MacOS desktop app and chatgpt.com project sync problems

ChatGPT Bugs
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1

Environment

  • Surface: macOS desktop app and web
  • Browser or app version: ChatGPT desktop app 26.901.51231; macOS Tahoe 26.6.2
  • Affected feature and model, if relevant: ChatGPT Projects, Project-contained conversations, desktop Search, Chat/Work sync in a Business workspace

Bug

Existing Projects are visible and usable on the web version of ChatGPT but do not reliably appear in the macOS desktop app.

Conversations created inside those Projects may also fail to appear or be searchable on the Mac. At the same time, standalone cloud Work conversations can sync successfully.

The issue has been reproduced by more than one member of the same Business workspace on separate Macs, so it does not appear to be limited to one device.

Expected behaviour: existing Projects and their conversations should appear consistently across the web and macOS desktop app, and conversations already visible in Recents should be discoverable through desktop Search.

OpenAI Support has previously confirmed that this behaviour is not expected.

Support case: 14626693

Reproduction

  1. Sign into the same Business workspace on the web and in the current macOS ChatGPT app.
  2. Confirm that several existing Projects are visible on the web.
  3. Open the macOS app and check the Projects section in both Chat and Work modes.
  4. The existing cloud Projects may be missing and the app may show “No projects.”
  5. Create a standalone cloud Work conversation on the web.
  6. That standalone conversation may sync successfully to the Mac.
  7. Create or use a conversation inside one of the affected Projects on the web.
  8. That Project-contained conversation may fail to appear or be searchable on the Mac.
  9. Search on the Mac for the exact title of a conversation that is already visible in Recents.
  10. In some cases Search returns no match.

The same Project visibility and search problem has been reproduced by another member of the Business workspace on a separate Mac.

Diagnostics

Exact error or screenshot:

  • macOS app shows “No projects” while the same Business workspace has Projects visible on the web.
  • Desktop Search can return “No matches” for conversations that exist on the web, and in some cases for conversations already visible in Mac Recents.
  • Screenshots are available with private conversation content removed.

When it happened and how often:

Ongoing for several months.
Still reproducible in September 2026.
Timezone: UTC+02:00.
Occurs consistently with the affected existing Projects, although standalone cloud Work conversations may sync correctly.

Support case: 14626693