OpenAI rolls out PIN-protected conversations in ChatGPT

ChatGPT is gradually gaining a feature that hides selected conversations and requires a four-digit account PIN to open them, according to OpenAI’s help documentation.

Locked conversations disappear from regular history, pinned chats and general search. They remain accessible under Projects > Locked chats. Supported mobile devices can also use Face ID, Touch ID or device authentication.

The feature restricts access through the interface but does not add end-to-end encryption or create a separate encrypted vault. Existing data retention rules and the user’s setting for using conversations to improve models remain unchanged.

Under OpenAI’s general retention rules, a deleted chat is scheduled for permanent removal from its systems within 30 days. Exceptions apply to data already de-identified and to information that must be retained for legal or security reasons.

Resetting a forgotten PIN permanently deletes all locked chats, memories stored only within them and files protected only by the previous code. OpenAI says its support team cannot restore the deleted content.