OpenAI has added Locked Chats to ChatGPT, letting users put individual conversations behind a four-digit PIN or a biometric scan. OpenAI began a gradual rollout on October 20 across Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu accounts, so some users may not see the option right away.
Locking a conversation removes it from the main chat history, the pinned list and search results. Locked chats sit in a separate section of the sidebar, and users unlock that section to reopen them. Unlike Temporary Chats, locked conversations stay available to the account holder after authentication.
The unlock method depends on the device. On the web and desktop, ChatGPT uses a four-digit PIN the user sets. On mobile, the feature uses Face ID, Touch ID or Android fingerprint sensors.
Key facts
- 01OpenAI began a gradual rollout of Locked Chats in ChatGPT on October 20, 2026.
- 02Web and desktop use a four-digit PIN; mobile uses Face ID, Touch ID or Android fingerprint sensors.
- 03Available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans, but not ChatGPT for Healthcare.
- 04Resetting a forgotten PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, files and content tied to the old PIN.
- 05Locking adds no end-to-end encryption and does not change OpenAI's data-retention practices.
Locked chats also get their own memory. When Memory is turned on, locked conversations share a separate memory partition, and new messages in them update that partition rather than the user's regular Memory, so personal details shared inside a locked chat should not carry over into ordinary conversations.
That separation applies going forward only. Memories ChatGPT saved before a chat was locked stay in the main profile, and locking a conversation does not erase them.
The PIN comes with a hard trade-off. If a user forgets it and resets it, ChatGPT permanently deletes every locked conversation, uploaded file and piece of saved content protected by the old PIN.
OpenAI's support documentation is direct about what the feature does not do. Locking does not add end-to-end encryption or create a separate encrypted vault, and OpenAI still retains logs under its standard security policies. It also does not change data-retention practices or the "Improve the model for everyone" setting.
Several kinds of conversations cannot be locked: Temporary Chats, archived conversations, group chats, chats created through shared links, chats with scheduled tasks and chats containing meeting recordings. Locked Chats is also not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare accounts.
Working on something we should cover, or seeing a story we missed? Send leads, documents, or feedback to hello@aichatdaily.com. For sensitive tips, see our secure tips page for Signal and PGP options.
Spotted an error? Email hello@aichatdaily.com with the URL and the issue, or read our full corrections policy.
