Back up your ChatGPT chats before deleting them (2026)

OpenAI says deleting a ChatGPT chat is permanent, and that Delete all chats cannot be undone. Deleted chats leave your account view right away and are scheduled for permanent deletion from OpenAI's systems within 30 days, with exceptions for security and legal reasons (OpenAI's deleting and archiving help page). There is no restore button, so keep a copy of anything you might want again before you clean up.

First, decide: delete or archive?

If you only want a tidier sidebar, Archive may be enough. OpenAI says archiving removes a chat from the regular sidebar but does not delete it, archived chats stay searchable, and you can unarchive them later under Settings, Data controls, Archived chats. Delete when the goal is to get rid of the chat for good.

1. Request OpenAI's official export (the complete copy)

On the web, open your profile menu, then Settings, Data controls, and Export under Export data, and confirm. OpenAI emails you a link to a ZIP with your chat history as JSON plus an HTML file you can open in a browser (OpenAI's export help page). This is the full account copy, so start it first; it can take a while to arrive. Keep the ZIP somewhere safe and check that it opens before you delete anything. More detail: what ChatGPT's built-in export does and doesn't give you.

2. Save the chats you'll actually reread as Markdown

The official export is raw JSON, which is hard to read. For the conversations you care about, a readable copy helps. ThreadVault (disclosure: we make it) is a Chrome extension that exports chats from your signed-in chatgpt.com tab as Markdown plus JSON in one ZIP, built in your browser so your chats never touch our servers.

  1. Open chatgpt.com in Chrome and sign in.
  2. Click the ThreadVault icon and choose Bulk export, pick the chats, and save the ZIP. Or use Export this chat for the one you have open.
  3. Unzip it into a dated folder such as chatgpt-backup-2026-11/. Each chat is a Markdown file with its title, date and link at the top, plus a JSON file and a manifest listing what was exported.

We tested ChatGPT export in November 2026 on a real account: titles, every turn in order, code blocks, JSON and the manifest all came through. Archived chats, Projects, images and citations were not part of that test, so rely on OpenAI's export for those. Full walkthrough: export your ChatGPT history to Markdown and Obsidian.

3. Check the backup

Open a few files from each copy, including your longest chat, and make sure the answers and code are there. Compare the ThreadVault manifest with the chats you meant to keep. Only then delete.

4. Delete

Menu names are from OpenAI's help pages as checked on 12 November 2026; they change now and then, so follow what the app shows.

Pricing

ThreadVault is free for 25 threads on this browser. Unlimited is $9 for the first 50 buyers, then $19, one-time, inside the extension. No subscription. It also exports Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Copilot chats.

Keep a readable copy before you delete. ThreadVault bulk-exports your ChatGPT chats to Markdown plus JSON in one ZIP, locally in your browser. Free for 25 threads.
Add ThreadVault to Chrome Learn more

Related guides

Not affiliated with OpenAI. Last checked November 12, 2026 against OpenAI's help center; ChatGPT menus change, so verify in the app. Questions or corrections: hello@loomwise.app.