How to lock ChatGPT chats with a PIN (free plan too)

The golden rule Pick a PIN you won't forget. Resetting a forgotten PIN permanently deletes all your locked chats, and not even OpenAI can bring them back.

What are locked chats in ChatGPT?

Conversations you lock disappear from your regular history, your pinned chats and search. You'll find them under Projects > Locked chats, behind your PIN.

It works on the website, in the iPhone and Android apps and in the new desktop app for Mac and Windows. OpenAI lists no restriction for Europe.

When is a locked chat useful?

You share a laptop or tablet with your family, or your screen in a meeting.
You're planning a surprise and don't want your partner reading along.
You asked something personal about your health, money or relationship.

Good to know: what you say after locking a chat doesn't end up in the memory your regular chats use. If you permanently unlock the chat later, ChatGPT may use the whole conversation again.

How to lock a chat in ChatGPT

Open chatgpt.com or the ChatGPT app and update the app. No account yet? Follow our ChatGPT sign-up guide.
Tap or click the three-dot menu (•••) next to the conversation, choose Lock chat and confirm with Lock chat again.
The first time, you create a four-digit PIN. On a phone or tablet you can also turn on Face ID, Touch ID or your screen lock, per device.
Finished with the conversation? Choose Lock now. If you leave the chat, it also relocks by itself.

Tip: about to share your screen? Refresh ChatGPT on your other devices first, because the title can stay visible there for a while.

Don't see Lock chat? The feature may not have reached your account yet, or this type of chat can't be locked (for example temporary, archived or group chats). Try a regular chat, or try again later.

After your first locked chat, you can also start new conversations in the Locked chats area, for example:

“I'm organising a surprise party for my sister's 50th. Budget: €400, about 25 guests. Make a plan: what do I need to sort out, and when?” “I want to ask my boss for a raise. Ask me three questions about my job first, then help me prepare: what do I say first, and what if the answer is no?”

What a locked chat doesn't protect

The lock is meant for people around you, not for OpenAI. It doesn't add end-to-end encryption or a separate encrypted vault. OpenAI keeps the chat just as long and your AI training setting stays the same. Whatever ChatGPT remembered before you locked the chat stays. An existing share link keeps working until you delete it yourself.

Locked chat or temporary chat: which one?

A temporary chat doesn't appear in your history and isn't used to train the AI. OpenAI may keep it for up to 30 days for safety checks. Want to pick it up later and still keep it out of view? Use a locked chat: it stays saved. Note: a locked chat does follow your regular training setting.

Using ChatGPT safely: PIN, training and privacy

Changing is safe, resetting isn't. Changing your PIN (Settings > Security and login > Account PIN) needs your current PIN and keeps your chats. Resetting deletes them. Avoid 1234 or your birth year.
Turn off training if you prefer. In Settings > Data controls, switch off Improve the model for everyone. OpenAI then won't train its AI on your new chats. If you give a thumbs up or down, that conversation may still be used.
Passwords and codes never belong in a chat. Don't type passwords, bank codes or your national ID number into ChatGPT, not even in a locked chat.

Keep going with AI

New to AI? Get the free 2-day AI starter: two short sessions of about 15 minutes each.

Curious what ChatGPT already knows about you? Read the empty room trend to learn how to check and delete its memory.

Sources

Checked on 21 October 2026. Features and prices change often: always check the official page. AI Op Zak is independent and not affiliated with the companies mentioned.