ChatGPT Now Lets You Lock Chats: How The New PIN And Face ID Feature Works

Introduction

What's the stupidest thing you've ever searched for? Like something you felt you should know, but had to actually look up? And we're not talking about spellings; those happen, but concepts or ideas?

I'll share one: I once searched "Which day does Good Friday come on?" Did the same with Easter Sunday.

Still, those were Google searches that one can simply hide by closing the tab, or in extreme shame, deleting search history.

Nowadays, we use ChatGPT for searches, and we're not too OCD as yet to clear out those chats, because let's face it: ain't nobody got time for that.

Aside from stupidity, we also use ChatGPT for deep talks, personal problems, health-related issues, and other conversations we don't want to have with other people. Especially now since artificial intelligence (AI) can converse like a normal person.

Also, we're logged into so many devices in different places; it's tough to guarantee someone won't read our personal chats, accidentally or intentionally.

ChatGPT's maker, OpenAI, understands this problem, which is why it's introducing a new feature that allows people to lock chats.

So, how can you lock and unlock your ChatGPT chats, and what does this extra layer of privacy actually protect? Look and unlock the answer below!
 

What Is ChatGPT's New Locked Chats Feature?

OpenAI introduced the locked chats feature on October 20, 2026, to give users more control over who can casually view saved conversations.

The ChatGPT Locked Chats feature moves chosen threads out of your usual history, pinned list, and regular search results. They remain in your account, under Projects > Locked chats, but opening them requires your four-digit account PIN or supported device authentication.

Think of it as putting a diary in a locked drawer, not burning the diary or building a bank vault around it. It is particularly useful when sharing a screen, lending someone your phone, or keeping private conversations apart from everyday prompts.

The gradual rollout covers Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu. It works on the web, iOS, Android, and the new ChatGPT desktop apps for macOS and Windows; the latter also support eligible ChatGPT Work conversations. If Lock chat is missing, your account may still be awaiting access, or that chat may be ineligible.

So, once the feature appears, how do you lock ChatGPT chats?
 

How To Lock ChatGPT Chats And Set Up A PIN

OpenAI makes the ChatGPT account PIN setup straightforward:
 

1. Open an eligible conversation and select its three-dot (•••) menu.

2. Choose Lock chat, then confirm Lock chat again.

3. If prompted, choose Create a PIN, enter a four-digit PIN, and confirm it. Otherwise, enter your existing account PIN.

The chat moves into Locked chats, and its title disappears from regular history and search, although open devices may need to refresh before this takes effect. On the web, a just-locked conversation may also remain visible in the same tab, so do not assume it immediately disappears from the screen.

How do you set up a PIN to lock chats in ChatGPT on another device?

You don't need a second account PIN: the same one works wherever you sign in to that OpenAI account. Phone-based biometrics are enabled separately.

Now for getting back inside.

 

How To Unlock ChatGPT Chats With Face ID, Touch ID, Or A PIN

To open a protected thread, go to Projects > Locked chats, authenticate, and select the conversation.

On supported iPhones, enable Use Face ID or Use Touch ID in Settings > Security and login > Account PIN. On Android, choose Use device unlock when offered.

That doesn't lock all of ChatGPT with Face ID. It simply lets you open the protected area without typing the PIN each time on that device. If biometrics are unavailable, the PIN still works.

When you're finished, select Lock now.

Web access also ends when you refresh or close the tab; mobile access automatically ends after one minute away from the locked area or in the background. Opening a protected chat only gives you temporary access. To return it permanently to normal history, use the chat's three-dot menu and choose Unlock chat, then confirm.

Convenient? Yes. Completely private in every sense? Not quite.
 

What Happens To Memory, Files, And Privacy In Locked Chats?

Files uploaded or created inside a locked conversation are also protected and generally remain accessible only within that conversation.

But files brought in from elsewhere, including connected services, keep their own access rules. That's relevant as ChatGPT's connected-app personalization becomes more capable.

Memory needs similar care. If enabled, locked chats can use existing regular Memory. Information learned from new messages after locking can be shared with other locked chats, but not automatically with regular conversations.

Crucially, locking does not erase anything already remembered. OpenAI's wider memory and personalization controls therefore still matter.

Nor does a lock add end-to-end encryption, create an encrypted vault, alter retention, or switch off Improve the model for everyone. You must manage model-training preferences through Data Controls, separately from Locked Chats. This distinction matters amid wider questions about ChatGPT conversation privacy.

In workspaces, the lock also does not override organizational compliance access or retention policies. And existing shared links remain accessible until you delete those links separately.

For a conversation you don't want to save at all, a different feature may be the better choice.
 

Locked Chats Vs. Temporary Chats In ChatGPT: What's The Difference?

The difference between locked chats vs. Temporary Chats in ChatGPT comes down to saved access versus a temporary session:
 

• Locked Chats: Saved behind a PIN, removed from regular history and search, and available to reopen later. Existing model-improvement settings still apply, and locked conversations can create separate memories when Memory is enabled.

• Temporary Chats: Absent from regular history, not used to improve OpenAI's models, and do not create or update memories. They cannot be locked while they remain temporary.

Choose Locked Chats for an ongoing private discussion, such as a sensitive plan you may revisit. Choose Temporary Chats when you don't need to return to the conversation. Neither should replace thoughtful judgment about sharing highly sensitive information, especially when using AI tools that can access personal data.

One last detail could save your chat history from an irreversible mistake.

 

How To Change Or Reset Your ChatGPT PIN

To change a PIN you still know, open Settings > Security and login > Account PIN > Change PIN, enter the current PIN, then create and confirm a new one. Your locked conversations remain intact, and the new PIN works across supported devices.

Forgotten PIN?

You can use Reset PIN from the same settings area, verify your identity, and confirm the warning. But here's the catch: resetting permanently deletes every locked chat, memories stored only within locked chats, and content protected solely by the previous PIN. OpenAI Support cannot recover it.

Simply forgetting your PIN doesn't delete anything; confirming the reset does.

If you still know the old PIN, change it instead. In this case, the difference between change and reset is everything.
   

The Final Lock And Unlock

Locked Chats makes it easier to keep sensitive conversations away from curious eyes without losing them. The PIN and biometric options are useful, but they protect access on your devices, not every aspect of how data is handled. Check memory settings, shared links, and training preferences too. And remember: lock the diary if you like, but never confuse Reset PIN with Change PIN.