ChatGPT memory summary vs saved memories: what changed, and did I lose mine?

What is the ChatGPT memory summary?

The memory summary is a high-level view of information ChatGPT may use to personalise responses. You correct it by typing a correction or highlighting text. Saved memories are details you ask ChatGPT to remember, or that it saves as useful context, stored separately from chat history. OpenAI Help Centre: Memory in ChatGPT. Verified 26 October 2026.

What are saved memories?

Two parts: saved memories, which are stored separately from chat history, and reference chat history, which lets ChatGPT use relevant information from past chats. ChatGPT can decide what to remember, or you can ask it. You view and manage both in Settings, Personalization, Memory. OpenAI says features vary by plan, region, platform and workspace settings. OpenAI Help Centre: Memory FAQ. Verified 21 October 2026.

What changed with Dreaming, and when?

OpenAI's post of 4 June 2026 says saved memories first launched in April 2024, and that dreaming, a background process that curates memory from chat history, was first added in April 2025. It says the update is available to Plus and Pro users in the US, and will reach additional countries and Free and Go users over the coming weeks. OpenAI: Dreaming, better memory for a more helpful ChatGPT (4 June 2026). Verified 26 October 2026.

Did I lose my saved memories?

OpenAI has not published this.

In Settings, Personalization, Memory you can select Saved memories to use the legacy experience, or Try improved memory to return. OpenAI does not say what happens to saved memories made before the switch. OpenAI Help Centre: Memory in ChatGPT. Verified 26 October 2026.

On the OpenAI community forum, users report ChatGPT forgetting details since the memory change. An OpenAI Support reply on 8 September 2026 says you can switch back to the legacy system under Settings, Memory, Saved memories. These are user reports and a support reply, not OpenAI documentation. OpenAI community forum: Bring back the old ChatGPT Memory system (user reports, OpenAI Support reply 8 September 2026). Third-party source. Verified 26 October 2026.

1. Open your memory settings

   Open Settings, Personalization, Memory.

2. Switch to saved memories

   Select Saved memories.

3. Read the list

   Read through the saved memories shown.

4. Keep a copy

   Copy anything you want to keep somewhere you control.

5. Return if you prefer

   Select Try improved memory to go back to the memory summary.

Is improved memory available in the UK?

OpenAI has not published a UK date.

OpenAI's improved memory began rolling out on 4 June 2026 to Plus and Pro users in the US, with Free and Go plans and additional countries to follow over the next few weeks. No memory entry in the release notes names the UK or the EEA as of 26 October 2026; a 12 June entry says the memory summary is still rolling out across plans and countries. OpenAI Help Centre: ChatGPT release notes. Verified 26 October 2026.

Is ChatGPT Dreaming memory available in the UK? AI memory availability by assistant, dated

Which should I use?

The memory summary suits you if you want ChatGPT to keep its own picture of you up to date from your chats, and you are happy to correct it by typing or highlighting.

Saved memories suit you if you want a list of individual details you can read one at a time and delete.

How is AI Twin different?

AI Twin is memory you own, kept outside any one assistant and stored in the UK.

• Typed Memory: individual items you can read and edit. Every memory entity carries a category: People, Documents, Facts, Events, Episodes, and further types beneath them. Queryable, editable, versioned, audited.
• Review before anything is kept. Nothing is saved until you confirm. Duplicates and conflicts come to you to decide.
• Duplicates and conflicts. Your Twin spots the same person twice, and two facts that disagree. You choose: merge, keep both, or keep the newer one.
• Universal Audit. Every meaningful action is logged in an append-only audit log you can read.
• Export any time. Closing your account gives you seven days to change your mind, then erases your memories, workspaces and account. Voice recordings and the raw text of voice notes are not yet removed with them, and we are changing that. Your export is emailed to you first, and you get a receipt.

Best AI memory apps

What changed

Figures of 100 to 150 memories, 32 KB or 1,500 words circulate online. OpenAI publishes no number; its help centre says there is no separate storage limit for chat history reference (read 26 October 2026).

OpenAI says there is no separate storage limit for what ChatGPT can reference through chat history. It publishes no number for saved memories. OpenAI Help Centre: Memory in ChatGPT. Verified 26 October 2026.

Does deleting a chat delete its memories?

Not necessarily. Deleting a chat alone does not necessarily delete a separate saved memory created from that chat.

OpenAI Help Centre: Memory in ChatGPT. Verified 26 October 2026.

How long does OpenAI keep deleted memories?

OpenAI may keep logs of deleted saved memories for up to 30 days for safety and debugging. Turning off reference chat history schedules what it remembered from past chats for deletion within 30 days; the chats themselves stay in your history.

OpenAI Help Centre: Memory FAQ. Verified 21 October 2026.

Can I turn off the memory summary?

Yes. Since 12 June 2026 you can choose Delete and turn off memory from the memory summary's more options menu. Past chats are not deleted, and memories may be recreated if you turn memory back on.

OpenAI Help Centre: ChatGPT release notes. Verified 26 October 2026.

Does the ChatGPT export include my memories?

Memory is not named in OpenAI's export article. Settings, Data controls, Export data gives a ZIP of chat history and account data, ready within 7 days, with a link that expires after 24 hours from receipt. Available on Free, Go, Plus, Pro and eligible Edu workspaces, not Business or Enterprise. Memory is not named as part of the export.

OpenAI Help Centre: Exporting your ChatGPT history and data. Verified 21 October 2026.

Can I go back to saved memories?

Yes. In Settings, Personalization, Memory you can select Saved memories to use the legacy experience, or Try improved memory to return. OpenAI does not say what happens to saved memories made before the switch.

OpenAI Help Centre: Memory in ChatGPT. Verified 26 October 2026.