OpenAI has added a new privacy feature to ChatGPT: users can now lock individual conversations. Source: techcrunch.com.
What Happened
On Tuesday, OpenAI announced users can lock ChatGPT chats to keep sensitive discussions private when sharing devices with others.
Users can secure a locked chat with a four-digit PIN or use Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices.
The feature is meant for personal moments—like sharing a surprise or discussing private topics—when handing over a device to friends or family.
How It Works
When a user locks a chat, it moves to a dedicated section called ‘Locked Chats’ in the app.
This section stays separate from regular chat history, pinned messages, and search results.
- Users can set a four-digit PIN for simple access without biometrics.
- On supported devices, Face ID or Touch ID offers faster, more convenient login.
- Locked chats keep their own memory, shared across all conversations in that section.
Messages added after locking update only the locked chat’s memory. They don’t affect regular, unlocked chats.
Key Limitations
Not all chats can be locked.
Temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, shared-link chats, and chats with scheduled tasks or recordings are not eligible.
These types are either short-lived or involve external data that makes secure locking impractical.
What It Doesn’t Do
Locking a chat does not provide end-to-end encryption.
Chat data is not encrypted at rest or in transit. No secure vault or private storage is offered.
Locking doesn’t change how long ChatGPT keeps chats. Old data remains stored as usual.
Information the AI remembered before locking is still accessible. The ‘Improve the model for everyone’ setting remains unchanged.
Who Can Use It
The feature is available on all standard ChatGPT plans: Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu.
It is not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare, where medical data compliance is required.
Why It Matters
As AI tools grow in daily use—especially for personal chats—features like locked chats help users protect their privacy.
It’s useful when sharing devices, like during family events or showing a friend a surprise.
What to Watch For
The feature is rolling out starting Tuesday. Not all users may see it yet.
Check app settings to confirm eligibility and verify the chat type before locking.
Locking a chat isn’t a full privacy solution. Users should still be cautious about what they share with AI systems.
Resetting a PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, files, and protected content. This action cannot be undone. Back up important data before resetting.
Sources & further reading
Featured image: The ChatGPT application icon is displayed on a smartphone screen in Creteil, France, on September 4, 2026, as OpenAI began rolling out GPT-6 Astra, its most advanced model to date. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto). Via original publisher. Image source
