How to Permanently Delete Your ChatGPT / OpenAI Account
Last reviewed: October 2026 · Independent guide, not affiliated with OpenAI
Deleting your ChatGPT account deletes your whole OpenAI account, including your chat history, memories, custom GPTs you created and API access tied to the same login. OpenAI says deleted data is removed from its systems within 30 days, except where it must keep information for legal or security reasons.
If you only want ChatGPT to stop remembering things, you can delete individual chats, turn off Memory, or use Temporary Chat instead.
At a glance
- Time required: About 2 minutes
- Reversible?: No — deletion is permanent
- What is lost: All chats, memories, GPTs, files and API keys on the account
- Subscriptions: Cancel App Store or Google Play subscriptions yourself
OpenAI: how to delete your account (official site) ↗
Before you delete
- Export your data in Settings > Data controls > Export data; the download link arrives by email.
- Cancel ChatGPT Plus or Pro; if you subscribed on iPhone or Android, cancel in that store.
- Leave or transfer workspaces — Team, Business and Enterprise accounts are managed by an admin.
- Replace API keys in any apps that rely on your OpenAI account.
How to delete your ChatGPT account
- Sign in at chatgpt.com (or open the ChatGPT app) and click your profile picture or name.
- Open Settings, then the Account section. In older layouts the option is under Data controls.
- Click Delete account (on the web you may need to have signed in within the last few minutes).
- Type the confirmation text and your email address as prompted, then confirm. You are signed out and the account is scheduled for deletion.
Menus change often. If a button has moved, use the search box in the app's settings or the official help link above.
Lighter alternatives
- Delete chats: Settings > Data controls > Delete all chats.
- Turn off model training: Data controls > Improve the model for everyone.
- Clear memories: Settings > Personalization > Manage memories.
- Temporary Chat: conversations are not saved to history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting ChatGPT delete my OpenAI account?
Yes. ChatGPT and the OpenAI API share the same account, so deleting one deletes access to both.
Can I download my ChatGPT conversations first?
Yes. Use Settings > Data controls > Export data. OpenAI emails a download link to a file containing your conversations.
What happens to my ChatGPT Plus subscription?
Cancel it before deleting. Subscriptions purchased through Apple or Google must be cancelled in the respective store, otherwise billing can continue.
Can I sign up again with the same email?
Check OpenAI’s help page before deleting: OpenAI’s rules on reusing an email address after deletion have changed over time.