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Lock a chat to remove it from regular history and search and require a PIN or supported device authentication to open it. Archive a chat to remove it from the sidebar while keeping it searchable. Neither action deletes the conversation, changes its retention, or changes whether the existing model-improvement setting applies. A lock is an access and visibility control—not a separate encrypted vault.
What is the difference between a locked chat and an archived chat?
The main difference is discoverability and access. An archived chat is tucked away from the sidebar but remains searchable; a locked chat is removed from regular history and search and requires authentication before you can open it. OpenAI’s locked-chat guide, archive and deletion guide, and chat search guide describe these behaviors.
| What you want to know | Locked chat | Archived chat |
|---|---|---|
| Where does it go? | Out of regular chat history; find it under Projects > Locked chats. | Out of the regular sidebar; manage it in Settings > Data controls > Archived chats. The label may vary by device. |
| Can regular conversation search find it? | No. Open Locked chats after authentication. On iOS, an in-chat Find option may be available. | Yes. Archived chats can appear in regular conversation search. |
| What gate is required to open it? | An account PIN or supported device authentication on eligible mobile devices. | No separate PIN gate is described for archived chats. |
| Is it still saved? | Yes. Locking does not change retention. | Yes. It remains saved under the same retention rules as other saved chats. |
| Can you reverse the action? | Permanently unlock it to return it to regular history. | Unarchive it to return it to regular history. |
| Does the action change model-improvement settings? | No. The existing setting and workspace policies continue to apply. | No. Archiving does not change whether a chat may be used for model improvement. |
In brief, archive is for tidying your sidebar while retaining easy search access. Lock is for keeping a saved conversation out of ordinary view and adding a gate before opening it. If your goal is to remove a saved conversation, deletion is a separate action.
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These are therefore not two levels of the same privacy feature. Archive is primarily an organization choice: the conversation is no longer in the regular sidebar, but you can still locate it with search or through archived-chat controls. Lock is an access and visibility choice: the conversation is taken out of regular history and ordinary search, and opening it requires authentication. Neither action is a way to erase a conversation or alter how long it is retained.
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When should I lock a chat instead of archiving it?
Choose based on what you want to happen the next time you look for the conversation. Archive it when you want less sidebar clutter but still want to find it through regular search. Lock it when you want it out of regular history and search and want authentication required to open it.
- Choose archive for completed projects, old troubleshooting threads, or other conversations you want to keep accessible without leaving them in the sidebar.
- Choose lock for a saved conversation you do not want appearing in regular history, search, recents, notifications, or previews, such as when someone else may see your screen or device.
- Choose neither as a substitute for deletion. Archive retains the chat, and lock does not change its retention.
A lock limits ordinary visibility and access in the ChatGPT interface; it does not make the conversation exempt from the account’s data settings or applicable workspace rules. Treat it as a convenience and privacy control, not as a promise that nobody else can access the underlying data.
Think about how often you need the chat as well as who might see your screen. If you expect to search for details from it regularly, archiving is simpler because archived chats remain available in conversation search. A locked chat will not appear in ordinary search; you need to go to Locked chats and authenticate first. If you want the chat available only after that extra gate, locking is the closer fit.
Locking also changes what you can do with the conversation while it is locked. It cannot be archived, pinned, moved, or shared in that state. If you need one of those actions later, permanently unlock it first. A chat that already has a shared link needs extra care: locking does not remove that link or revoke access to content shared through it.
How do I find, open, or restore an archived chat?
You can find archived conversations through regular search or manage them from Data controls. To put one back in regular history, unarchive it from the archived-chat controls.
- To search, use ChatGPT’s conversation search and enter a term from the conversation. Archived chats can appear in the results.
- To browse archived chats, open Settings > Data controls > Archived chats. The precise label may differ by device.
- Select the conversation you want to return and choose the available unarchive action. It will return to regular history.
Archiving and unarchiving are reversible organization actions. They do not erase the conversation or change the model-improvement setting that applies to it.
If you cannot find an archived conversation in the sidebar, that is expected: archiving removes it from the regular sidebar. Try a distinctive word or phrase from the conversation in regular search, or use the archived-chat controls in Data controls to browse the saved items. Search is useful when you remember a topic but not the conversation title; the settings route is useful when you want to inspect the archived list or restore a chat directly.
Unarchiving returns the conversation to regular history, where it is again part of the ordinary chat list. It does not make a deleted chat recoverable, because deletion is a different action. Nor does archiving itself change retention or whether the existing model-improvement setting applies.
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How do I open and manage a locked chat?
Locked chats are accessed from Projects > Locked chats. Authenticate with your account PIN or, on eligible mobile devices, supported device authentication; access is temporary, and you can select Lock now when you want to end the unlocked session.
- Open Projects and choose Locked chats.
- Complete the authentication prompt shown for your account or supported device.
- Open the conversation you need. If you are using iOS, an in-chat Find option may be available.
- When finished, select Lock now to end the temporary access session.
To return a conversation to ordinary history, permanently unlock it. A locked chat cannot be archived, pinned, moved, or shared while it remains locked; unlock it first if you need one of those actions.
The unlock is temporary when you authenticate to view locked chats. Selecting Lock now ends that access session; it is not the same as permanently unlocking a particular conversation. Permanently unlocking moves that chat back into regular history. Keep the distinction in mind if your goal is to put one chat back in the ordinary list rather than simply end the current viewing session.
The exact authentication option and interface can depend on the device and platform. The feature guide describes a four-digit account PIN and supported device authentication on eligible mobile devices. If the menu or option looks different, use the current guide for your app rather than assuming every platform exposes the same controls.
What if I forgot the PIN?
Resetting a forgotten account PIN has a serious consequence: it permanently deletes locked chats, information remembered only within them, and files or other content protected only by the previous PIN. OpenAI says this cannot be undone and Support cannot recover that deleted content. Changing a PIN you still know does not delete locked chats. See the locked-chat instructions before resetting, and distinguish a forgotten-PIN reset from changing a known PIN.
Because the reset consequence is permanent, do not treat it as a routine way to regain access. If you know the existing PIN and want a different one, changing the known PIN does not have the same deletion consequence. The loss described for a forgotten-PIN reset can include not only the locked conversations but also information and content protected only by that old PIN; it is not limited to removing the authentication gate.
Are locked chats encrypted or excluded from model training?
The feature documentation describes a PIN or supported device authentication gate, not end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault. Locking also does not change what ChatGPT retains or override the account’s existing model-improvement setting.
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Locking does not remove information the system remembered before the conversation was locked. It also does not override safety requirements, legal or compliance obligations, or workspace policies. For Enterprise and Edu workspaces, locked chats remain included in conversation message logs available through the OpenAI Compliance Platform; administrators cannot unlock a user’s chats or reset that user’s account PIN. These limits are described in OpenAI’s locked-chat guide and data-controls guide.
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In practical terms, a lock helps keep a conversation out of ordinary history, search, recents, notifications, and previews, and adds a gate before you open it. It should not be described as a guarantee that the information has been encrypted separately, forgotten by the system, or made inaccessible under every policy. The existing account setting for model improvement continues to apply; locking is not an opt-out action.
Likewise, archiving is not a privacy setting that changes the conversation’s use or retention. It only removes the chat from the regular sidebar while leaving it saved and searchable. If you want to understand or change data settings, review the relevant controls themselves rather than relying on archive or lock to change them.
Who can use locked chats, and which conversations are eligible?
OpenAI lists the feature for Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu, but availability is rolling out gradually, so an eligible plan does not guarantee that the option has appeared in your account. Support also depends on the app and conversation type: OpenAI describes desktop support in the new ChatGPT macOS or Windows app and supported cloud conversations in Chat or Work mode. Codex conversations and local Work conversations cannot be locked; Healthcare is excluded. Check the current feature guide if the option is missing.
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Not every saved conversation is eligible. Examples OpenAI lists include temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, conversations created from a shared link, chats with scheduled tasks or meeting recordings, and chats associated with background tasks. The guide includes additional categories, and project eligibility varies by platform.
This means a missing Lock chat control does not necessarily indicate a problem with your PIN or subscription. The feature may not have reached your account yet, your current app may not be a supported one, or the conversation may fall into an ineligible category. For an archived conversation, unarchive it first and then check whether the lock option is available. Eligibility can still depend on the platform and the chat itself.
What happens to an existing shared link?
Locking a chat does not delete a shared link that already exists or revoke access to content previously shared through it. Delete the shared link separately if you want to stop that access. A conversation created from a shared link cannot itself be locked.
That distinction matters: the lock affects how the saved conversation appears and opens in your ChatGPT account, but it is not a link-revocation control. If the link was shared previously and you no longer want it to provide access, manage and delete the shared link separately. A chat that originated from a shared link is also among the examples of conversations that cannot be locked.
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No. Both actions keep the conversation saved. To remove it, use the separate delete action; do not treat hiding a chat as erasing it.
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OpenAI says saved chats remain until you delete them or an applicable workspace retention policy removes them. When you delete a saved chat, it disappears from your account view immediately and is scheduled for permanent deletion from OpenAI’s systems within 30 days. Exceptions apply if the chat was already de-identified and disassociated from your account, or if OpenAI must retain it longer for security or legal obligations. Deleted chats cannot be restored through ChatGPT or Support. The details are in OpenAI’s deletion and archiving guide and chat and file retention guide.
Files saved separately in Library are a distinct consideration: deleting a chat does not necessarily delete a separate file that remains saved there. Review and manage separately saved files if you intend to remove them too.
Use deletion only when you mean to remove the saved conversation and understand the recovery and retention consequences. Deletion is not an undoable version of archive or lock: the chat disappears from your account view immediately, and ChatGPT and Support cannot restore it. The stated 30-day schedule is subject to the noted exceptions, including prior de-identification and longer retention required for security or legal obligations.
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| Your goal | Action | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Reduce sidebar clutter and keep search access | Archive | The chat leaves the sidebar but remains saved and searchable. |
| Keep a saved chat out of ordinary history and require a gate to open it | Lock | The chat leaves regular history and search; authentication is required to open it. |
| Remove a saved conversation | Delete | The chat is removed from account view; deletion is scheduled under OpenAI’s retention policy and is not restorable through ChatGPT or Support. |
Before choosing lock, consider whether you need to search for the conversation regularly, whether it is eligible, and whether you can securely retain the PIN: a forgotten-PIN reset can delete the locked content permanently. Before deleting, check whether there are separately saved files you still need.
A simple decision rule is to archive for organization, lock for reduced visibility plus an opening gate, and delete only when you intend to remove the saved chat. If you need regular search, archive is usually the more convenient choice. If you need a saved conversation out of ordinary history and are comfortable authenticating to open it, lock is the better match. If your goal is data removal, neither archive nor lock does that job.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I lock a chat that is already archived?
Archived chats are among the conversation types OpenAI lists as ineligible for locking. Unarchive the conversation first, then check whether the Lock chat option is available for it and your platform.
Can my company see a locked chat in a work account?
For Enterprise and Edu workspaces, locked chats remain in conversation message logs available through the OpenAI Compliance Platform. A PIN gate does not remove that organizational compliance access.
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Why can’t I see the Lock chat option?
The feature is rolling out gradually, and some conversation types or platforms are not supported. Temporary, group, shared-link-originated, and certain task-related conversations are examples of chats that may not be eligible; consult OpenAI’s current feature guide for the full list.
Can I search for a locked chat?
Locked chats do not appear in regular conversation search. Open Projects > Locked chats and authenticate to browse them; on iOS, an in-chat Find option may be available.
Are locked chats end-to-end encrypted?
OpenAI describes an account PIN or supported device authentication gate, not end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault. Locking does not change retention, workspace policies, or the existing model-improvement setting.
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No. Archiving does not change whether a conversation may be used for model improvement. The account’s existing setting and applicable workspace policies continue to apply.
Does deleting a chat also delete its files?
Not necessarily. A file saved separately in Library may remain after the conversation is deleted, so manage separately saved files in Library if you intend to remove them too.
Can I recover locked chats after resetting a forgotten PIN?
No. OpenAI says a forgotten-PIN reset permanently deletes locked chats and information or content protected only by the previous PIN, and Support cannot recover it. Changing a PIN you still know does not delete locked chats.
How do I restore an archived chat to my sidebar?
Open Settings > Data controls > Archived chats, with labels varying by device, and choose the available unarchive action. You can also locate archived chats through regular conversation search.
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Bottom line: Archive a chat to clear it from the sidebar while keeping it searchable. Lock it to remove it from regular history and search and require authentication before opening it. Delete it only if you intend to remove the saved conversation; neither locking nor archiving deletes it, changes retention, or changes model-improvement settings.
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