Problem
Managing ChatGPT’s memory only through conversational commands like “forget this” or “remember that” can be slow, disruptive, and hard to keep track of — especially for users who rely on memory to fine-tune the assistant’s behavior across sessions.
While users can currently view stored memories, editing them requires deleting the entire entry and rephrasing it via manual prompts. This process breaks flow and feels unintuitive.
Proposal
Introduce a clean, accessible interface for managing memory, similar to how Custom Instructions work. Users should be able to:
- View all memory entries in a clear editor
- Manually edit specific parts of any memory
- Add or remove details without using commands
- Manage memory more fluidly — as if editing a simple note
This could live alongside Custom Instructions as a “Memory Editor” tab or section.
Why It Matters
ChatGPT’s memory is a powerful feature, but its current implementation makes it feel more like a passive background system than a user-friendly tool.
Manual editing would:
- Eliminate trial-and-error interactions
- Increase transparency and trust
- Allow users to fine-tune how they are remembered without breaking the experience
Example Use Case
While it’s currently possible to view saved memory entries in ChatGPT, editing them is inefficient. Users are limited to either deleting entire entries or issuing manual commands like “forget this” followed by “remember that” — just to rephrase a detail.
This workflow is slow and breaks the natural flow of using the assistant. A simple interface to manually edit or fine-tune memory entries — like editing text in a notes app — would significantly improve usability, save time, and make memory feel like a transparent, controllable feature rather than a semi-automated process.
Closing Thought
Custom Instructions gave us an incredible way to shape how ChatGPT behaves — now it’s time to give users the same level of clarity and control over how ChatGPT remembers.