OpenAI is closing the older ChatGPT desktop app, now called ChatGPT Classic. Users who opened it on 2 November saw a banner saying it stops working on 30 January 2027, with a link to the downloads page for the newer desktop app. The banner says full chat history moves across.
“most users won’t need to wait for their usage to reset more often than they do today.”
OpenAI, in an email to users · 9to5mac.com ↗
A separate email to users says OpenAI will soon test a single interface that combines Chat and Work. A small group of people gets it first, in the coming weeks. In that view users can bring files and plugins and ask ChatGPT to build a website, put together a presentation or act on the web while they watch and review what it does. Codex remains its own experience inside the desktop app, and ChatGPT and Codex will share one usage allowance instead of separate limits. The Unlimited Instant option is part of paid plans and does not count against it.
The newer app, which merged ChatGPT, Work and Codex, drew complaints. It is built on Electron instead of native macOS code, and people found it hard to reach ordinary chats or tell them apart from Work and Codex sessions. OpenAI later restored a Chat and Work toggle and a sidebar. Greg Brockman had called the new interface something of a mess and wanted Work folded into regular ChatGPT by the end of the year.
Classic was mostly left alone and became less dependable, since newer models lean on features only the new app has, such as reasoning-effort levels. The usage change is the part users may watch: OpenAI told them most people will not wait for resets more often than now, though use still depends on the model and the task.
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