Summary
OpenAI has introduced Locked Chats in ChatGPT, a feature that allows users to protect selected conversations from casual access by other people using their device. Users can secure these chats with a four-digit PIN or biometric authentication, including Face ID and Touch ID on supported devices. The feature keeps locked conversations separate from regular chat history, but it does not introduce end-to-end encryption or change OpenAI’s data-retention policies.
OpenAI Introduces Locked Chats in ChatGPT
OpenAI is rolling out a new privacy feature that allows ChatGPT users to lock individual conversations containing sensitive or personal information.
The feature is designed for situations where someone might share their device with a friend, family member, or colleague but does not want that person to open certain conversations.
For example, users may discuss personal matters, work-related information, or plans for a surprise with ChatGPT. Instead of deleting those conversations or moving to a Temporary Chat, they can lock them and return to them later.
According to OpenAI’s official documentation, locked conversations are moved to a dedicated section called Locked Chats, separating them from the user’s regular conversation history.
The feature adds another layer of access control as people increasingly use AI assistants for everyday questions, personal discussions, and work-related tasks.
How ChatGPT Locked Chats Work
Users can protect selected conversations using a four-digit PIN or supported biometric authentication methods, such as Face ID or Touch ID.
Once a conversation is locked, it is moved into the separate Locked Chats section. It no longer appears alongside regular conversations, pinned chats, or results in the normal chat search.
This arrangement helps prevent someone browsing the user’s ordinary chat history from casually opening a protected conversation.
Unlike Temporary Chats, locked conversations remain available for future use. Users can return to them rather than starting a new session whenever they want to continue a discussion.
However, the feature is intended to restrict access through the ChatGPT interface. It should not be treated as a guarantee that sensitive information is completely secure against every form of device access or account compromise.
Locked Chats vs Temporary Chats
Although both features can help users manage privacy, they serve different purposes.
- Locked Chats: Protect selected existing conversations from casual access while keeping them available for later use.
- Temporary Chats: Provide a separate conversation mode that does not appear in regular chat history and does not use or create personalisation memories in the usual way.
Temporary Chats are useful when users want a conversation that stays outside their normal chat history. Locked Chats are more suitable when users want to keep a particular conversation for future reference but add an extra access restriction.
Users should choose the feature based on whether they want to retain a conversation or keep it separate from their regular chat history.
How Locked Chats Work With ChatGPT Memory
OpenAI has also explained how Locked Chats interact with its Memory feature.
When Memory is enabled, Locked Chats have a separate memory shared among conversations within that section. New messages in locked conversations may update this separate memory, but they do not update regular ChatGPT Memory.
This separation is intended to prevent information from newly locked conversations from being carried into ordinary chats through the regular memory system.
However, locking a conversation does not automatically remove information ChatGPT remembered before the conversation was locked.
Users who want to manage previously stored information should review their Memory settings separately. Chat locking and Memory management are different controls.
Important Privacy Limitations to Know
While Locked Chats provide an additional privacy layer, OpenAI makes several important distinctions about what the feature does not change.
1. No end-to-end encryption
Locking a conversation does not turn it into an end-to-end encrypted chat or create a separate encrypted vault.
2. Data-retention policies remain unchanged
The feature does not change how long OpenAI retains the conversation or the applicable data-handling policies.
3. Model-improvement settings remain unchanged
Locking a chat does not change the user’s “Improve the model for everyone” setting. Users should review their data controls separately if they want to manage whether eligible conversations can be used to improve OpenAI’s models.
4. Previously stored memories remain separate
Information remembered before a conversation was locked is not automatically removed by the locking process.
5. Resetting the PIN can delete protected content
OpenAI warns that resetting a PIN permanently deletes the locked chats, files, and other content protected by the previous PIN. Users should understand this consequence before resetting their credentials.
These limitations mean that Locked Chats should be viewed as an access-control feature rather than a comprehensive solution for storing highly confidential information.
Which ChatGPT Plans Support Locked Chats?
OpenAI says the feature is rolling out to users on the following plans:
- ChatGPT Free
- ChatGPT Go
- ChatGPT Plus
- ChatGPT Pro
- ChatGPT Business
- ChatGPT Enterprise
- ChatGPT Edu
The company states that Locked Chats is not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare.
The feature is being introduced gradually, so it may not appear immediately for every eligible user.
OpenAI also lists certain conversation types that cannot be locked, including Temporary Chats, archived chats, group conversations, chats created from shared links, conversations with scheduled tasks, and chats containing meeting recordings.
Users can consult the official Locked Chats help guide for the latest availability information and instructions.
What This Means for ChatGPT Users
The introduction of Locked Chats gives users more control over who can casually access their conversations when sharing a device.
It may be particularly useful for people who use ChatGPT for personal discussions, professional planning, or other conversations they prefer to keep out of view.
At the same time, users should not confuse an interface lock with stronger encryption or changes to how their information is stored and processed.
People handling confidential business information, financial details, or sensitive personal data should continue to review their account security and privacy settings rather than relying on chat locking alone.
Conclusion
OpenAI’s Locked Chats feature introduces a practical way to protect selected ChatGPT conversations without giving up access to them later. PIN and biometric authentication, together with a separate conversation section, make it easier to keep private discussions away from casual browsing.
However, the feature does not change encryption, data retention, or model-improvement settings. Users should understand these limitations and manage their privacy settings separately.
As AI assistants become part of everyday personal and professional activities, features like Locked Chats offer an additional layer of control. Their effectiveness ultimately depends on users understanding what they protect—and what they do not.