How ChatGPT memory works, and how to share it with other agents

Last updated October 31, 2026

ChatGPT memory lets ChatGPT use what it learned in earlier chats. It works two ways: saved memories, which are details you ask it to remember or that it saves as useful context, and reference chat history, which uses relevant information from past conversations. You control both under Settings, then Personalization, then Memory, and Temporary Chats never create or update memories. ChatGPT's memory stays inside ChatGPT: OpenAI offers no way to export it to another app or let other agents read it. To share context across ChatGPT, Claude and Codex, connect them all to one memory server.

The two kinds of ChatGPT memory

OpenAI's April 10, 2025 update described memory as working "in two ways: 'saved memories' you've asked it to remember and 'chat history', which are insights ChatGPT gathers from past chats."

• Saved memories are "details that you explicitly ask ChatGPT to remember or that ChatGPT saves as useful context." They're "stored separately from chat history," so "deleting the original chat does not automatically delete a separate saved memory."
• Reference chat history lets "ChatGPT use relevant information from past conversations." If you turn it off, "information remembered from past chats is scheduled for deletion from OpenAI systems within 30 days."

OpenAI's help article adds that, depending on your plan and region, ChatGPT can also draw on custom instructions, saved files and content from connected apps.

Turn memory on or off

1. Open Settings.
2. Choose Personalization, then Memory.
3. Use the controls there. OpenAI lists them as "Memory, Reference saved memories, Reference chat history, Memory summary, Manage, or Saved memories," and notes that the controls "can vary by plan, region, platform, and workspace settings."

"Delete and turn off memory deletes the remembered information shown in the summary and turns Memory off. It does not delete past chats."

For a single conversation without memory, use a Temporary Chat: "Temporary chats do not create or update memories, even with personalization on."

Memory in ChatGPT projects

"Projects can use either default memory or project-only memory." With project-only memory, a project keeps its own context. "Shared projects are automatically set to project-only memory and cannot be switched to default memory," and they "do not have access to an individual member's context, custom instructions, or memories outside the project." Since August 14, 2026, you can change a project's memory setting after creating it, on all plans.

Which plans have memory

Memory reached ChatGPT Plus users on May 13, 2024, and "ChatGPT Free, Plus, Team, and Enterprise users" by September 5, 2024. Free users get a lighter version: OpenAI's June 3, 2025 update said they "have a lightweight version of memory improvements that provides short term continuity across conversations." Features still vary by plan, region and workspace.

Can you export ChatGPT memory?

Not to another app. OpenAI's guide to moving exported conversations between accounts says that process doesn't "move subscriptions, settings, memories, GPTs, files, or workspace access to another account." The one documented exception is moving from a personal account to a Business or Enterprise workspace, where "supported saved memories that apply across your chats are eligible to transfer," but memories scoped to a project aren't. We found no OpenAI feature that lets other apps or agents read ChatGPT's memory.

Share context between ChatGPT and other agents

ChatGPT's memory is for ChatGPT. If you also use Claude, Codex or Claude Code, each keeps its own memory, and what one learns doesn't reach the others. A memory server you add to all of them fixes that:

1. Add the server to ChatGPT as a custom MCP server. This needs a paid ChatGPT plan that offers custom MCP servers. See How to add a memory MCP server to ChatGPT.
2. Add the same server to your other agents, such as Claude, Codex and Claude Code.
3. Sign in to the same account everywhere. A decision saved from ChatGPT is then found by Codex the next day.

Memlo is one such server, at https://memlo.ai/mcp. Its memories are titled notes you can read and edit, every change is a version with when it was written and by whom, and you can share a space with people. You can use it next to ChatGPT's built-in memory: keep personal preferences in ChatGPT, and the decisions every agent needs in the shared memory.

Frequently asked questions

Does ChatGPT remember previous conversations?

Yes, if memory is on. With "Reference chat history" turned on, ChatGPT uses relevant information from past conversations. Saved memories are kept separately, and Temporary Chats don't create or update memories.

How do I see what ChatGPT remembers?

Open Settings, then Personalization, then Memory. Depending on your plan, you'll see a memory summary and can manage or delete saved memories there.

How do I delete ChatGPT memory?

In Settings, then Personalization, then Memory, delete single saved memories, or use "Delete and turn off memory," which deletes the remembered information and turns memory off without deleting past chats. Deleting a chat doesn't delete a saved memory that came from it.

Can Claude or Codex use my ChatGPT memory?

No. OpenAI offers no way for other apps to read ChatGPT's memory. To share context, connect ChatGPT and the other agents to the same memory server.

Is ChatGPT memory the same in projects?

Not always. A project can use default memory or project-only memory, and shared projects always use project-only memory.

Sources

Checked on October 31, 2026:

• Memory in ChatGPT, OpenAI Help Center
• Memory and new controls for ChatGPT, OpenAI, with updates through June 3, 2025
• Projects in ChatGPT, OpenAI Help Center
• ChatGPT release notes, OpenAI Help Center
• Transfer exported conversations between ChatGPT accounts and Migrating your personal workspace to ChatGPT Business or Enterprise, OpenAI Help Center
• Memlo: the setup page