Computer History

Computer History turns your activity across apps and websites into memories and a timeline that ChatGPT and Codex can reference. You can ask natural questions about recent work, pick up where you left off, understand patterns in how you work, and turn repeated workflows into skills or automations.

Your history starts only after you choose to turn it on. You control which apps and websites contribute, can see and pause collection from the macOS menu bar, and can inspect or delete your history at any time.

Computer History replaces the earlier Chronicle research preview, but it is a rebuilt system rather than a rename. Chronicle used screenshots. Computer History records interaction events and does not capture your screen or audio.

Today

9:20 AM

Prepared a launch update

You reviewed the launch plan, checked the implementation, and gathered feedback before updating the documentation.

Suggested skill

Turn the steps you use to prepare a launch update into a reusable skill.

Create launch update skill

9:10 AM

Reviewed project feedback

You compared comments on the project brief and followed up with the team.

9:00 AM

Organized your work for the day

You checked your task list, reviewed recent changes, and planned what to tackle next.

Suggested automation

Summarize what I worked on and prepare a short recap each weekday.

Create daily recap automation

How Computer History helps

Computer History supplies recent activity as context. When a file, Slack conversation, Google Doc, or another source is better for the task, ChatGPT and Codex can use the history to identify that source and then read it directly.

How Computer History works

Computer History creates an interaction-event stream from allowed apps and websites. Events can include clicks, typing, keyboard shortcuts, app switches, and context that macOS exposes through its accessibility system. Computer History periodically turns these events into text summaries and local memory files.

Computer History does not capture screenshots, screen recordings, microphone input, or system audio. Private-mode web browsing activity is never included.

In Settings > Computer history > History, the timeline groups summaries by day and time. Each item can show:

• A title and text summary of the activity.
• The apps that contributed to the summary.
• A suggested skill or automation when ChatGPT identifies repeatable work.
• Actions to reveal the memory file in Finder or delete the item.

Select Ask about your history to start a chat with Computer History, or use prompts such as:

• “What was I working on before my last break?”
• “Where can I find the proposal document I was looking for earlier today?”
• “Give me a list of tasks I’ve worked on today and their status.”
• “Prepare a summary of what I did yesterday for standup.”

Permissions and access

Computer History uses separate controls for workspace access, personal opt-in, memories, and the apps or websites included in your history:

• Workspace access: Computer History is off by default in Business and Enterprise workspaces and is unavailable until an administrator explicitly grants access. Enterprise administrators can use Enable Computer History in Workspace Settings > Permissions & roles to grant access to the appropriate workspace roles.
• Personal opt-in: Granting workspace access only lets a member choose to turn on Computer History. It does not turn on the feature for anyone. Each person must opt in individually, including ChatGPT Pro users.
• Memories: Computer History also requires Memories. Use /memories to control whether an individual chat can use local memories or contribute to future memories.
• Apps and websites: Your app and website permissions determine which sources can contribute interaction events. You can allow only specific sources or exclude apps and website URLs you do not want included.

If your workspace role does not have access, changing local settings cannot enable Computer History.

Turn on Computer History

Computer History is off by default. If you use a Business or Enterprise workspace, ask your administrator to grant you access before turning it on. Administrator approval does not opt you in.

1. Open the ChatGPT desktop app on macOS.
2. In Settings, under Integrations, select Computer history.
3. Select Turn on and review the privacy, permissions, and local-storage information.
4. If prompted, turn on Memories. Computer History requires Memories so it can use activity context across chats and tasks.
5. Choose which apps and websites can contribute to your history, then follow any macOS permission prompts.

Computer History does not require Screen Recording permission. If the setting does not appear, confirm that your plan supports Computer History and that your workspace administrator has enabled it, if applicable.

Control what is included

You control which apps and websites contribute to future history and whether Computer History is actively collecting interaction events.

Choose apps and websites

Under Settings > Computer history > Permissions, choose which apps and websites Computer History can include:

• Exclude these apps and Exclude these websites block the apps or URLs you specify while allowing other supported sources.
• Include only these apps and Include only these websites allow only the sources you explicitly choose.

You can also select an app icon in a history timeline item to exclude that app from future history. You can include it again later.

Private-mode web browsing activity is never included. Changing app or website permissions affects future history. To remove existing items, delete or clear them.

Pause, resume, or stop collection

Use the Computer History settings or macOS menu bar to control when the feature collects activity:

• Select the ChatGPT icon in the macOS menu bar and expand the Computer History menu to see what activity it captures and access its controls.
• Select Pause to stop collecting new interaction events, or select Resume when you are ready to start again.
• Turn off Computer History to stop future activity collection.

Computer History can include interaction events from communication apps and websites. Turn it off during communications with other people unless you have their prior express consent. Consider pausing it or excluding apps that contain sensitive health, financial, or personal information.

Review and clear history

Open Settings > Computer history > History to inspect what Computer History has summarized. You can reveal a summary’s local memory file in Finder, delete an individual timeline item, or clear the last 10 minutes, last hour, last day, or all history. The macOS menu bar also lets you clear the last session for a recent app.

Clearing history deletes the relevant interaction events and any memories created from them. This cannot be undone.

Privacy and local storage

Computer History stores the interaction-event stream temporarily on your Mac so ChatGPT and Codex can generate memories and build suggested workflows. It does not capture screenshots, screen recordings, microphone input, or system audio.

Temporary event files are retained for up to 48 hours. Generated memory files remain on your filesystem until you delete or clear them, and you can reveal those files from the History timeline.

Where does Computer History store my data?

Computer History saves interaction events temporarily on your Mac. The event files are isolated within the ChatGPT App Group, which prevents other apps from accessing them without explicit permission. ChatGPT and Codex delete these event files after 48 hours.

Computer History generates the same kind of local memories as Codex: plain-text Markdown files that you can read and modify. Those files are stored under $CODEX_HOME/memories/extensions/skysight/, which typically resolves to ~/.codex/memories/extensions/skysight/.

What data gets shared with OpenAI?

Computer History captures interaction events locally, then periodically starts an ephemeral Codex session with access to the interaction-event stream to summarize your activity into memories.

OpenAI processes temporary event files on its servers to generate memories, which are then stored locally on your Mac. OpenAI does not retain those event files after processing unless required by law and does not use them for training.

When ChatGPT or Codex uses a memory in a future chat, relevant memory contents and interaction events may be included as context. This chat content may be used to improve OpenAI models if allowed by your ChatGPT data controls. Memories also follow the same chat-level controls as other Codex memories.

Prompt injection risk

Computer History increases the risk of prompt injection from content in apps and websites. For example, if you visit a website containing malicious instructions, ChatGPT or Codex might follow those instructions.

Token usage

Computer History uses tokens while it summarizes activity and creates memories.

Troubleshooting

If Computer History is available but does not start:

1. Confirm that Memories is on.
2. Open Settings > Computer history and select Finish setup, Resume, or Try again, depending on the status shown.
3. Quit and reopen the ChatGPT desktop app if the setting remains unavailable.