The short answer: OpenAI is retiring custom GPTs. They're scheduled to stop working on December 11, 2026, when "custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible." FedRAMP workspaces and some Enterprise workspaces with an approved deferral get until February 11, 2027 (OpenAI).
GPTs are being replaced by plugins. If you built a GPT, you can migrate it, and its instructions become a skill inside the new plugin. Your past conversations with GPTs stay available after the retirement date.
What happens on December 11
- GPTs stop working. Custom GPTs and their pages become inaccessible, whether you built them or use someone else's.
- Your chats stay. Existing conversations with custom GPTs remain accessible after retirement, with no action needed.
- The change covers every ChatGPT plan. When migration becomes available, and what you can do with plugins, may differ by account or workspace, so follow the notice in your account.
What moves to the plugin, and what doesn't
| Part of your GPT | After migration |
|---|---|
| Instructions | Become a skill in the new plugin |
| Knowledge files | Copied into the plugin's reference files |
| Connected apps | Added to the plugin as apps |
| Custom actions | Don't transfer. Anything that depends on them stops working until you set up a replacement. |
| The model you selected | Doesn't carry over |
| Who can use it | Not copied. The plugin starts private, and people who used your GPT don't get access automatically. |
| Drafts and unpublished edits | Don't transfer; migration uses the latest published version |
After you migrate, the original GPT keeps working until the retirement date but becomes read-only, and you can't delete it. Make future changes in the plugin.
If you built a GPT: what to do now
- List the GPTs you rely on. Note which you built and which belong to someone else.
- Copy each GPT's instructions into your own document. This is your backup no matter what happens to plugins, and it lets you reuse the instructions in Claude or Gemini too.
- Publish any final edits. Migration uses the latest published version. Publishing doesn't mean sharing it publicly.
- Save a few test prompts you know the answers to, so you can compare the old GPT with the new plugin.
- Migrate when the option appears: go to My GPTs and choose Migrate to plugin. If you don't see it, migration may not be available for your account yet, or plugins may be turned off.
- Test the plugin with your familiar prompts and at least one harder case. Check that it follows your instructions, uses the right reference files and produces the format you need.
- Rebuild custom actions if your GPT used them. OpenAI says this may need a custom MCP server and technical setup.
- Share the plugin with the people who used your GPT, then ask one of them to install and test it.
If you use someone else's GPT
You don't need to migrate a GPT you only use, and you can't migrate it yourself. Check the GPT's notice and its creator's guidance about a replacement. Having access to the original doesn't automatically give you access to the new plugin.
If a GPT you depend on has no replacement by early December, copy the parts you need now: the prompts that work well with it, and any instructions its creator published. You can rebuild a simple version as a ChatGPT project or skill, or in another AI app.
How to use a plugin or skill once it's ready
After the plugin is installed, pick it with an @ mention, or open + and choose More where that's supported. ChatGPT can also use a relevant installed skill automatically when its description matches your request, though it won't necessarily run on every message.
For Enterprise admins: the key dates
- October 26, 2026: creating new GPTs ended for affected Enterprise workspaces (except FedRAMP). Existing GPTs can still be edited until they're migrated.
- December 11, 2026: standard retirement.
- February 11, 2027: retirement for FedRAMP workspaces and workspaces with a qualifying, approved deferral.
Admins can bulk-migrate GPTs with the ChatGPT Admin plugin. OpenAI notes bulk migration runs in the background, so check the results and test the replacements before asking people to switch.
Use the move to tighten your instructions
Most GPT instructions were written once and patched over time. Before you migrate, it's worth cleaning them up: remove repetition, state the goal and the format you want, and cut rules that no longer matter. Shorter instructions are cheaper to run and easier for the model to follow. Paste them into PromptSaver's optimizer for a clearer, tighter version.
For more ways to keep your best prompts safe from the next platform change, see how to save and reuse AI prompts. Gemini users have a similar deadline: Gems are going away on December 17.
Frequently asked questions
When are custom GPTs being retired?
OpenAI has scheduled custom GPTs to retire on December 11, 2026. FedRAMP workspaces and some Enterprise workspaces with an approved deferral have until February 11, 2027.
Will I lose my conversations with GPTs?
No. OpenAI says existing conversations with custom GPTs remain accessible after retirement, and you don't need to do anything to keep them.
What replaces custom GPTs?
Plugins. When you migrate a GPT, its instructions become a skill inside a plugin, its knowledge files are copied over, and its connected apps are added as apps.
Do custom actions transfer to plugins?
No. Custom actions don't transfer through migration. Rebuilding the connection may need an available app or a custom MCP server.
Why can't I see the "Migrate to plugin" option?
Migration may not be available for your account yet, or plugins may be turned off in your workspace. Also check that you're signed in to the account where you created the GPT; only a GPT's creator or a workspace admin can migrate it.
Can I keep using my GPT after migrating it?
Yes, until the retirement date, but it becomes read-only and can't be deleted. Make changes in the new plugin.
How we checked this
Everything above comes from OpenAI's custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ, read on October 30, 2026. OpenAI says timelines can differ by account and workspace, so follow the notice in your own account. We'll update this page if the dates change.