Delete your OpenAI / ChatGPT account permanently

AI · Easy · ~10 min

Sources retrieved 21/08/2026 · Review in progress

You can delete your ChatGPT account yourself from service settings, and removal from systems takes at most 30 days. In the EEA the controller is OpenAI Ireland Limited.

How to delete your account

  1. Control training first

    In Settings → Data controls you decide whether your chats are used to improve models. Temporary Chats are never saved to history or used for training.

  2. Export your data

    The export option in the same Data Controls section emails you an archive of your conversations and account activity.

  3. Delete the account

    Choose Delete account in settings and confirm. Deletion removes the account and conversations — no support ticket needed.

  4. Removal within 30 days

    Data leaves OpenAI's systems within a month except where legal retention obligations apply.

Opt out of AI training

The service offers settings to limit AI training:

You can choose whether your ChatGPT content is used to improve and train OpenAI's models via the Data Controls setting in your account (off by default for new chats when disabled), and Temporary Chats are excluded from training. Requests about data collected from the internet to train models can be submitted through the privacy portal.

Not enough? Send a GDPR request

Copy the controller contact below and build the letter in your browser. The letter includes an .ics reminder for the one-month response deadline.

Controller contact details

Postal address
OpenAI Ireland Limited, 1st Floor, The Liffey Trust Centre, 117-126 Sheriff Street Upper, Dublin 1, D01 YC43, Ireland
Contact form
privacy.openai.com source: openai.com · 21/08/2026
Privacy policy
openai.com
Create an erasure request (Article 17) Create an access request (Article 15)

What happens to your data after deletion

When you delete personal data or your account, OpenAI removes it from its systems within 30 days unless longer retention is required for legal, safety or financial reasons. Temporary Chats are deleted automatically within 30 days. An audit record of erasure requests is retained to verify compliance.

source: openai.com · 21/08/2026

Frequently asked questions

Is my content used to train models?

By default content can be used to improve the service, but the Data Controls setting lets you turn that off. Temporary Chats are never stored in history or used for training.

Can I keep my conversations?

Yes — the Export data option emails you an archive before you delete anything.

Who receives my GDPR request?

For EEA and Swiss users the controller is OpenAI Ireland Limited, Dublin 1. Data Protection Officer: dpo@openai.com — both are listed in this page's contact section.

Sources and verification

Known gaps

These facts could not be verified from a source — we don't guess:

  • Account deletion page Deletion is self-service in account settings; the policy page publishes no direct URL.
  • Data export Export runs from the account's Data Controls section in-app; no direct URL is published.

Report outdated info

This is general guidance, not legal advice.