On October 20, 2026, OpenAI introduced the ability to lock individual chats in ChatGPT. The new Locked Chats feature protects sensitive conversations with a 4-digit account PIN; on supported devices, Face ID or Touch ID can also be used. The feature is designed for situations where others may have access to the screen or device — for example, when a phone is handed to friends or family members to show them a different chat — and is meant to keep private conversations hidden. It was presented as an additional layer of privacy at a time when ChatGPT is increasingly used for personal conversations.
How to Lock Chats
A four-digit PIN is set at the account level. On devices that support biometric authentication, the lock can also be opened with Face ID or Touch ID; on devices without that capability, only the PIN is used. Once a user locks a chat, it moves to a dedicated section called 'Locked Chats.' According to TechCrunch, this section is kept completely separate from regular chat history, pinned conversations, and conversation search results — meaning a locked chat appears neither in the regular list nor in search.
'Once locked, a chat moves to a dedicated 'Locked Chats' section, kept separate from regular chat history, pinned conversations, and conversation search results; unlike Temporary Chats, users can return to locked chats at any time.' — TechCrunch
Unlike Temporary Chats, locked chats can be returned to at any time: they do not disappear from history, they are simply stored in a protected section. A locked chat does not appear in regular history, in the list of pinned conversations, or in search results — it can only be viewed by opening the Locked Chats section and unlocking it.
Locked Chats Get Their Own Memory
When Memory is enabled, locked chats share a separate, common memory. New messages sent after a chat is locked update only the locked chats' memory and do not affect regular memory. This way, new information from locked chats does not leak into regular chats, and the two memories are kept isolated from each other. Information that ChatGPT remembered before the chat was locked stays in place — locking does not delete it.
What Locking Does Not Change
At the same time, OpenAI clearly outlined the limits of the locking feature. According to the company's official support page, locking a chat does not create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault. Locking also does not change how long the chat is retained, does not remove information that ChatGPT remembered before the chat was locked, and does not affect the 'Improve the model for everyone' setting.
'OpenAI states that locking a chat does not create end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault, does not change how long it retains the chat, does not remove information ChatGPT remembered before the chat was locked, and does not change the 'Improve the model for everyone' setting.' — OpenAI's official support page
In other words, locking only protects against prying eyes at the device or screen and does not affect how data is stored and processed on servers.
Which Plans Have It and Where It Doesn't Work
The Locked Chats feature is available on ChatGPT's Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans. The feature does not work in ChatGPT for Healthcare. It is rolling out gradually starting October 20, so it may not be active for all users yet.
The 'Lock chat' option is not available for certain chat types: temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, chats created from a shared link, chats with scheduled tasks, and chats with meeting recordings cannot be locked. For example, group chats involve multiple participants, so individual locking does not apply; chats created from a shared link have already been shared with third parties. Chats with scheduled tasks or meeting recordings are also outside the scope of locking.
What Happens When You Reset the PIN
If the account PIN is reset, all locked chats, remembered information stored only within locked chats, and files protected by the previous PIN will be permanently deleted. OpenAI has stated that this process is irreversible and that support cannot restore deleted content.
How It Differs From Temporary Chats
ChatGPT already had a Temporary Chats mode: such sessions do not appear in chat history at all. Locked chats, unlike them, remain in history and can be continued at any time — the difference is that they sit in a protected separate section and are not visible until unlocked.
According to TechCrunch, the feature is designed for situations like discussing personal topics or planning a surprise: when a device is handed to friends or family members to show them a different chat, locked chats remain hidden from prying eyes. At the same time, as the publication notes, locking a chat does not answer questions about how sensitive data is stored and processed — those limits are described in the section above.
The Rollout Is Gradual
OpenAI is rolling out the feature gradually starting October 20. As a result, the Locked Chats option will not appear for all users at the same time — it will activate later on some accounts. Since the feature covers all main pricing plans, it is available to everyone from individual users to businesses and educational institutions; the exception is ChatGPT for Healthcare, which is designed for the medical sector.
