Yesterday, OpenAI announced the launch of Locked Chats in ChatGPT. Locked Chats are rolling out gradually for users.
Keep sensitive conversations out of view with Locked Chats in ChatGPT.
Move chats out of your regular history and search into a protected space you can unlock with a PIN on web and desktop, or a PIN, Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlock on supported mobile devices.
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Locked Chats in ChatGPT
Locked Chats let you keep selected conversations in your account while hiding them from your regular chat history, pinned chats, and regular conversation search. This can help keep sensitive conversations out of view when you share your screen or use a shared device.
You can find your locked chats under Projects> Locked Chats. The sidebar may show the Locked Chats project while locked chat titles are hidden. Opening locked chats requires a 4-digit account PIN. On supported mobile devices, you can also use Face ID, Touch ID, or your device unlock method.
Locking a chat changes when the conversation appears and how you open it. It does not:
- create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault
- change how long OpenAI retains the chat
- change your Improve the model for everyone setting
- remove information that ChatGPT remembered before you locked the chat
- override applicable workspace policies, safety requirements, or legal and compliance obligations
Resetting your account PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, remembered information stored only within locked chats, and files or other content protected only by your previous PIN.
How to start a new locked chat?
If you’re using locked chats for the first time, lock an existing conversation. You can then start new conversations from Projects > Locked chats.
- Select Projects.
- Select Locked chats.
- Enter your account PIN or use supported device authentication when available.
- Enter a message to start the conversation.
The conversation is saved in locked chats and does not appear in regular history or regular conversation search.
Before you use locked chats, review these behaviours before you lock a conversation:
- Your account PIN is tied to your OpenAI account, not to a specific workspace. If you use a different OpenAI account, set up and manage its PIN separately.
- Files uploaded or created in a chat are protected when you lock it. If they were saved to Space, they are hidden there until you permanently unlock the chat.
- Files added from elsewhere in Space remain available there.
- You can lock an otherwise eligible chat that already has a shared link. Locking it does not delete the link. Its previously shared content remains available, but new messages sent while the chat is locked are not added. Delete the link separately if you want to stop access to its shared content. A chat created from a shared link cannot be locked.
- If you lock an eligible chat from a project, it leaves that project and no longer uses its instructions, files, or memory. Project chat eligibility varies by platform.
- Resetting your account PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, remembered information stored only within locked chats, and files or other content protected only by your previous PIN. This action cannot be undone.
Availability
Locked chats are available on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans.
On desktop, use the new ChatGPT app for macOS or Windows. You can lock eligible cloud ChatGPT conversations in Chat or Work mode. Codex conversations, including cloud Codex conversations, and local Work conversations can’t be locked.
Locked chats are not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare.
You can use Voice in locked chats on the web and in the iOS and Android apps, where Voice is available to your account. Voice isn’t available in locked chats in the desktop app.
