--- title: "OpenAI Launches Locked Chats: ChatGPT Conversations Secured with PIN and Biometrics" description: "OpenAI has started rolling out Locked chats in ChatGPT: users can hide dialogues from their general history and secure them with a PIN or biometrics. The feature is available on all tiers but does not provide end-to-end encryption." date: 2026-10-21T08:20:03.875Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/openai-locked-chats-chatgpt-pin-biometrics tags: [openai, chatgpt, privacy, ai-security, locked-chats, biometrics] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # OpenAI Launches Locked Chats: ChatGPT Conversations Secured with PIN and Biometrics ![Laptop on a wooden desk displaying the Locked chats security screen in ChatGPT](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/21/openai-locked-chats-chatgpt-pin-biometriya/openai-locked-chats-chatgpt-pin-biometriya-1.webp) ## Key Points - OpenAI launches Locked chats, a feature to hide ChatGPT conversations behind a PIN or biometrics - Protected chats disappear from the sidebar and search, and are available in the «Projects — Protected chats» section - The feature is available on all plans: Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, Edu - The PIN does not provide end-to-end encryption; losing it results in permanent data deletion - Closed chats cannot be archived, pinned, or shared via links OpenAI has begun the phased rollout of Locked chats, a new privacy feature in ChatGPT that allows users to hide selected conversations from their general chat history. Protected dialogues are isolated from the sidebar, the list of pinned chats, and standard in-service search. Access to them is granted via a four-digit account PIN on desktop platforms or biometric authentication—such as Face ID, Touch ID, or standard device unlocking—on iOS and Android mobile devices. The feature is positioned as a solution for device-sharing scenarios, screen-sharing with colleagues, or working in public spaces where users do not want outsiders seeing the contents of their interactions with the AI. ### How the Protection Works and Where to Find Hidden Chats Protected conversations do not vanish from the system permanently: they are gathered in a dedicated folder under the "Projects — Protected chats" section. It is from there that users can return to a conversation by entering their PIN or completing biometric verification. On the desktop versions for macOS and Windows, authentication is performed exclusively via a four-digit code, while the mobile apps for iOS and Android support the full suite of biometric methods available on the specific device. This approach preserves privacy without requiring users to memorize separate passwords for each individual dialogue. ### Availability: All Subscription Tiers and New Desktop Apps The Locked chats feature is rolling out to users across all active subscription tiers—Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu. In addition to the web interface and mobile apps, OpenAI has integrated chat protection into the new desktop apps for macOS and Windows, making the tool available across all major platforms where ChatGPT operates. The phased rollout means the feature may appear for users on different days, and not all accounts receive access simultaneously. ### Technical Nuances: Files, AI Memory, and Limitations Dialogue protection affects not only the chat text but also accompanying data. Documents uploaded to a protected chat are hidden from general file storage and remain accessible exclusively within that conversation. Regarding the AI's memory, a protected chat can utilize previously saved information from the user's general profile; however, new facts captured during the locked session are not transferred to the general memory. This means the context built within a hidden dialogue will not influence subsequent open conversations. Functional limitations include: closed chats cannot be archived, pinned in the sidebar, or shared via links. The feature also does not apply to temporary and group chats. ### Important Caveats: Lack of End-to-End Encryption and Risk of Permanent Data Loss OpenAI explicitly states that the implementation of a PIN does not introduce end-to-end encryption and does not alter the company's overall data retention policy. This means that server-side information is still stored in accordance with standard procedures, and the PIN acts as client-side protection against unauthorized viewing on a specific device. A critically important detail is that if a user forgets their PIN, resetting security settings will lead to the permanent deletion of all hidden chats, associated files, and local memories. Neither OpenAI support nor enterprise workspace administrators will be able to recover this data. The company recommends that users carefully consider which dialogues to place in protected mode, given the impossibility of recovering them after a reset. ### Context: Privacy as a Competitive Advantage The launch of Locked chats continues OpenAI's trend of expanding data control tools, which is especially relevant amid growing competition from Anthropic, Google, and other generative AI developers. In the corporate segment, where ChatGPT Enterprise and Business tiers are actively integrated into workflows, the ability to isolate sensitive conversations from colleagues using the same device becomes not just a convenience, but an information security requirement. At the same time, OpenAI maintains transparency in describing the feature's limitations, setting the company's approach apart from the marketing promises of "absolute privacy" frequently found in competitor press releases. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Защита от посторонних глаз: у ChatGPT появились скрытые чаты под PIN-кодом](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zahist-vid-storonnih-ochey-chatgpt-z-yavilisya-1792568010.html) - The primary source contains all key facts: the protection mechanism (PIN/biometrics), tier availability, technical nuances (files, memory, limitations), the caveat regarding the lack of E2E encryption, and the risk of permanent data loss upon losing the PIN. All data has been transferred to the article without distortion. ## FAQ ### What are Locked chats in ChatGPT? Locked chats is an OpenAI feature that allows users to hide selected conversations from their general history and protect access to them using a four-digit PIN or biometric data (Face ID, Touch ID). ### Which subscription tiers have access to Locked chats? The feature is rolling out to all pricing plans: Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu, as well as the new desktop applications for macOS and Windows. ### Does Locked chats provide end-to-end encryption? No. OpenAI explicitly states that the PIN does not create end-to-end encryption and does not change the company's general data retention policy. ### What happens if I forget my PIN? Resetting security settings will permanently delete all hidden chats, associated files, and local memories. Neither OpenAI support nor corporate workspace administrators can recover this data. ### Can I share a protected chat via a link? No. Closed chats cannot be archived, pinned in the sidebar, or shared via links. The feature also does not apply to temporary and group chats.