OpenAI’s macOS ChatGPT app adds opt-in Computer History feature that logs user activity for training and automation

OpenAI’s macOS ChatGPT desktop app includes a new, opt-in feature called Computer History that records user clicks and keystrokes to construct a chronological log of activity. The timeline is designed to help ChatGPT and Codex reference past actions when responding to user requests, enabling features such as automation suggestions and resuming partially completed tasks.

The feature is not enabled by default and provides controls to exclude specific applications or websites from logging. Users can also delete individual entries from the timeline, offering granular control over stored data. OpenAI staff stated that Computer History automatically omits activity from private or incognito browser sessions.

A demonstration showed the app retrieving the last edited document, checking its Slack-sharing status, and summarizing a user’s morning activity. Unlike Microsoft’s Windows Recall, which captures screenshots, OpenAI says Computer History relies on event-based logging and does not record images, video, or audio.