ChatGPT adds Locked Chats to hide sensitive conversations

In short: OpenAI is rolling out a “Locked Chats” feature in ChatGPT that lets you protect specific conversations with a PIN or biometric login.

What happened

OpenAI announced that ChatGPT users can now lock individual chats, so other people cannot open them if they get access to your phone or computer. You can secure locked chats with a four digit PIN, or with Face ID or Touch ID on supported devices.

Locked chats are meant for moments when you might hand your device to a friend or family member to show something else, but you do not want them scrolling into a personal conversation or a surprise plan. After you lock a chat, it moves into a separate “Locked Chats” section, and it will not show up in your normal chat list, pinned chats, or search results.

OpenAI says Locked Chats are different from Temporary Chats. Temporary Chats do not appear in your history at all, while Locked Chats stay available so you can come back later.

The company also notes what this feature does not do. It does not add end to end encryption (a private tunnel that only you and the receiver can read), and it does not change how long OpenAI keeps the chat. It also does not change the “Improve the model for everyone” setting.

Locked Chats are rolling out to ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans, but not ChatGPT for Healthcare. Some chat types cannot be locked, including temporary chats and group chats.

Why it matters

Many people use ChatGPT for personal topics, from private questions to sensitive planning. Locked Chats works like putting certain conversations in a drawer with a key, which can help prevent awkward or unwanted snooping when you share your screen or device.

Source: TechCrunch AI