuances that preset options don't capture. The AI references this information consistently — the more specific you are here, the more personalized the conversation.

When you create a custom character, 4 images are automatically generated at no additional Moments cost. These establish the visual identity of your companion.

Step 3 — Start Your First Conversation

The chat interface presents conversation starters for your selected character — a mix of casual openers and suggestive prompts. You can use these or write your own opening line.

Key behaviors to establish early:

• Set the tone in your first few messages — The AI calibrates to your communication style quickly. If you want a specific dynamic (casual, romantic, formal, playful), establish it explicitly in the opening exchange rather than hoping the AI infers it
• Be specific — Vague inputs produce generic responses; specific details produce personalized reactions
• Reference the character's background — If you customized personality traits or backstory, mention them early so the AI anchors to them

Free tier users have 20 messages per day maximum. Each text message costs 1–2 Moments. With 200 starting Moments and a 20-message daily limit, you have roughly 10 days of free text-only usage before exhausting your Moments budget.

Step 4 — Explore Media Features

The media generation features are where Secrets AI differentiates itself from most competitors. Once you've established a character, three media types are available.

Generate Images

Tap the image generation option within the chat interface. Two generation models are available: standard and Advanced/Premium. The Advanced model produces notably better results — sharper textures, more consistent lighting, fewer hand artifacts.

• Cost: 25–50 Moments per image
• 4 images are auto-generated when you first create a character (free)
• Image quality varies by model and prompt specificity

Recommendation for new users: use your free auto-generated character images first, before spending Moments on additional generation. This gives you quality data before spending credits.

Create Videos

Select a companion image and add a movement or action prompt. The AI processes the request and returns a video clip in approximately 2 minutes.

• Short 3-second clips: ~50 Moments (available from Lite tier)
• Longer clips: up to 600 Moments each (best quality on Premium/Ultimate)
• Free tier: video generation not available

This is Secrets AI's most distinctive feature — the ability to animate your AI companion is rare among platforms in this category. Test with a short clip before spending Moments on longer generation.

Try Voice Calls

Six voice options are available. Voice calls cost 100 Moments per minute and are rated 4.3/5 by reviewers. The AI speaks responses aloud; you respond via text.

For new users on the free 200-Moment budget: a 2-minute voice call costs 200 Moments — your entire starting balance. We strongly recommend testing text conversation quality first.

Step 5 — Manage Your Moments

Moments management is the skill that separates satisfying long-term use from frustration and unexpected spending. Track your balance in account settings and plan usage based on your priorities.

Moments cost hierarchy (most to least expensive):

1. Long video clips — up to 600 per clip
2. Voice calls — 100 per minute
3. Image generation — 25–50 per image
4. Short video clips — ~50 per clip
5. Text messages — 1–2 per message

If your primary interest is conversation depth, the text cost is so low that Moments are not a meaningful constraint on Plus tier or higher. If you want regular video and voice, budget carefully — Premium ($19.99/mo, 8,000 Moments) supports roughly 13 long video clips or 80 minutes of voice per month.

Bulk Moments top-ups are available without upgrading your subscription: from 1,980 Moments ($5.99) to 118,800 Moments ($249.99) with discounts up to 30.4%.

Step 6 — Enable Privacy Features

Before your second conversation session, configure your privacy settings:

1. Enable Private Mode at the start of each conversation you want protected
2. Understand that Private Mode is per-conversation, not a global setting — it activates end-to-end encryption for that specific session and prevents that conversation from being used for AI training
3. Verify your billing setup — charges appear as "Sun Clinical Laboratories" by default, which is discreet

If you are using cryptocurrency as your payment method, payment privacy is also handled at that level — crypto payments do not appear as card charges on bank statements.

Tips for New Users

These are the practices our testing identified as producing the best new-user outcomes:

• Start with the free tier — Use your 200 Moments to test conversation quality before committing to a paid plan. If the conversation quality satisfies you, Plus ($9.99/mo) is the value entry point
• Don't spend free Moments on video — Video costs 50–600 Moments per clip; your 200 starting Moments disappear immediately. Test with text and images first
• Create a detailed character profile — The quality difference between a generic character and a custom character with detailed free-text specifications is substantial
• The AI remembers more on paid tiers — Free tier memory resets after 2–3 exchanges. If you find the AI "forgetting" you, this is the cause; it's fixed by upgrading to at minimum the Lite tier
• Plus ($9.99) is the value sweet spot — Unlimited messaging, 3,000 Moments/month, 30-day memory recall, full media access. Most users find this sufficient
• Add secrets.ai to your home screen — iOS or Android home screen shortcut creates app-like access without a download

Common Issues and Solutions

Messages not sending: Check your daily message limit. Free tier is 20 messages per 24 hours. If you've hit the limit, it resets the following day. Upgrading to Plus removes this constraint with unlimited daily messaging.

AI seems forgetful: The free tier provides only 2–3 exchange recall — the AI functionally cannot remember previous sessions. Upgrading to Lite ($5.99/mo) extends memory to approximately 14 days. Plus ($9.99/mo) provides 30-day topic and tone recall.

Slow responses: Peak usage hours cause server load and slower response generation. Off-peak times (early morning, late night in US time zones) typically produce faster responses. There is no workaround for this within the platform.

Can't generate video: Video generation requires Lite tier or higher — it is not available on the free tier. Additionally, it requires sufficient Moments in your balance. Check both your subscription tier and Moments balance if video generation is unavailable.

Forgot password: Use the email-based password reset option on the login page at secrets.ai. There is no social login alternative that bypasses this.

For a comparison of what each paid tier provides, see the complete pricing guide or the free vs premium breakdown. For a broader platform assessment, the full Secrets AI review covers everything in depth.

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