Got chats in ChatGPT you wouldn't want a coworker, partner, or stranger to stumble across? OpenAI has added a built-in answer: Locked Chats, launched on October 20, 2026. It lets you lock individual conversations behind a four-digit account PIN or biometric unlock like Face ID — and it's rolling out now to Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans on web, iOS, Android, and the macOS and Windows desktop apps.
What you need
A ChatGPT account on a plan the feature has reached — the rollout is gradual, so if you don't see the option yet, updating the app or simply waiting usually fixes it. On mobile, having Face ID, Touch ID, or device unlock available means you can use biometrics instead of typing the PIN each time.
Step by step: lock a chat
- Open the conversation you want to protect, then tap its three-dot (•••) options menu.
- Select Lock chat, then confirm Lock chat again.
- Create a four-digit account PIN and enter it again to confirm — or enter your existing PIN if you already set one.
- The conversation moves to Projects > Locked chats — it disappears from your regular history, pinned chats, and search results.
- To reopen it later: go to Projects > Locked chats and authenticate with your PIN or biometrics.
- To permanently restore a chat to regular history: open it, tap •••, and choose Unlock chat (or Unlock on iOS).
- Optional: enable Face ID / Touch ID under Settings > Security and login > Account PIN (iPhone) or Use device unlock (Android) so you don't type the PIN every time. Tap Lock now when you're done, or just leave — access ends automatically after one minute away or in the background on mobile, or on tab refresh or close on the web.
What locking does — and doesn't do
Locked chats keep their own separate memory that doesn't feed your regular chats, and they don't appear in history or search. But locking is an access barrier inside the app, not encryption: it doesn't change data retention, model-training settings, or erase anything ChatGPT already remembers. And locking does not revoke a share link you created before locking — delete that link separately if it matters.
Tips and common problems
"Lock chat" is missing? The gradual rollout doesn't guarantee every account has it yet, even on a supported plan. Update the app or wait.
Don't forget your PIN — this is the big one. Resetting a forgotten PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, their files, and locked-only memory, and OpenAI Support cannot recover them. Changing a PIN you still remember is safe and preserves everything.
Shared devices? Locking only protects the chat within the ChatGPT app — it won't help if someone is already signed into your account on another device. Use a strong account password plus two-factor authentication for that.
Why it matters now
People are using ChatGPT for everything from health questions to business plans, and a chat history that anyone can scroll is a privacy gap. Locked Chats closes it in a few taps — as long as you treat that PIN like the master key it is, because once it's gone, the locked chats are gone with it.
Sources: OpenAI Help Center; TechRepublic, Gulf News, Notebookcheck, Digital Trends (October 2026 reporting).