How to Use DeepSeek: The Complete Beginner Guide

Learning how to use DeepSeek takes about two minutes. You open the web chat, type a question, and read the answer. That is the whole first step.

DeepSeek is a family of AI models from a Chinese lab. You can use it free in a browser, on a phone app, through an API, or on your own computer. Each path fits a different need.

This guide walks through every option in plain language. It also covers the part regulated firms care about most: where your data goes and how to keep it private.

What DeepSeek Is (in one minute)

DeepSeek is a set of AI chat models that answer questions, write text, and reason through problems. It works much like ChatGPT or Claude.

The lab is best known for two open models. DeepSeek-R1 is a reasoning model that shows its thinking. DeepSeek-V3 is a fast general-purpose model.

What makes DeepSeek stand out is cost and openness. The public chat is free, and the model weights are open, so you can run them yourself.

• DeepSeek-R1: a reasoning model that works through hard problems step by step.
• DeepSeek-V3: a faster model built for everyday writing and questions.
• Open weights: the models are published under a permissive license you can download and self-host.
• Two ways to reach it: the hosted service run by DeepSeek, or a private copy you run yourself.

How to Access DeepSeek (Web, App, API)

You can access DeepSeek three ways: the web chat, the mobile apps, and the developer API. Pick the one that matches your task.

For most people, the web chat is the fastest start. The app is the same tool on your phone. The API is for building DeepSeek into your own software.

All three run on DeepSeek servers. That matters for privacy, which the safety section covers below.

• Web chat: go to chat.deepseek.com, sign in with an email, and start typing. No install needed.
• Mobile app: search DeepSeek in the Apple App Store or Google Play, then sign in with the same account.
• API: create a key at the DeepSeek developer platform, then call it from your code with the base URL and model name.
• Toggle deep reasoning in the chat to switch the R1 style thinking on for harder questions.
• Turn on web search in the chat when you need fresh, up-to-date facts.

How to Run DeepSeek Locally and Privately

To run DeepSeek locally, install Ollama and pull a DeepSeek model with one command. The model then runs on your own machine, and nothing leaves it.

This is the private path. Because the weights are open, your prompts never touch a DeepSeek server. That is the key move for regulated data.

You do not need the giant 671B model. Smaller distilled versions run on a normal laptop and still work well for many tasks.

• Install Ollama from ollama.com for macOS, Windows, or Linux.
• Download a model: run ollama pull deepseek-r1:8b for a light version, or a larger size if your hardware allows.
• Chat offline: run ollama run deepseek-r1:8b and type right in your terminal.
• Want a nicer window? Pair Ollama with a local UI like LM Studio or Open WebUI.
• How to download DeepSeek R1 weights directly: get the checkpoints from the DeepSeek page on Hugging Face and serve them with your own stack.
• Bigger models need a strong GPU and lots of memory; smaller distilled models are the practical starting point.

Is DeepSeek Free? Plans and Pricing

Yes, DeepSeek is free to use in the web chat and the mobile apps. There is no subscription needed for normal personal use.

The only cost is the API, which developers pay for by usage. You pay per million tokens of text in and out.

Running DeepSeek locally is also free of usage fees. You only pay for your own hardware and electricity.

• Free: the web chat at chat.deepseek.com and the official mobile apps.
• Paid: the API, billed per token; DeepSeek is known for low rates versus larger US labs.
• Free to self-host: the open weights carry no license fee for use.
• Prices change often, so check the official pricing page before you budget rather than trusting a third-party number.

Is DeepSeek Safe? Data and Compliance for Regulated Firms

The hosted DeepSeek is not safe for regulated or confidential data. Its privacy policy says it collects and stores your data on servers in China.

Chinese law can compel companies to share stored data with the state. For a law firm, clinic, or accounting practice, that breaks client confidentiality.

Several governments have restricted DeepSeek on official devices for this reason. Treat the hosted app as public, not private.

• The concern: prompts and files in the hosted service are stored in China and may be accessible to authorities there.
• Who is affected: anyone handling health records, legal matters, financial data, or anything under HIPAA, GDPR, or client privilege.
• The safe path: run DeepSeek locally with open weights so no data ever leaves your control.
• A middle path: some Western cloud providers host DeepSeek weights on non-China infrastructure; verify where data actually lives before you trust it.
• Never paste client names, records, or case facts into the public DeepSeek chat.

Your First DeepSeek Task: A Quick Walkthrough

Your first DeepSeek task should be a safe, low-stakes one, like drafting a general email or summarizing a public document. This lets you judge quality without risking data.

Give it a clear role, a clear job, and any rules you want followed. Specific prompts get better answers.

Read the result, then ask a follow-up to refine it. DeepSeek keeps the conversation in context.

• Step 1: Open chat.deepseek.com and sign in.
• Step 2: Type a specific prompt, such as: You are a marketing assistant. Draft a friendly 120-word email announcing a webinar.
• Step 3: Turn on deep reasoning if the task needs logic, like reviewing an argument or a plan.
• Step 4: Read the draft, then reply with a fix, such as: Make it shorter and add a clear call to action.
• Step 5: For anything sensitive, stop and switch to a local DeepSeek instead of the web chat.

DeepSeek vs ChatGPT vs Claude: A Quick Take

DeepSeek wins on cost and openness, while ChatGPT and Claude win on polish and trusted data handling. All three are strong at writing and reasoning.

The choice comes down to your priorities. Cheap and self-hostable points to DeepSeek. Enterprise trust and support points to the US options.

For regulated work, the deciding factor is usually where data lives, not raw model quality.

• DeepSeek: lowest cost, open weights you can self-host, but hosted data sits in China.
• ChatGPT (OpenAI): mature ecosystem, strong tools, business plans with clearer data terms.
• Claude (Anthropic): strong writing and safety focus, business and compliance options for sensitive work.
• Verdict: use DeepSeek locally for private experiments and cost savings; use ChatGPT or Claude business tiers when you need vendor accountability and easy compliance.