I’d like to request an option to restore the previous ChatGPT desktop/web interface.
The recent UI changes have made ChatGPT noticeably less pleasant for me to use on desktop. In particular:
- The new sidebar feels cramped and poorly proportioned on a large desktop display. Chat titles and navigation have less usable space while a significant amount of the main screen remains empty.
- The previous sidebar was much easier to scan and navigate, especially for users with many long-running conversations.
- Settings now opens as a full page rather than a compact popup/modal. This turns a quick settings change into a full context switch and feels unnecessarily disruptive on desktop.
- The newer Chat/Work-focused layout may suit some users, but it shouldn’t require removing the previous desktop workflow for everyone.
Please consider adding a UI preference such as:
Settings → Appearance / Interface
- Sidebar: Classic / New
- Settings view: Modal / Full page
- Optional resizable sidebar width
I use ChatGPT heavily for everyday questions, research and development work, and I generally prefer it over competing assistants. However, UI changes like these have a real impact on whether I want to keep using the web interface day-to-day.
I’m not asking for the new design to be removed. I’d simply like users to have the choice to keep the previous desktop layout if it works better for their workflow.
Giving users a Classic UI option would let OpenAI continue experimenting with new designs without forcing those experiments onto people whose existing workflow was already working well.