Overview
Projects are smart workspaces that keep everything related to a long‑running effort in one place. Group together chats, upload reference files, and add custom instructions so ChatGPT remembers what matters and stays on‑topic. With memory, context, and flexible tools, they’re ideal for repeated and evolving work such as writing, research, planning, and more.
Projects are available to all free and paid subscription types globally.
Note: You must be logged in to a ChatGPT account in order to use projects.
Getting started
Why use a project?
Keep context together. Files, instructions, and chats live in one place so ChatGPT stays on‑topic and helps you stay organized.
Switch devices seamlessly. Start on your phone, continue on the web, or vice versa.
Repeatable workflows. Reuse your project for multi-threaded or recurring tasks like weekly research or content drafts.
Great starter ideas
School: “AP Biology study guide,” attach class PDFs, ask for practice questions using study mode.
Work: “Marketing launch plan,” set the tone to PM/mentor, draft briefs and assets.
Personal: “Wedding planning,” track vendors, budgets, and timelines.
Create your first project
Click New project in the sidebar.
Give it a name and pick an icon and color to spot it quickly in the sidebar.
Add context to guide responses
Add files
Upload PDFs, spreadsheets, docs, or images to give ChatGPT material to reference in its answers. The number of files you may upload depends on your plan type. See Plans and limits below for details.
Add project instructions
Click on the three dots on the upper right hand corner of your project to add project instructions. Tell ChatGPT how it can be helpful in its responses in this project specifically, for example:
“Act like my marketing mentor. Be concise. Use bullet points. Ask clarifying questions.”
Note: Project instructions only apply inside the respective project and will override your global custom instructions
Project Memory
Projects have built in memory, which means that it remembers all the chats and files you have created or uploaded in a project. Working in a project means that ChatGPT won't forget where you left off. See Memory in projects below for more information.
Move an existing chat into your project
If you’ve already used ChatGPT and would like to move select chats into a project, here’s how:
From the chat list, drag a chat onto your project, or open a chat’s menu and choose Move to project.
After moving, the chat inherits the project’s instructions and file context.
You can remove it later from the chat’s menu (Remove).
Work faster and smarter with built‑in tools
Use all the same tools you’re familiar with outside of projects, including:
Canvas to draft docs, code, or layouts when you need more than chat
Image generation to brainstorm visuals
Study mode to build a deeper understanding of any topic with interactive questions
Voice mode for hands‑free conversations
Web search to bring in up-to-date information with citations
Paid plans may include access to additional tools such as agent mode and deep research, depending on your subscription.
Share a single chat from your project
Click Share in a chat to create a unique link for others to view your conversation. Viewers see only that chat. Other project chats, files, instructions, and history are not shared. More on sharing conversations from ChatGPT.
Deleting a project
Open the menu next to the project name and select Delete project. This permanently deletes all files, chats, and instructions in that project and cannot be undone.
Memory in projects
Project memory keeps ChatGPT focused by drawing context only from conversations within the same project, rather than from your other projects. This creates a self-contained space that’s especially useful for long-running or sensitive work where you want ChatGPT to stay anchored to that project’s tone, context, and history.
When you create a project, you choose whether its memory is project-only or default. Existing projects stay on default memory, while project-only memory can only be set when starting a new project.
Project-only memory
When you choose project-only memory during project creation:
Your previously saved memories are not referenced during chats
Chats can reference other conversations within the same project
Chats cannot reference conversations outside the project (such as general ChatGPT or from a different project)
Settings Requirements
To use project memory, the following settings must be enabled:
Enterprise users:
Enable Reference saved memories in your personal settings.
Memory must be enabled in your Workspace settings.
All other subscriptions:
Enable Reference saved memories and Reference chat history in your personal settings.
Default memory
With default memory, your saved memories are referenced and chats can draw on other conversations within the same project. However, whether conversations outside the project can be accessed depends on plan:
Enterprise and Edu
Chats remain contained within the project. They cannot reference conversations outside the project (such as general ChatGPT or another project), nor can they be referenced by conversations outside the project.
Please reference the following table to understand how context works in projects with ChatGPT Enterprise and Edu workspaces:
| Custom | ChatGPT Memory | Reference to other chats |
Chats outside Projects | Available | Available | Not available |
Temporary Chats | Available | Not available | Not available |
Chats inside Projects | Not available | Available | Available (only within a project) |
Chats inside Projects | Not available | Not available | Available (only within a project) |
Non-Enterprise (including Business)
Chats can reference both project and non-project conversations (general ChatGPT or other projects), unless the other project is set to project-only memory. These chats can also be referenced by conversations outside the project.
If memory for your account is enabled, it remains active across all chats, including chats in your projects.
For Plus and Pro users: In addition to saved memories, ChatGPT can reference previous chats within a project to deliver more relevant, focused responses. When you ask a question in a project, ChatGPT prioritizes the project chats and files.
Plans and limits
Users can create an unlimited amount of projects.
File upload limits vary by subscription type. Note that only 10 files can be uploaded at the same time.
Free: 5 files per project
Go, Plus, Edu: 25 files per project
Pro, Business, Enterprise: 40 files per project
Admin controls, data, and compliance API
Workspace-level feature controls
Projects inherit all toggles and restrictions that apply to your Business, Enterprise, or Edu workspace:
Tool availability – If deep research, voice mode, memory, or any other feature is disabled at the workspace level, it is automatically disabled inside every project.
Data controls – Retention windows, data-residency locations, and memory settings continue to apply without extra configuration.
Security – Projects use the same encryption, access controls, and audit logging as standard chats; no new surface area is introduced.
Note: That there is currently no way to disable projects at the workspace level.
Compliance API
Project information is available in the Compliance API. For technical details, please see the Compliance API reference.
Data Retention & Residency
All messages created in a project inherit the retention duration and residency region configured for your workspace. No separate retention policy is required, and deleted projects and their chats, files, and custom instructions are removed from our systems within 30 days unless we’re required to retain them for legal or security reasons.
For additional information on the data retention policy, please refer to our help article: Chat and File Retention Policies in ChatGPT
FAQ
Does using projects change how my data is handled?
For ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu customers, we do not use information accessed from projects to train our modes by default. Please see our Enterprise Privacy page for information on how we use business data.
For ChatGPT Free, Plus, and Pro users, we may use information accessed from projects to train our models if your “Improve the model for everyone” setting is on. You can read more about how your data is stored and used in this article in our help center: Data Controls FAQ
Do projects cost extra?
No, access to projects is included with every qualifying ChatGPT plan. Any credits or usage charges—such as those for models or tools—apply to project chats the same as they do to regular chats.
What happens if I hit my file limit?
Remove older or unnecessary uploads, combine file data, or split work into multiple projects.
Are connectors supported in projects?
Connectors are currently not supported.
How can I search for a chat I had within a project?
Use the search chats feature to locate past chats within a project. It lets you quickly find and revisit discussions you've had in that project, and others.
Are there any rate limits for chats within projects?
Rate limits are based on your subscription level.
Is there a global setting to make all project memory project-only?
No. Each project’s memory must be set individually, and also respects your personal and workspace memory settings.
If I made a project before project-only memory was introduced, can I change it?
No. A new project will need to be made in order to utilize project-only memory. You can, however, move conversations from one project to another.
Why don’t I see project-only memory available?
If you are a Business or Enterprise user, project-only memory is available only if Memory is enabled for your workspace and you have enabled Personal memory.
Can I see a list of my project memories?
No. Project memory does not show a list of memories like personal memory. When you ask a question, ChatGPT may use context from other conversations in the same project. If you want it to ignore a specific conversation, you’ll need to delete that conversation or move it to a different project.