OpenAI announced locked chats on October 20. The feature hides selected saved conversations from regular history, pinned chats, and search, with access through a four-digit account PIN or supported device authentication. It can help keep conversations out of view during screen sharing or on a shared device.
The rollout is gradual, so the Lock chat option may not appear yet. Open an eligible conversation's menu to find it. Not every chat type qualifies.
Locking does not add end-to-end encryption or change retention or model-training settings. Previously shared links remain accessible unless deleted separately. Important: resetting a forgotten PIN permanently deletes locked chats and content protected only by that PIN; OpenAI says it cannot recover them.
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