OpenAI Introduces Locked Chats Feature to Enhance Privacy in ChatGPT

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OpenAI has launched a new Locked Chats feature in ChatGPT, allowing users to protect sensitive conversations with PINs or biometric authentication, thereby enhancing privacy when sharing devices.

On October 20, 2026, OpenAI introduced a new feature for ChatGPT called Locked Chats, designed to help users safeguard sensitive or personal conversations from unintended viewing. Users can now secure individual chats with a four-digit PIN or biometric methods such as Face ID or Touch ID on compatible devices. This functionality aims to protect privacy during situations where device owners might hand over their phones or computers to friends or family to show other non-sensitive chats.

Unlike ChatGPT’s Temporary Chats, which function as separate sessions that disappear from chat history, Locked Chats are preserved and accessible at any time within a dedicated "Locked Chats" section. These locked conversations are segregated from regular chat history, pinned chats, and search results, creating a distinct and protected space for private dialogues.

OpenAI clarifies that the Locked Chats feature does not imply end-to-end encryption or alter how the company stores or retains chat data. The company also states that locking a chat does not affect previously stored information or the "Improve the model for everyone" setting that governs data usage for AI training.

An additional privacy safeguard is that with ChatGPT’s Memory enabled, Locked Chats maintain an isolated memory that is separate from regular conversations, ensuring that new messages within locked chats do not influence or leak into the broader chat memory.

Users should note that resetting the PIN that protects Locked Chats results in the permanent deletion of all content secured by that PIN. The feature is presently unavailable for Temporary Chats, archived conversations, group chats, chats created via shared links, chats with scheduled tasks, and meetings with recorded content.

The Locked Chats option is broadly available across most ChatGPT subscription tiers, including Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Education plans, but is not offered in the ChatGPT for Healthcare variant. OpenAI has begun rolling out this feature as of October 20, 2026, and it may appear for users gradually.

This development represents OpenAI’s response to growing privacy concerns as ChatGPT usage expands to more personal and sensitive applications, offering users a straightforward method to control access on shared devices without altering the underlying data management policies.