# Convert chat-based Work projects into local-folder projects

**URL:** <https://community.openai.com/t/convert-chat-based-work-projects-into-local-folder-projects/1388508>\
**Category:** Feature requests\
**Tags:** chatgpt\
**Created:** [July 31, 2026, 3:31am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/convert-chat-based-work-projects-into-local-folder-projects/1388508 "2026-07-31T03:31:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dede](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/dede/32/751390_2.png) [@dede](https://community.openai.com/u/dede)\
**Post date:** [July 31, 2026, 3:31am UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/convert-chat-based-work-projects-into-local-folder-projects/1388508/1 "2026-07-31T03:31:02Z")

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I appreciate the ability to turn a chat into a Codex Work project. However, chat-based Work projects and folder-based/local projects currently feel disconnected.

A common workflow is to begin by discussing an idea in a chat, then gradually realize that the work has become substantial enough to benefit from a structured local folder or project workspace. At that point, there does not appear to be a simple way to convert the existing chat-based Work project into a folder-based local project while preserving its context.

It would be very useful to add a feature that lets users migrate a chat-based Work project into a local-folder project. Ideally, this would preserve the conversation history and create a workspace that can be organized and developed further through files.

This would make the transition from exploration to sustained project work much smoother.

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**Author:** ![OpenAI\_Support](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/openai1/user_avatar/community.openai.com/openai_support/32/561845_2.png) [@OpenAI\_Support](https://community.openai.com/u/OpenAI_Support)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/convert-chat-based-work-projects-into-local-folder-projects/1388508/2 "2026-09-08T12:24:44Z")

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You can attach folders to local projects, and the desktop app can bring a ChatGPT chat into Codex: https://learn.chatgpt.com/docs/projects. Converting a whole Work project while preserving everything is a more specific request we can share with the team. We don’t have a timeline.

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**Author:** ![Prashant\_Pardesi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Prashant\_Pardesi](https://community.openai.com/u/Prashant_Pardesi)\
**Post date:** [September 8, 2026, 12:39pm UTC](https://community.openai.com/t/convert-chat-based-work-projects-into-local-folder-projects/1388508/3 "2026-09-08T12:39:59Z")

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