ChatGPT now lets users put certain conversations behind a four-digit PIN or, on supported devices, Face ID or Touch ID. OpenAI says the feature is meant for moments when someone wants to keep a personal conversation or surprise private while showing another chat to a friend or family member.
Locked chats stay available later
Locking a conversation moves it to a dedicated “Locked Chats” section. It is kept apart from regular chat history, pinned conversations and search results, but users can return to it at any time.
That differs from Temporary Chats, which use a separate session and do not appear in chat history. Locked Chats remain a place to revisit conversations, while adding a barrier against someone casually viewing them on a device.
The feature adds a layer of privacy for people who share access to a screen or device. It addresses access to a conversation on that device, rather than all questions about what happens to the information after it is entered into ChatGPT.
What the lock does not change
OpenAI says locking a chat does not create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault. It also does not change how long the chat is retained, remove information ChatGPT remembered before the conversation was locked, or alter the “Improve the model for everyone” setting.
In other words, the PIN and device biometrics control access to the locked conversation in the app. They do not change the underlying storage or retention of chat information, according to the company.
Separate memory for locked conversations
When Memory is enabled, Locked Chats has its own memory shared across conversations in that section. Messages sent after a chat is locked can update this separate memory, but they do not update regular Memory.
This separation means information introduced in a locked conversation will not carry over into regular chats through regular Memory, OpenAI says. The locked section can still use what it learns from conversations within that section.
Users should also pay attention to PIN resets. OpenAI says resetting a PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, files and other content protected by the previous PIN. That makes the PIN more than an access prompt: resetting it has a permanent effect on the protected material.
Availability and chat types excluded
Locked Chats is planned for ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu users. The feature is not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare. OpenAI said the rollout was starting on Tuesday, so it may not yet appear for every user.
Some conversations cannot be locked. The option is unavailable for:
- Temporary or archived chats
- Group chats
- Chats created from a shared link
- Chats with scheduled tasks
- Chats with meeting recordings
For eligible conversations, Locked Chats offers a way to keep them out of ordinary history views and require an extra step before opening them. Users looking for broader privacy protections should keep in mind the limits OpenAI describes: the lock does not change encryption, retention, existing remembered information or the model-improvement setting.