Recommended Free Tools
ChatGPT group chats let people and the AI share one conversation, but the feature is being retired: since July 9, 2026, users cannot create or join groups. Existing groups are transitioning to read-only, with timing that OpenAI says may vary. Their history remains available.
What were ChatGPT group chats?
Group chats brought ChatGPT and multiple people into a shared conversation. OpenAI introduced the feature as a pilot on November 13, 2025, then announced a global expansion for logged-in Free, Go, Plus, and Pro users on November 20, 2025. Those announcements describe the launch rollout, not current availability. OpenAI’s launch announcement
OpenAI described uses such as planning a trip, comparing destinations, choosing a restaurant, collaborating on a design, drafting a work outline, and summarizing shared articles or notes. These were vendor examples, not independent findings about performance.
Can I still create or join a ChatGPT group chat?
No. Beginning July 9, 2026, users can no longer create a group chat, turn an existing conversation into one, or join a group using an invite link. This is the retirement status described in OpenAI’s Help Center guidance.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
What happens to an existing group chat?
Existing groups remain usable during a transition, but OpenAI says they will become read-only and that timing may vary. Once a group is read-only, members can review its existing messages, files, and images, but cannot send new messages. Chat history remains available, and OpenAI says users may request a data export for a separate copy. The retirement applies to group chats; individual conversations are unaffected. OpenAI Help Center
How did group chats work?
At launch, users could tap the people icon from a new or existing conversation. Turning a private conversation into a group created a copy, so the original remained separate. A group creator could invite one to twenty people through a link, and members could share that link. Participants could set a group name and profile details, manage members, mute notifications, and set custom instructions for ChatGPT in that group. These details describe the launch-era feature and should not be taken as a promise that those controls remain available during retirement. OpenAI’s launch announcement
Rank #2
OpenAI said groups supported search, image and file uploads, image generation, and dictation at launch. It described ChatGPT responses as powered by GPT-5.1 Auto, which selected a model based on the prompt and the responding user’s plan. Rate limits applied when ChatGPT responded, not to messages exchanged among people; responses counted against the limit of the person ChatGPT was answering. These are historical launch details, not confirmed current functionality.
Are ChatGPT memories shared in group chats?
OpenAI said personal ChatGPT memory was not used in group chats, was not shared with other participants, and that ChatGPT would not create new memories from those conversations. The company’s November 13, 2025 announcement put it this way: “Group chats are separate from your private conversations, and your personal ChatGPT memory is never shared with anyone in the chat.” OpenAI, November 13, 2025
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
What privacy and safety controls did OpenAI describe?
According to OpenAI’s launch announcement, joining required accepting an invitation; participants could see who was in the group and leave at any time. Members could remove other participants, but not the group creator, who could only be removed by leaving.
OpenAI also said that when someone under 18 used group chats, the system automatically reduced exposure to sensitive content for everyone in the group. Parents or guardians could turn group chats off through parental controls. These are statements from the launch announcement rather than a guarantee of controls during the retirement period. OpenAI’s launch announcement
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
