OpenAI has started rolling out a new feature called locked chats in ChatGPT. It lets users keep selected conversations hidden from their regular chat history, pinned chats, and conversation search. The company says the feature is meant to keep sensitive conversations out of view when someone shares their screen or uses a shared device.
The rollout began on Tuesday. The feature is now available to ChatGPT users, and it adds a layer of privacy that the app did not have before.
How ChatGPT Locked Chats Work
Locked conversations do not sit in your normal chat list. Instead, they move to a dedicated area under Projects > Locked chats. To open them, you need a four-digit account PIN.
On supported mobile devices, you can also unlock these chats with Face ID, Touch ID, or your phone's own device unlock method. That means you do not always have to type the PIN on your phone.
The idea is simple: if you hand your phone to a friend or share your screen in a meeting, your private conversations stay out of sight. They will not show up in search either, so someone browsing your chat history will not stumble on them.
The Risk: Forgetting Your PIN Could Erase Locked Chats
The feature comes with a serious warning. Users should think carefully before relying on it, because forgetting the PIN could erase the locked chats for good. OpenAI's own guidance makes clear that there is a real penalty for losing the PIN.
To put it plainly, this is a trade-off. You get stronger privacy, but you take on more responsibility. A four-digit PIN is easy to remember and easy to forget. If you lock a conversation and then lose the PIN, you may not be able to get that conversation back.
- Locked chats are hidden from history, pinned chats, and search
- They live under Projects > Locked chats
- A four-digit account PIN is required to open them
- Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlock works on supported mobile devices
- Forgetting the PIN could erase the locked chats permanently
Who Should Use Locked Chats in ChatGPT
This feature is clearly aimed at people who use ChatGPT for private or work-related conversations. If you share a laptop with family, present your screen in meetings, or use a shared phone, locked chats can keep sensitive material out of view.
But it is not for everyone. If you are the kind of person who forgets passwords, you should be careful. Locking a chat you cannot afford to lose, and then forgetting the PIN, is a risk you do not need to take.
Our Take: Good Privacy, But a Harsh Penalty
In our view, locked chats are a useful addition to ChatGPT. Screen sharing and shared devices are common, and users have long needed a simple way to hide private conversations. A PIN plus Face ID or Touch ID is a practical solution.
But the penalty for forgetting the PIN is harsh. A four-digit code is not hard to lose, and permanently erasing chats is a big consequence for a small mistake. Users should treat locked chats as a vault, not a folder. Only put conversations there that you are willing to lose, and keep your PIN somewhere safe.
To put it plainly, this feature gives you control over your privacy, but it also puts the risk in your hands. Use it wisely.
