Tech Desk: OpenAI has rolled out a significant new privacy feature for ChatGPT: ChatGPT locked chats. Users can now secure their sensitive conversations with a four-digit PIN, Face ID, or Touch ID on supported devices, ensuring personal discussions remain private even when others might access their screen or device. This update addresses a growing need for enhanced digital privacy in AI interactions.

Unlike the existing Temporary Chats, which offer a session that doesn’t save to history, ChatGPT locked chats allows users to return to their secured conversations at any time. These locked discussions are moved to a dedicated “Locked Chats” section, keeping them separate from regular chat history, pinned conversations, and search results for improved organization.

While this feature adds a crucial layer of access control, OpenAI clarifies its limitations. It does not provide end-to-end encryption or create a separate encrypted vault. Importantly, ChatGPT locked chats maintain their own separate memory, ensuring information from these private discussions doesn’t “leak” into regular chat memory, offering a distinct privacy boundary.

The ChatGPT locked chats functionality is rolling out across various plans, including ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu. However, it is not available for ChatGPT for Healthcare. Users should note that resetting a PIN will permanently delete all associated locked chats, files, and content, underscoring the importance of careful management.