OpenAI is rolling out a new feature called Locked Chats for ChatGPT users. The feature lets users protect sensitive conversations with a PIN or biometric authentication, making it harder for other people to access them if they get hold of an unlocked phone or computer.
Locked Chats will keep selected conversations separate from the regular ChatGPT history. Users will need to enter a four-digit PIN to access them. On iPhone and Android, they can also use authentication methods such as Face ID to unlock their private conversations. OpenAI will group these conversations under a new project called “Locked chats.”
The feature is mainly designed for people who share their devices with others or want to keep certain conversations away from prying eyes. For example, users can lock conversations about personal matters, work, or other sensitive topics without having them appear in their regular chat history.
While the feature adds another layer of privacy, it does not make ChatGPT conversations completely private from OpenAI. Locked Chats are not end-to-end encrypted, and they do not change the company’s legal obligations to provide information when required by law.
OpenAI has also clarified that locking a conversation does not automatically change its data retention settings or whether conversations can be used to improve its AI models. Users will need to manage those settings separately if they want to change how their data is handled.
There is another important limitation users should know about before using the feature. If they reset their account PIN, OpenAI will delete all their Locked Chats, along with any files uploaded to the Locked chats project.
The deletion is permanent. OpenAI warns that its support team cannot recover the deleted conversations or files, so users should be careful when resetting their PIN.
This makes it important to understand how the PIN reset process works before moving important conversations into the locked section.
OpenAI is gradually rolling out Locked Chats to ChatGPT users. The feature will be available to users on the Free, Go, Plus, and Pro plans. It may take a few days to appear in some accounts.
Users on Android and iOS can also use voice mode with Locked Chats. However, the feature does not support locking Codex conversations.
