ChatGPT privacy settings: 9 steps to keep your chats private

ChatGPT keeps a surprising amount about you: every saved conversation, files you upload, things it chooses to remember, and any links you have shared. None of that is a reason to stop using it, but it is worth ten minutes in the settings. This guide covers the controls available to individual users on Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans; menu names can differ slightly between the web, desktop and mobile apps.

1. Turn off model training

Go to Settings → Data controls and switch off Improve the model for everyone. With it off, new conversations are not used to train OpenAI’s models. Your history still works as before. The setting applies to your account, so check it once on any device. If you want the change recorded formally, OpenAI’s privacy portal (privacy.openai.com) also accepts a request not to train on your content.

2. Use Temporary Chat for sensitive one-offs

Start a Temporary Chat from the chat header for questions you would not want sitting in your history: medical, legal or money questions, or anything involving other people. Temporary chats do not appear in your history and are not used to train models. OpenAI may keep a copy for up to 30 days for safety reviews before deleting it. You cannot later save or lock a temporary chat, so copy out anything you need.

3. Check what ChatGPT remembers

Open Settings → Personalization → Memory (on some versions, Manage memories). Here you can:

• read every saved memory and delete single entries;
• turn off saved memories altogether;
• turn off referencing past chat history if you do not want old conversations shaping new answers.

Memory is easy to forget about, and it outlives individual chats: deleting or locking a conversation does not remove facts ChatGPT already saved from it.

4. Lock chats that others might see

The new Locked Chats feature puts a conversation behind a four-digit account PIN, or Face ID, Touch ID or your Android unlock on phones. Use it on shared computers or before screen sharing. Two limits matter: it is not encryption, and locked chats still follow your training setting. If you forget the PIN, resetting it permanently deletes every locked chat. Our news story on ChatGPT Locked Chats has the full details.

5. Clean up shared links

When you share a conversation, anyone with the link can view a snapshot of it, and they can pass it on. Go to Settings → Data controls → Shared links → Manage and delete links you no longer need. AI share links have leaked before: see what happened with Meta AI share links exposed through DNS data.

6. Delete old conversations

Delete single chats from their menu, or remove everything under Settings → Data controls → Delete all chats. Archiving only hides a chat; it does not delete it. OpenAI says deleted chats are removed from its systems within 30 days, unless it must keep them for security or legal reasons.

7. Be careful with files, photos and connected apps

Uploaded files and images become part of the conversation. Remove names, account numbers and faces you do not need before uploading, and do not paste passwords, recovery codes or full card numbers into any chatbot. If you have connected apps such as cloud drives, email or calendars, review them in settings and disconnect the ones you do not actively use.

8. Secure the account itself

All of these settings mean little if someone else can sign in. Turn on multi-factor authentication under Settings → Security, use a unique password (or sign in with an account that already has strong protection), and use Log out of all devices if you have signed in on a computer you no longer control.

9. Export your data now and then

Settings → Data controls → Export data emails you a download link with your chat history. It is a useful backup, and a good way to see exactly what is stored about you.

Want to keep it all on your own device?

If you regularly work with sensitive documents, the most private option is a model that runs locally, where nothing leaves your machine. Our laptop for local AI guide explains how much memory you need and which hardware handles it.