ChatGPTMemoryLevel 2: Context

How Do You Make ChatGPT Remember Something?

Tell it directly: "Remember that I write in Australian English." OpenAI's help page says saved memories are details you explicitly ask ChatGPT to remember, or details it saves as useful context when that behavior is available. Then open a new chat and check that the fact carried over.

Prompt to copy 
Remember these facts for future chats, each as a separate memory:
- I work as [your role] at a [type of company].
- I write in [language and spelling, such as American English] and use [metric / imperial] units.
- When I ask for code, assume [language and version].

Don't save anything else from this message. When you're done, repeat back exactly what you saved.
  1. 1Say "Remember that..."
  2. 2Check Settings > Personalization > Memory
  3. 3Test it in a new chat
A quick way to confirm a fact was kept: state it, then test it in a chat that has no other context.

Try it now

  1. 1Check that Memory is on in Settings > Personalization > Memory. If you see Reference saved memories, it needs to be on as well.
  2. 2In any chat, type "Remember that" plus one stable fact about you, such as your spelling or your units.
  3. 3Open a new chat and give it a task the fact should change. If you saved your spelling, ask for a short email. You can also ask "What do you remember about how I write?"
  4. 4It worked if the new chat uses the fact without being told. If it doesn't, look for the fact in **Memory summary or Saved memories**.

Use it when

A fact that will still be true in six months and applies across unrelated chats: your spelling preference, your job, your units, the tools you use every day. Say it the moment you notice you've typed it for the third time.

Skip it when

A rule ChatGPT must follow every time, like "never use bullet points". Put that in custom instructions, which OpenAI says apply to all chats. Skip it too for anything tied to one piece of work, like a client's deadline. That belongs in a Project, where it won't follow you into everything else.

Why it works

ChatGPT now has two memory experiences. OpenAI's help page says improved Memory continually updates a broader summary of relevant context, while legacy saved memories use a more explicit list of individual items. Either way, Memory "does not retain every detail", and ChatGPT decides what's relevant to each response. A plain statement of one stable fact gives it something clear to keep. Saved memories are also stored separately from chat history, so they outlive the chat where you said them. OpenAI's Codex docs call memories "a helpful recall layer", not a reliable place for rules that must always apply.

Example

Say you're a bookkeeper in Melbourne, and every draft arrives with American spelling and dollar signs in the wrong format. You type: "Remember that I write in Australian English and that amounts are in AUD unless I say otherwise." A week later, in a new chat, you ask for a late payment email. That's your test: look at the spelling and the currency before you change anything.

Going further

If you want to see an exact list instead of a summary, you may be able to switch. OpenAI's help page says that where the option exists, Settings > Personalization > Memory > Saved memories moves you to the legacy experience, and Try improved memory moves you back. Changing it doesn't delete your chat history. The summary in improved Memory is a high-level view and may leave out details, so an empty summary doesn't prove ChatGPT knows nothing about the topic. OpenAI's June 4, 2026 release notes also say Plus and Pro got twice as much memory capacity with the improved version.

Common mistakes

  • Saving a rule instead of a fact. If it must always apply, use custom instructions, since Memory only draws on what ChatGPT judges relevant to that response.
  • Assuming a Project chat will use it. In a project set to Project-only memory, OpenAI says your saved memories aren't referenced at all.
  • Telling it in a temporary chat. OpenAI says temporary chats never create or update memories, even when personalized.
  • Deleting the chat and thinking the fact is gone. A saved memory stays until you delete it in Memory settings or ask ChatGPT to forget it.

Sources

Checked 6 November 2026. Products change often, so confirm details with the vendor.

Related

Best practice How Do You See and Fix What ChatGPT Remembers? Comparison Custom Instructions, Memory or Projects: Which Should You Use? Concept Why Shouldn't You Store Documents in ChatGPT Memory? Best practice How Do You Write Instructions for a GPT or Skill?

Beyond the course

Glossary Model Context Protocol (MCP) Pricing guide ChatGPT pricing, plans and models