OpenAI is Improving How ChatGPT’s Memory Works

OpenAI is starting to roll out a new memory system in ChatGPT that will intelligently update what the chatbot remembers about its users in the background. The new experience, which is rolling out first to ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers in the US, will generate a memory summary for every user, which will be automatically updated over time and support manual edits.

ChatGPT’s memory system originally launched in April 2024, and it allowed users to ask the chatbot to remember specific information to use as a reference in future conversations. A year later, ChatGPT gained the ability to reference all past chats to provide more personalized responses. This is what OpenAI calls “dreaming,” which is ChatGPT’s ability to “automatically curate memories in the background by referencing chat history.”

The new ChatGPT memory system that’s starting to roll out to Pro and Plus users in the US, is what OpenAI calls “Dreaming V3”. It will now update memories automatically using details shared with ChatGPT and create a memory summary, available from Settings > Personalization > Memory Summary. This new summary will also allow users to review and manage what ChatGPT remembers about them.

With the new memory system, you can review and steer what ChatGPT remembers through a memory summary, with more visibility and control over how context is used. pic.twitter.com/kXMAds0g3q

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) June 4, 2026

“The previous saved memories system often became stale and relied on users to manually manage updates. Memories could also contradict one another, such as “I’m training for a marathon” and “I sprained my ankle,” which made personalization less accurate,” OpenAI explained in an FAQ.

This new memory system doesn’t replace Custom Instructions, which still allow ChatGPT users to customize how the chatbot responds in all conversations. ChatGPT Pro and Plus users can also still make edits to their memory summary or use Temporary Chats, which won’t use existing memories or create new ones.

Lastly, ChatGPT allows users to disable this new memory system entirely in Memory controls. Doing so will bring back the legacy saved memories system. However, OpenAI believes that this new dreaming-based memory system provides “a shared memory foundation for all users.”