Here’s how to delete your ChatGPT account without losing chats you want to keep or paying for a subscription you forgot. On the web it’s Settings, then Account, then Delete next to Delete account. Before you do it, cancel any Apple or Google Play subscription and export your chats, because deleting the account doesn’t cancel store subscriptions or save a copy for you.
This free walkthrough turns OpenAI’s official steps into a tick-as-you-go checklist for your device, and does the same for Claude, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity. Nothing you click is sent anywhere.
Free walkthrough
Delete your AI account the safe way
Pick the app, your device and what you want gone. You get a tick-as-you-go checklist: cancel and save your data first, the exact official delete steps, and what happens to your data afterward. Or the lighter options, if you only want your chats gone or kept out of training.
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How to use the walkthrough
- Pick the AI app, then what you want: delete the account, delete your chats only, or keep your chats out of training.
- Choose your device and how you pay, so the cancel and delete steps match your setup.
- Tick each step as you go, or copy the whole list.
- Unlock the privacy checklist to tighten every AI app you use, not just one.
How to delete your ChatGPT account, step by step
- Cancel first if you pay through Apple or Google Play. OpenAI says deleting your account doesn’t cancel an App Store subscription, and its Android article says the same for Google Play. A subscription billed by ChatGPT itself is canceled when you delete.
- Export your data. Go to Settings, then Data controls, then Export. OpenAI says the export can take up to 7 days to arrive, and the download link expires 24 hours after you get it.
- Delete the account. Go to Settings, then Account, then select Delete next to Delete account. Enter your email or phone number, type DELETE, then select Permanently delete my account.
- Can’t sign in? Use OpenAI’s Privacy Portal to submit a verified deletion request instead.
If your email also signs in to an OpenAI Ads account, pause your campaigns first: OpenAI says deleting may not stop them.
What happens to your data after you delete
| App | When it’s deleted | Can you undo it? |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Within 30 days, except a limited set kept where required or permitted by law | No |
| Claude | Deleted conversations leave back-end storage within 30 days | No |
| Perplexity | Within 30 days | Yes, by signing back in before deletion completes |
| Copilot (closing your Microsoft account) | After the 30 or 60 day reopen window you choose | Yes, during the reopen window |
| Gemini (deleting your Google Account) | Google starts deleting right away | Google says you might not be able to recover it after a certain amount of time |
One exception to know about: Google says Gemini chats that human reviewers already looked at are kept for up to 3 years, disconnected from your account, even after you delete your activity.
You may not need to delete anything
- Just want to stop paying? OpenAI says you don’t need to delete your account to stop future charges. Cancel the subscription instead.
- Want your chats gone? Every app here lets you delete chats one at a time or all at once and keep the account.
- Want them out of training? In ChatGPT, turn off Improve the model for everyone in Data controls. In Claude, turn off Help Improve our AI models in Privacy settings. In Gemini, turn off Keep Activity. In Perplexity, turn off the AI data retention toggle.
Related on HOW TO // AI
- What does AI actually know about you?: the 10-minute AI privacy audit.
- AI chatbot pricing compared: switching apps instead? Compare every plan first.
- ChatGPT pricing: what each plan costs, if you’d rather downgrade than delete.
Checked against the OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft and Perplexity help centers on October 18, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Does deleting my ChatGPT account cancel my subscription?
Only if ChatGPT bills you directly. OpenAI says deleting doesn't cancel an Apple App Store subscription, and its Android article says the same for Google Play, so cancel in the store first.
How long does OpenAI take to delete my data?
OpenAI says it deletes your data within 30 days of account deletion, except a limited set it may keep longer where required or permitted by law.
Can I make a new ChatGPT account with the same email?
OpenAI's main deletion article says yes, after 30 days, if the old account was fully deleted. Its older iOS and Android articles still say no, so don't count on it.
Can I recover a deleted ChatGPT account?
No. OpenAI says deleted accounts can't be reactivated and deleted chats can't be recovered, so export your data before you delete.
How do I delete my Claude account?
On the web, go to Settings, then Account, then Delete account. On Pro or Max, Anthropic says to cancel your subscription first and wait until the paid period ends.