ChatGPT gets locked chats protected by a four-digit PIN

What's new

OpenAI has launched locked chats in ChatGPT. The launch is listed as October 21, 2026, and the rollout is happening gradually, so it may take a few days before the feature shows up on your account.

The idea is simple: You can move selected conversations to a protected area that requires a four-digit PIN. On supported mobile devices, you can optionally use Face ID, Touch ID or the device's own lock instead of typing the code every time.

Before the launch, the feature was spotted in hidden code in the Android app, and users had long asked for it on OpenAI's community forum.

What's smart about it

Locked chats are gathered in a separate project called "Locked chats." There they are kept apart from everything else and can be kept out of the regular chat history, pinned chats and search. That means a conversation about, say, finances, health or a surprise gift won't pop up if someone looks over your shoulder.

Files you upload in a locked chat are also protected. You can find them under Projects > Locked chats or via the "more options" menu on an individual chat.

Access is temporary. On web and desktop, it is tied to a specific browser tab or window. On mobile, it expires after one minute of inactivity or when the app is sent to the background.

Keep one thing in mind: If you forget or reset your PIN, all locked chats are deleted permanently. This can't be undone, and OpenAI Support can't recover the content.

Cheaper or better?

The feature costs nothing extra. It is available on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans, and according to Tech Times it also applies to Business, Enterprise and Edu. There is no pricing attached to it.

It is important to understand what the lock is not, though. The feature is not end-to-end encrypted, and it changes neither the model training settings nor, according to OpenAI, how long conversations are retained. It is primarily intended as protection against unauthorized people on a shared device, not as a way to make conversations private from OpenAI.

On Enterprise and Edu accounts, administrators can still see locked chats through OpenAI's Compliance Platform. If you have a work account, you shouldn't assume your employer can't see what you're doing.

How it compares with competitors isn't covered in detail in the sources. It's unclear whether Claude or Gemini has anything directly equivalent to PIN-locked, saved chats. It's also unclear whether the feature is available in Denmark and the EU, or whether locked chats affect ChatGPT's memory.

Who it's good for

The feature suits those who share a phone, tablet or computer with family or colleagues and occasionally use ChatGPT for something personal. That could be private questions, drafts of sensitive emails or planning something others shouldn't see yet.

It is not a safeguard against data collection or a solution for highly confidential information, since the conversations are not end-to-end encrypted. Codex conversations also can't be locked.