ChatGPT gains full chat history search for Plus and Pro users

ChatGPT has introduced a new feature that allows it to search across a user’s entire chat history to provide more accurate, relevant answers. The update is designed to help users retrieve information from past conversations without having to scroll through or remember where each topic was discussed. It is being rolled out to Plus and Pro subscribers.

The new capability marks a significant step in making ChatGPT more context-aware. Instead of treating every conversation as a standalone exchange, the system can now draw on older discussions when responding to new questions. This is particularly useful for users who rely on ChatGPT for ongoing projects, long-term plans, or repeated reference tasks.

According to OpenAI, the feature aims to reduce friction for users who return to ChatGPT with follow-up questions weeks or even months later. By automatically locating relevant details from earlier chats, the system can respond with greater continuity and relevance, creating a more natural conversational experience.

How the new chat history search works

ChatGPT has long stored user chat histories, allowing people to search or scroll through previous conversations manually. However, this manual search function has often struggled to surface the most relevant information, especially for users with large numbers of similar or overlapping chats. The new update improves on this by allowing the system itself to locate and reference earlier discussions when answering a question.

ChatGPT Plus and Pro users globally can now search their full chat history back to account creation using a new "personal context" tool called "PersonalContextAgentTool" (codename "q7dr546") that gets called for history-dependent questions, with referenced chats shown as… https://t.co/6DoO83HP2T pic.twitter.com/3WLlZ0hCYP

— Tibor Blaho (@btibor91) January 16, 2026

The feature is powered by a system referred to internally as PersonalContextAgentTool. When a user asks a question related to something discussed earlier, ChatGPT can now identify and retrieve the relevant part of that conversation. This removes the need for users to remember exact wording or dates of past chats.

A key element of the update is transparency. When ChatGPT uses information from a previous conversation, it presents that earlier chat as a clickable reference. Users can open it to view the original context, review what was said, and confirm the accuracy of the reused information. This approach is intended to build trust by clearly showing the source of details.

Improved continuity and everyday use cases

The expanded chat history search is expected to benefit a wide range of everyday use cases. Users who previously asked for recipes, fitness routines, travel plans, or study notes can now return and ask follow-up questions without having to restate all the background information. ChatGPT can automatically recall the earlier discussion and build on it.

For professionals and creators, the feature may be particularly valuable. Writers, developers, and researchers often use ChatGPT as a long-term assistant across multiple sessions. Being able to reference earlier drafts, ideas, or problem-solving conversations helps maintain momentum and reduces the need for repetitive explanations.

The update also enhances the sense of personalisation. By remembering what a user has discussed before, ChatGPT can respond in a way that feels more consistent and tailored. OpenAI has positioned this as a move towards conversations that resemble interactions with a person who remembers previous exchanges, rather than a tool that resets after each session.

How ChatGPT compares with rivals and future updates

While the new history search is a notable improvement, it arrives after similar developments from competitors. Google’s Gemini introduced the ability to reference past conversations in February 2025, giving its users earlier access to context-aware chat functionality. This has raised expectations across the market for AI assistants to offer stronger memory and continuity.

Despite the later timing, OpenAI has continued to push forward with broader upgrades to ChatGPT. These include major model improvements such as the rollout of GPT-5, followed by a ChatGPT-5.1 update. The newer releases have focused on faster responses, improved reasoning, and additional personality options to make interactions feel warmer and more engaging.

For Plus and Pro subscribers, the chat history search feature represents a meaningful step forward. It shifts ChatGPT away from isolated question-and-answer exchanges and towards a more connected experience that draws on a user’s past interactions. As competition in the AI assistant space increases, features like long-term memory and contextual awareness are likely to become standard expectations rather than optional extras.