October 14, 2026

Use a temporary ChatGPT chat when you do not want it saved

Turn Temporary chat on before you type. It is not added to history and it does not update memory.

• Privacy & Security
• Easy · 1 min
• ChatGPT
• Fix: start a temporary ChatGPT chat
• ChatGPT
• Cheat sheet

How to do it

1. 01

   Start a new chat.

2. 02

   Turn Temporary chat on before you type. The control is at the top of a new chat. If you do not see it, open the chat options and look for Temporary.

3. 03

   Leave personalization off for that chat if you also do not want existing custom instructions and memories pulled in.

4. 04

   Do not paste passwords, identity numbers, or private keys. Temporary is not a vault.

If you save the conversation, it becomes a regular chat and the point of the mode is gone. For standing rules you do want remembered, use custom instructions instead.