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Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- PCWorld reports that OpenAI is testing an updated Temporary Chat feature for ChatGPT that retains personal customizations without saving conversations.
- This hidden setting functions like Incognito Mode, allowing private chats while maintaining user personalization preferences across sessions.
- AI engineer Tibor Blaho discovered the optional feature, though OpenAI may still store chat copies for up to 30 days for security purposes.
OpenAI is testing an update to ChatGPT’s “Temporary Chat” feature. Temporary Chat allows you to “have a conversation with a blank slate” where “ChatGPT won’t be aware of previous conversations or access memories.” It’s a lot like Incognito Mode in Chrome, which you can use to “privately” browse the web—except here, it’s chatting.
The update to Temporary Chat will sort of tweak this, allowing ChatGPT to retain your personal customizations without the conversation itself being saved or affecting your overall account.
Temporary chat in ChatGPT has a new, currently hidden option that lets you still use personalization (memory, chat history, style and tone preferences) even though the chat is only temporary
ChatGPT web app now also mentions new ChatGPT FinServ plans (Enterprise-like), shopping… pic.twitter.com/CaMaeYlCmP
— Tibor Blaho (@btibor91) January 23, 2026
This change was first discovered by AI engineer Tibor Blaho on social media, who found an undisclosed setting for it in the AI chatbot. He describes it as “a new, currently hidden option that lets you still use personalization (memory, chat history, style and tone preferences) even though the chat is only temporary.”
The new Temporary Chat setting will be optional (for now?) and can be disabled. It isn’t yet available to all users. However, for security reasons, OpenAI may store copies of your chats for up to 30 days.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC för Alla and was translated and localized from Swedish.
Author: Viktor Eriksson, Contributor, PCWorld
Viktor writes news and reports for our sister sites, M3 and PC för Alla. He is passionate about technology and is on the ball with the latest product releases and the hottest talking points in the consumer tech industry.