OpenAI Rolls Out PIN-Protected ChatGPT Locked Chats

OpenAI is rolling out Locked Chats, a ChatGPT feature that moves selected conversations out of regular history and behind a PIN or supported device authentication. The company says the feature is intended to keep chats out of view when someone else can access a user’s device or screen. Once locked, a conversation no longer appears in the regular chat history, pinned chats or ordinary search. It is placed in a separate Locked Chats section, where users can return to it after unlocking it. OpenAI says users can set a four-digit PIN, with Face ID or Touch ID available on supported devices. Unlike Temporary Chats, Locked Chats remain available for later use. The feature adds a way to limit on-device visibility, but OpenAI says it does not provide end-to-end encryption or create a separately encrypted storage area. Locking a conversation also does not change how long OpenAI retains chat data or the account’s model-training setting. Users who have enabled the “Improve the model for everyone” setting may still have locked chats used for training, according to the company. OpenAI says that when Memory is enabled, locked conversations use a separate memory space shared with other...