Environment
Surface: ChatGPT Web on Windows 11
Browser or app version: Google Chrome 153.0.8010.37 (64-bit)
Affected feature and model, if relevant: ChatGPT Projects; model not relevant
Bug
Two major changes appeared at approximately the same time in the recent ChatGPT Projects UI, and I am trying to determine whether both are intentional product changes or whether part of the current behavior is a regression/incomplete rollout.
- Projects UI redesign
The Projects interface has changed very substantially. Projects now expand directly in the left sidebar, Project chats appear beneath them, and Project settings are accessed through an Edit control and modal with an Advanced section.
This is dramatically different from the previous Projects experience.
I have not found clear communication confirming whether this is the intended new Projects UI, a staged rollout, or an incomplete/regressed state.
- Existing-Project Memory setting is now locked
Until very recently, I could change the Memory mode of an existing personal Project between Default memory and Project-only memory.
In the redesigned UI, for an existing Project:
Project settings → Advanced → Memory
the Memory control is now disabled/greyed out and displays:
“This cannot be changed.”
These are personal, unshared Projects. They have never been shared and were not created as copies of shared Projects.
By contrast, when creating a NEW Project, the Memory selector is still active and allows either Default memory or Project-only memory.
So I am trying to clarify two things:
- Is the substantially redesigned Projects interface intentional and the intended replacement for the previous Projects UI?
- Is Memory now intentionally fixed at Project creation, or should existing personal/unshared Projects still be able to change Memory mode?
I have separately reported the Memory behavior to OpenAI Support. The initial AI-assisted Support interaction indicated that the locked setting on an eligible unshared Project appears inconsistent with documented behavior, and the issue has been escalated to a specialist.
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Additional observation from the redesigned Project settings UI:
I have also noticed that Project Source files no longer appear to have an open/preview/download path.
In the current redesigned UI, clicking a Source filename or row does nothing. The only actionable control on the row is the trash/delete icon.
I cannot find any way to open, preview, or download an existing Source from the Project settings interface.
This is another reason I am trying to determine whether the current Projects UI is the completed/intended redesign or an incomplete rollout/regression.
Reproduction
To reproduce the existing-Project Memory behavior:
- Open an existing personal, unshared ChatGPT Project.
- Open the Project’s Edit / Project settings control.
- Open Advanced settings.
- Look at Memory.
- Observe that the current Memory mode is displayed, but the control is disabled and says “This cannot be changed.”
Comparison:
- Choose Create project.
- Look at the Memory setting during Project creation.
- Observe that Memory is selectable and offers Default memory and Project-only memory.
This creates a clear difference between new and existing Projects:
New Project → Memory can be selected.
Affected existing personal/unshared Project → Memory is locked.
Diagnostics
Exact error or screenshot:
There is no error code.
The existing-Project UI displays the message:
“This cannot be changed.”
I have screenshots showing:
- the redesigned Projects interface;
- Project settings → Advanced → Memory on an existing Project with the disabled control;
- the Create project dialog where Memory remains selectable.
When it happened and how often:
First observed after the recent Projects UI redesign, approximately September 15–16, 2026.
The locked Memory behavior has been reproducible when checking affected existing personal/unshared Projects.
Timezone: EDT (UTC-4).