Switching from ChatGPT to Claude or Gemini: how to bring your chat history (2026)

Moving to a new AI assistant does not have to mean starting from zero. There are two different things you can bring with you, and the options are not the same for Claude and Gemini:

Memory: what the assistant knows about you, such as your preferences, projects and instructions. Both Claude and Gemini can import this with a copy-and-paste prompt.
Chat history: your actual past conversations. Gemini can import a ChatGPT (or Claude) export ZIP. Claude cannot import past chats from another service.

Step 1: Export your ChatGPT data first (do this either way)

On the web, open your profile menu → Settings → Data controls.
Next to Export data, select Export → Confirm export.
Wait for the email (it can take up to 7 days) and download the ZIP within 24 hours. Keep the ZIP: it is your only complete copy.

Do this before you cancel or delete your ChatGPT account. You cannot request an export while you are logged out.

Moving to Gemini: import chats and memory

Import your chat history

Go to gemini.google.com.
At the bottom left, select Settings & help → Import memory to Gemini.
Under Import chats, select Add and choose the ChatGPT export ZIP.

What Google's help page says to expect:

Only .zip files, up to 5 GB each, and up to 5 uploads per day.
Processing can take up to a day.
Chat text comes across. Project files and attachments do not.
You need a personal Google account (not work, school or supervised), you must be 18 or older, and personalization must be on in Gemini.
It is not available in the EEA, Switzerland or the UK.
Imported chats are saved to your Gemini activity and fall under Google's privacy policy, including possible use to improve its models. Read the help page before uploading anything sensitive.

Import your memory

On the same Import memory to Gemini screen, copy the prompt Gemini gives you, paste it into ChatGPT, then paste ChatGPT's answer back into Gemini and select Add memory.

Moving to Claude: import memory (chats stay behind)

In Claude (web or desktop), go to Settings → Your Claude (or Settings → Memory in the older layout) and select Start import.
Copy the prompt Claude shows you and paste it into a ChatGPT chat. Edit out anything you do not want to carry over.
Paste ChatGPT's answer into Claude's import box and select Add to memory.

Anthropic calls memory import experimental. Claude focuses on work-related context and may not keep everything you paste in. The import is available on all Claude plans, including Free.

Your past ChatGPT conversations do not move into Claude. Claude has no chat-history import from other services. To keep important threads usable, convert your export to Markdown and attach the key ones to a Claude chat or Project when you need them. See converting conversations.json to Markdown.

Keep a copy you control

An import puts your history inside another company's app, which has the same risks as before: chats can be deleted, accounts can be locked, and products change. Keep the original export ZIP, and ideally a readable Markdown copy in your notes.

Moving between AI tools? ThreadVault (disclosure: we make it) is a Chrome extension that bulk-exports your AI chats to Obsidian-ready Markdown plus JSON, processed locally in your browser. It is not on the Chrome Web Store yet: the Perplexity version is built, and ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini support is coming in version 1.1. $19 one-time for all four AI tools, with a $9 founding price for the first 50 buyers, and a free version that exports up to 25 threads.
Pre-order at the $9 founding price or join the free waitlist

Related guides

Not affiliated with OpenAI, Anthropic or Google. Steps are from the official help pages: OpenAI: Exporting your ChatGPT history and data, Gemini Apps Help: Import from other AI platforms, Claude: Import and export your memory, Claude: Export your Claude data. Last checked October 31, 2026; features change, so verify in the app.