OpenAI adds locks for individual ChatGPT conversations
By Automate Basics, written with AI from TechCrunch's original
OpenAI is rolling out locks for individual ChatGPT conversations, TechCrunch reports. People who share a view of their device can keep selected chats apart from regular history, though a lock does not change how OpenAI handles the information.
What changed in ChatGPT
OpenAI says users can now lock individual ChatGPT conversations with a four-digit PIN, or with Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices. A locked conversation moves into a separate Locked Chats section instead of appearing alongside ordinary chat history, pinned chats or chat search results. Unlike a Temporary Chat, a locked conversation remains available to revisit.
TechCrunch reports that OpenAI designed the feature for moments when someone else might see a user's device or screen. At work, that could make it easier to show a colleague one conversation without displaying another in the usual history. The lock limits casual access on that device. It should not be treated as a new way to store confidential work information.
Who can use Locked Chats?
OpenAI says Locked Chats is starting to roll out to ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users. It is not available in ChatGPT for Healthcare, and the rollout means some eligible users may not see it yet. The source does not give a separate price for the feature.
The option also has limits on which conversations qualify. According to OpenAI, it cannot be used for Temporary Chats, archived conversations or group chats. Conversations started from a shared link are excluded, as are those with scheduled tasks or meeting recordings. Check the type of chat before counting on a lock to keep it out of regular view.
How do I try it at work?
A low-risk first use is a ChatGPT conversation containing a draft you would rather not display while showing someone a different chat. If the feature has reached your account and that conversation is eligible, lock it, then check that it no longer appears in regular history or chat search results. Confirm that you can return to it before relying on the arrangement during a meeting.
If you use a PIN, take particular care with it: OpenAI says resetting a PIN permanently deletes the locked chats, files and other content protected by the previous PIN. Avoid putting sensitive company material into a chat merely because it can be locked. The feature changes who can readily open the conversation on your device, not the rules for handling its contents.
What does the lock not protect?
OpenAI says locking a chat does not add end-to-end encryption or create a separate encrypted store. It does not alter how long OpenAI keeps the conversation, erase information ChatGPT remembered before the lock, or change the account's “Improve the model for everyone” setting. Those distinctions matter if your concern is where work information goes, rather than whether someone nearby can open a chat.
When Memory is enabled, OpenAI says locked conversations share a memory within the Locked Chats section. Messages sent after a chat is locked can update that separate memory without updating regular Memory. For work involving private or regulated information, follow your organisation's rules about what may be entered into ChatGPT regardless of whether the conversation is locked.
Frequently asked questions
Does locking a ChatGPT chat hide it from search?
Yes. OpenAI says a locked conversation moves to a dedicated section and stays out of regular chat history, pinned conversations and chat search results. You can return to the locked conversation later, unlike a Temporary Chat, which does not appear in chat history.
Does a locked chat change how ChatGPT handles sensitive information?
No. OpenAI says a lock does not add end-to-end encryption, change retention, remove information remembered before the lock or change the “Improve the model for everyone” setting. It is a way to limit access to a conversation on a device, not a substitute for workplace data rules.
What happens if I reset my Locked Chats PIN?
OpenAI says resetting the PIN permanently deletes the locked conversations, files and other content protected by the old PIN. Consider that consequence before using the feature for a conversation you need to keep, and do not assume a PIN reset will restore access.
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Source: ChatGPT now lets you lock your chats, TechCrunch, 20 Oct 2026.