ChatGPT quietly added a setting called Lockdown Mode in June 2026. It's designed for moments when you want a conversation to stay contained — nothing going in, nothing coming out beyond plain text.
When you turn it on, ChatGPT disables live web access, image generation and viewing, Deep Research, Agent Mode, and file downloads. The conversation becomes strictly text-to-text.
When it's worth switching on
Think about conversations you'd rather keep quiet: working through a health concern with your symptoms written out, talking through a legal situation, doing the maths on a family financial decision, or describing a personal conflict in detail. These are the moments where you'd prefer no web searches are running in the background and no files leave the chat.
"I need to talk through a sensitive family situation. Before we start, I've turned on Lockdown Mode so this stays text-only."
Lockdown Mode is also useful if you're sharing information on behalf of someone else — a family member's medical situation or a neighbour's legal problem — and you want extra reassurance that the conversation isn't pulling in outside data.
What Lockdown Mode does NOT cover
This is the important part: Lockdown Mode does not delete your chat history, turn off ChatGPT's memory, or change OpenAI's data practices. Your normal privacy settings still apply exactly as before. If you haven't reviewed what ChatGPT remembers about you or whether your chats are saved, those are separate steps — the ChatGPT privacy settings guide walks you through them.
And Lockdown Mode doesn't change the golden rule: some things don't belong in any chatbot. Bank login details, full identity numbers, passwords — these shouldn't go in regardless of mode. The guide on what not to tell an AI chatbot has the full list of what to hold back.
How to find it
Go to Settings → Safety and security → Advanced security → Lockdown Mode — it rolled out on June 4, 2026 as an optional security feature. Remember to turn it off again for everyday use; with it on, you lose image support, web browsing, and the AI's research tools, so it slows you down when you don't need the extra caution.
One setting, used at the right moments, makes your most sensitive conversations meaningfully more contained. But it's a layer, not a guarantee — pair it with good habits and a quick look at your privacy settings.