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ChatGPT
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ChatGPT

Full conversation history, custom instructions, and account data — yours to own, search, and archive.

Read the full guide →

Get ChatGPT →

What you'll get

All Conversations (JSON)Custom Instructions / MemoryShared LinksAccount & Profile InfoUsage Logs

Before you start

  1. Open chat.openai.com and sign in
  2. Click your profile icon in the top-right corner
  3. Select "Settings"
  4. Go to the "Data controls" section

How to download

  1. Click "Export data"
  2. Confirm in the dialog that appears
  3. Wait for the email from OpenAI (usually arrives within minutes)
  4. Click the download link in the email — it expires after a short window
  5. Save the ZIP file and extract it

Pro tip

The export is a ZIP containing conversations.json — a structured file with every message, timestamp, and model used. It is not human-readable out of the box, but tools like ChatGPT Takeout (browser extension) or a simple Python script can convert it into readable Markdown or HTML. Many people are surprised by how much useful context is in old chats.

After the download

  • Open conversations.json in a text editor or run a converter script to read it
  • Review for sensitive topics, API keys, or personal data you shared in chats
  • Delete individual conversations from the ChatGPT sidebar if no longer needed
  • Store the archive in ProtonDrive or pCloud for an off-site backup
Get ChatGPT →