You Can Now Lock Your Private ChatGPT Conversations With a PIN
OpenAI introduces the Locked Chats feature allowing users to hide sensitive conversations behind a four-digit PIN or biometric authentication.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The new Locked Chats feature hides sensitive conversations behind a 4-digit account PIN or biometric authentication.
- Locked chats are hidden from regular chat history, pinned chats, and conversation searches.
- The feature is available across Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans.
- Locking chats does not encrypt them end-to-end or prevent OpenAI from retaining or using the data.
If you have personal conversations with ChatGPT that you prefer to keep away from prying eyes, you can now add an extra layer of security for those specific chats. The new Locked Chats feature allows you to hide sensitive conversations behind a four-digit account PIN, or through biometric authentication when using mobile devices, ensuring that anyone with access to your screen cannot read them.
To start a locked chat using an existing conversation, open the chat you wish to keep private, access the options menu, and select Lock chat to create or enter your account PIN. This action moves the conversation into your locked chats project. You can also start a locked chat from scratch by navigating to Projects and Locked Chats, entering your PIN or authentication method, and typing a message. When finished, select Lock now to end access and hide them from the sidebar.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
If you have not previously set up an account PIN, the system will prompt you to do so the first time you attempt to lock a conversation. Simply select Create a PIN, enter your four-digit code, and confirm it. Users can also enable biometric authentication directly within the Account PIN settings. Keep in mind that resetting your account PIN at any point will permanently delete all locked chats with no option for recovery.
The introduction of Locked Chats provides a practical layer of device-level privacy, functioning similarly to chat-locking features found in modern messaging apps. This is particularly useful when handing your device to someone else. However, it is crucial to distinguish interface-level privacy from data encryption: locking a conversation does not isolate it into an encrypted vault or stop OpenAI from processing and retaining data unless separate data control settings are adjusted.
Locked chats are rolling out globally across ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise, and Edu plans on both mobile and desktop applications, though the feature is currently unavailable for ChatGPT for Healthcare. Several limitations apply as well, meaning temporary chats, archived chats, group chats, chats with shared links, background tasks, and meeting recordings cannot be locked. OpenAI notes that the rollout is happening gradually.
Source: Lifehacker
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