Here’s What ChatGPT Knows About You — And How to Erase It

If you’ve been using ChatGPT for a while, there’s a good chance it knows quite a bit about you—maybe even more than you’re comfortable with. From your job and hobbies to more personal details, ChatGPT stores information to make your conversations smoother and more tailored. But what exactly does it remember, and how can you take control of that memory?

Let’s break it down.

How ChatGPT Stores Personal Information

ChatGPT uses a feature called Memory to remember helpful facts you’ve shared during conversations. These can include your:

• Name

• Job or industry

• Where you live

• Interests and hobbies

• Projects you’re working on

• Even sensitive topics like health, family, or finances (if you mentioned them)

When ChatGPT updates its memory, you’ll often see a label in the chat that says “Updated saved memory.” You can click this label to review exactly what was added or changed.

This memory feature is designed to personalize your experience. For instance, if you often ask about marketing strategies for your bakery, it might remember that you run a bakery and offer more relevant advice in the future.

Read More: Turn a Simple ChatGPT Prompt Into a Six-Figure Passive Income Stream in 2025

How to Find Out What ChatGPT Knows About You

To view what ChatGPT has stored, simply type:

“What do you know about me?”

If memory serves, ChatGPT shows a list of facts it remembers about you. This works for both free and paid users. No subscription is needed. Many users are surprised by how much is saved.

This often happens if you’ve shared personal stories or details over time. But don’t worry—all this info comes from what you told ChatGPT. It doesn’t search the internet or gather data from outside sources.

How to Update or Correct What ChatGPT Remembers

After showing what it knows, ChatGPT will often ask:

“Would you like me to forget or update any of this?”

You can respond in plain language. For example:
“I no longer live in New York; I moved to Austin.”

Or:

“I’ve changed careers; I now work in tech support.”

ChatGPT will then confirm that it has updated your memory, and you’ll again see the “Updated saved memory” label.

How to Delete ChatGPT’s Memory

If you want to remove certain memories—or wipe everything—here’s how:

Step-by-step guide:

1. Click your profile icon in the bottom left.

2. Go to Settings > Personalization.

3. Click on Manage Memory (you’ll find it under “Reference Saved Memories”).

4. You’ll see a list of saved facts. Click the trash icon next to any fact to delete it.

5. To delete everything at once, scroll to the bottom and click “Delete all.”

Asking ChatGPT to delete memories through chat doesn’t always work. It’s best to use the settings menu to ensure data is fully removed.

To stop memory altogether:

Go back to the Personalization settings and toggle “Reference saved memories” to off. ChatGPT will then stop saving any new information about you.

Read More: AI-Powered Email Writing: Prompts and Tips with ChatGPT

How to Chat Privately With ChatGPT

Need to ask something personal but don’t want it remembered? Use a temporary chat.

• Click the dotted speech bubble next to your profile picture.

• Start a chat in temporary mode.

• Nothing you say will be stored or show up in your chat history.

Note: Temporary chats cannot be retrieved later. If there’s anything important, make sure to copy it or take a screenshot before closing the window.

How to Secure Your ChatGPT Account

Even if you’re okay with ChatGPT remembering things, you don’t want someone else accessing your account and reading your saved info. That’s why enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) is strongly recommended.

To turn on 2FA:

1. Go to Settings > Security.

2. Click Enable multi-factor authentication.

3. Scan the QR code with an app like Authy or Google Authenticator.

4. Every time you log in on a new device, you’ll need to enter a 6-digit code from the app.

This adds a strong layer of protection—even if someone steals your password, they won’t be able to log in without the second code.

Read More: ChatGPT Can Now Help You Find and Compare Products Online

Final Thoughts

ChatGPT’s memory is designed to improve your experience. But it also raises some concerns.

Luckily, OpenAI gives you tools to manage it. You can view, update, or delete what it remembers. You can also reset or fully turn off the memory feature. The choice is yours.

Just remember: you control what ChatGPT remembers—and what it forgets.