OpenAI Announces Locked Chats Feature for ChatGPT Privacy

What is new

OpenAI announced on Tuesday that it is rolling out a new feature called Locked Chats for ChatGPT [1, 2]. This feature allows users to secure specific conversations so they are hidden from regular chat history, pinned conversations, and standard conversation search results [2]. Once a chat is locked, it moves to a dedicated “Locked Chats” section found under Projects [2].

Key details regarding availability and access include:

• The feature is rolling out gradually and may not be live for all users immediately [1, 2].
• It is available for ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans [1, 2].
• It is not available for ChatGPT for Healthcare [1, 2].
• On desktop, users must use the ChatGPT app for macOS or Windows [2].
• Users can secure these chats with a four-digit account PIN or, on supported mobile devices, via Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlock methods [1, 2].
• Voice functionality is available in locked chats on the web and iOS/Android apps, but it is not available in the desktop app [2].

How to use it

To lock an existing conversation, users should follow these steps [2]:

1. Open the more options menu (represented by three dots) for the specific chat.
2. Select “Lock chat.”
3. Select “Lock chat” again to confirm.
4. Create or enter the account PIN when prompted.

To start a new conversation within the locked section [2]:

1. Select “Projects.”
2. Select “Locked chats.”
3. Enter the account PIN or use supported device authentication.
4. Enter a message to begin.

To open a previously locked chat, users must go to Projects, select Locked chats, enter their PIN or biometric data, and then select the desired chat [2].

Limits, privacy and academic integrity

OpenAI notes several technical limitations and privacy behaviors regarding this feature [2]:

• Locking a chat does not create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault [1, 2].
• It does not change how long OpenAI retains the chat or the “Improve the model for everyone” setting [1, 2].
• It does not remove information that ChatGPT remembered before the chat was locked [1, 2].
• Resetting the account PIN will permanently and irretrievably delete all locked chats, files, and remembered information stored only within those locked chats [1, 2].
• If a chat already has a shared link, locking it does not delete the link; previously shared content remains available, but new messages sent while locked are not added to the link [2].

Certain chat types cannot be locked, including temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, chats created from a shared link, chats with scheduled tasks, chats with meeting recordings, and Codex conversations [1, 2].

Access timing varies by platform [2]:

• On the web, access ends when the user refreshes the page or closes the tab. Locked chats relock automatically after the user is away from the tab or window [2].
• On iOS and Android, access ends automatically after one minute of being away from the locked chat or after one minute in the background [2].