Hello OpenAI team,
I’d like to report a serious usability issue affecting ChatGPT across Android and web platforms:
Issue Description:
- When I edit a previous message in the ChatGPT Android App, the app does not replace the original message.
- Instead, it appends the edited content below the original message in the same conversation thread.
- This appended edit is then immediately synced to the web version, without creating a new thread or version branch.
- There is no undo, no version history, and no rollback option—once edited, the original message remains at the top, permanently visible and unchangeable.
This behavior disrupts writing workflows that require clean edits and version control. It is not a minor UX nuisance—it effectively removes the ability to maintain coherent, editable drafts.
Impact:
- Added verbosity and confusion when edits are introduced mid-thread.
- Original messages can no longer be overwritten and clutter the chat.
- Cross-platform synchronization exacerbates the issue: edits from mobile affect the web display immediately.
I’m not the only one affected. On the OpenAI community forum, others have reported similar frustrations, such as edits that “just add a new message … and leave the old ones intact” :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1} and issues on iOS as well :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Feature Request:
- Ideally, implement true in-place message replacement for edits.
- Provide version branching or rollback functionality (e.g. “undo edit”).
- Offer explicit “append edit” vs “replace” modes for user clarity.
Thank you for your attention. I hope this feedback contributes to improving ChatGPT’s usability for content creators and editors.
— A dedicated user