ChatGPT Adds Locked Chats Behind a PIN or Face ID

What happened

OpenAI announced Locked Chats on October 20: users can lock an individual ChatGPT conversation and open it with a four-digit PIN, or with Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices. A locked chat moves to a dedicated Locked Chats section, kept separate from regular chat history, pinned conversations and search results, and users can return to it at any time after unlocking. OpenAI says the feature is designed for situations such as discussing something personal or planning a surprise, when users hand their device to friends or family to show them something in another chat.

OpenAI also spelled out what the lock does not do: it does not create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault, does not change how long a chat is retained, does not remove information ChatGPT remembered before the chat was locked, and does not change the “Improve the model for everyone” setting. With Memory enabled, the Locked Chats section keeps its own memory shared across locked conversations; new messages sent after locking update that separate memory but do not update regular Memory.

Key facts

1. Unlocking: A four-digit PIN, or Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices.
2. Where they live: Locked chats move to a dedicated Locked Chats section, separate from regular history, pinned chats and search results.
3. Resetting the PIN: Resetting the PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, files and other content protected by the previous PIN.
4. Not eligible: Temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, chats created from a shared link, chats with scheduled tasks and chats with meeting recordings cannot be locked.
5. Availability: Rolling out starting October 20 to Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu plans; not available on ChatGPT for Healthcare.