OpenAI starts winding down ChatGPT Classic, its older desktop application for macOS. Users opening the app now see a retirement notice that sets January 30, 2027 as the final date for the legacy software.
The tech giant wants users to shift to the newer ChatGPT desktop app. That app brings Chat, Work and Codex into a single interface, replacing the older standalone experience.
ChatGPT Classic was once simply called the ChatGPT desktop app. OpenAI renamed it after launching the refreshed desktop version earlier this year. The retirement banner tells users that the app will stop functioning on January 30, 2027. It also points them to the download page for the updated ChatGPT app.
Until then, Classic will continue to receive model updates, bug fixes, and security patches. OpenAI has said it will also maintain support for existing Enterprise capabilities. OpenAI aims to reduce migration friction. It says a user’s full chat history will carry over through their account, allowing them to continue existing conversations in the new app.
Users do not need to export chats manually. Once they sign in to the newer desktop app with the same OpenAI account, their previous conversations should be available.
The move reflects OpenAI’s push to make the desktop app a broader workspace rather than only a chat client. The new app combines everyday conversations, work-related tasks and Codex, the company’s coding assistant.
OpenAI is also testing a combined Chat and Work experience with a small group of users. The company expects this to make the desktop app more useful for both quick questions and complex, multi-step tasks.
The change may disappoint users who favor the older app’s simpler design. Still, OpenAI is making the newer app the default path for future desktop features, including agent-led capabilities that may not reach Classic.
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