Title:
iOS App Cannot Search or Access Projects Beyond the Top 20 — Projects Found in Search Are Locked
Post Content:
There’s a frustrating limitation in the ChatGPT app for iPhone and iPad regarding Projects:
- The app only shows the 20 most recent Projects in the sidebar. This may be a design choice for performance or UX, which is understandable.
- However, there’s a bigger issue: when I search for a chat inside a Project not shown among the 20, the chat does appear in the results, but I can’t interact with it.
- The chat loads in a sort of “read-only mode” — I cannot send any new prompts, the input bar is locked, and the chat title appears blurred or greyed out at the top.
- The app gives no explanation or warning that this is because the Project belongs to an older folder that isn’t currently visible or accessible from mobile.
I’ve attached a screenshot where I’ve highlighted the two key issues:
- The chat appears in the search results and can be selected.
- But once opened, you can see the past conversation but can’t continue it, and the title is greyed/blurry, suggesting it’s not truly active or accessible.
This creates confusion and a frustrating dead end — users are essentially trapped in a view-only chat with no way to understand why.
My suggestions:
-
Allow us to search and access all Projects, not just the most recent 20.
-
Make it visually clear in search results whether an item is a standalone chat, a Project, or a chat within a Project.
This isn’t just a missing feature — it’s an experience-breaking issue that blocks productivity and misleads users.
Screenshot attached below.
