To remember
OpenAI rolls out Computer History in the desktop ChatGPT app for Mac, with a worldwide rollout underway.
The feature tracks user activity in apps and on websites to personalize future interactions with ChatGPT.
It is available to Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers, the EEA, with the UK and Switzerland to follow.
Computer History extends the Chronicle pilot, with reduced token usage and new privacy controls.
Users can delete all their data, remove specific sessions, or enable the feature via Settings, then Integrations.
OpenAI launches Computer History in the ChatGPT desktop app for Mac, giving the model an overview of the user’s activity across their apps and websites, in order to better tailor future conversations.
The rollout began on August 13 and will gradually extend to all Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscribers worldwide. Users located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, and Switzerland will have access in the coming weeks.
OpenAI confirmed the launch in a series of posts on X, presenting Computer History as an evolution of the Chronicle research project. According to the company, this new version uses fewer tokens and offers more privacy controls than the original pilot.
How Computer History works
Computer History is integrated into the ChatGPT desktop app for Mac and runs in the background. The tool observes which apps and websites are used, then reconstructs a chronological timeline of this activity. Future ChatGPT sessions can draw on this history, reducing the amount of context the user needs to enter manually.
OpenAI explique that the chronological view allows users to revisit their past work and identify recurring tasks. From the timeline or via the menu bar, they can delete the entire history or clear specific periods. The feature requires explicit consent, to be enabled in Settings, then Integrations. Without activation, no data is collected.
The company positions Computer History as a continuous learning tool based on repeated activities, beyond simply recalling prior conversations within ChatGPT.
ChatGPT memory expands, Europe waits
In 2026, OpenAI accelerated the rollout of persistent memory features across its product lineup. Chronicle, which Computer History replaces and improves, had already introduced the concept of inter-session context for desktop users.
The new version reduces the computing cost associated with maintaining this context. At the same time, OpenAI launched this week the GPT‑5.6 Ultrafast mode, powered by Cerebras infrastructure, capable of generating up to 750 tokens per second for API clients. The announcement came a few hours before the deployment of Computer History, illustrating a day full of new developments for the company.
The privacy implications of persistent memory tools remain especially sensitive in EU and UK markets. OpenAI’s decision to delay deployment in the EEA, the UK, and Switzerland reflects an intent to anticipate regulatory requirements before opening access more broadly.
Users who want to fully disable the feature can simply choose not to enable it. OpenAI states that the Integrations settings will always show the activation status of Computer History at any time.
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