OpenAI plans to retire custom GPTs, which its help center describes as "versions of ChatGPT configured for a specific purpose": instructions, uploaded files and tools bundled under one name by a person or a company. The migration FAQ gives the date.

Custom GPTs are scheduled to retire on Dec 11, 2026. For affected Enterprise workspaces with an approved deferral, the retirement date is Feb 11, 2027. This extension applies only to workspaces with a qualified, approved deferral.

"The transition affects all ChatGPT plans." On the retirement date, "custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible."

The scheduled date is 75 days from today. This desk also found that the FAQ's dates have already moved, with no release note, and that OpenAI's help center now gives two different target dates for the same migration.

The replacement is a plugin

OpenAI's stated plan: "We're planning to retire custom GPTs and help creators migrate them to plugins." A plugin, in the FAQ's words, can "bring reusable instructions, reference files, and connected apps together".

Under the planned workflow, a GPT's instructions "become a skill within the new plugin", its connected apps are added to the plugin as apps, and "The GPT's knowledge files are copied into the plugin's reference files."

Much does not come across:

Custom actions. "GPT custom actions do not transfer through the migration workflow." Rebuilding one "may require a custom MCP server and technical setup."
Conversations. "Migration doesn't move your existing GPT conversations into the plugin."
Sharing. Migration "doesn't carry over your GPT's sharing settings or give its existing users access to the replacement." The new plugin starts private.
The model. "The GPT's selected model does not carry over."
Drafts. "Migration uses the GPT's latest published version. Drafts and unpublished edits do not transfer."
Deletion. After migration the original stays usable until retirement, but "becomes read-only after migration and its creator cannot delete it."

And the FAQ warns that "A migrated plugin may respond differently."

The FAQ was rewritten, and the dates moved

The FAQ keeps no list of its own changes. The Internet Archive saved it at 20:43 UTC on September 17, 15:15 UTC on September 18 and 11:04 UTC on September 25. Page data in the first two records a last update at 21:56 UTC on September 16. The September 25 copy records 04:27 UTC on September 24, and its article text matches, word for word, what the live page showed this desk on September 27.

Between those versions:

Creation cutoff. "Sep 25, 2026 (planned): Creation of new custom GPTs ends." became "Oct 26, 2026 (planned): Creation of new custom GPTs ends." That is 31 days later, and the page data places the change before the old date arrived. The new version adds: "This creation freeze does not prevent edits to existing, unmigrated GPTs."
Migration target. September 17 became September 22, five days later. A new milestone was added: "Oct 1, 2026: Target for the migration banner in workspaces that already opted into delayed migration banners."
Retirement. The date held; the wording did not. "Scheduled retirement. Custom GPTs stop running." became "Standard scheduled retirement. Custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible at the applicable retirement date." A second date appeared: "Feb 11, 2027: Retirement for workspaces with a qualified, approved deferral."
Redirects. The September 16 version said: "Migrated GPT links are planned to redirect to the replacement for people who have access." The current version does not mention redirects anywhere.
Other plans. The earlier version gave dates only for Enterprise and said "The other plans may follow the same transition timeline, with in-product announcements coordinated with Enterprise." The current version states December 11 in its general answer, outside the Enterprise section, and tells readers to follow "the notice for your account or workspace, including any different timeline communicated to you."

The only ChatGPT release note on the subject is dated September 11 and names no date: "We’re planning to retire custom GPTs across ChatGPT plans and provide a migration path to plugins". Entries from September 14 through September 25 do not mention custom GPTs. The FAQ itself says the Enterprise dates "are subject to change".

Two pages, two target dates

Two other articles in the same GPTs section of the help center, "GPTs in ChatGPT" and "Creating and editing GPTs", both recorded as last updated September 17, open with a retirement notice that still reads: "The migration experience is targeted for Sep 17, 2026 and may not be available to every account or workspace at the same time." As of September 27, OpenAI gives September 17 on those two pages and September 22 in the FAQ.

Those pages also say what the FAQ does not: "New GPT creation and publishing are not available on personal ChatGPT accounts, including Free, Go, Plus, and Pro." The October 26 cutoff is an Enterprise date. On personal accounts, new GPTs already cannot be created. Existing ones "can still be edited if existing plan and permission requirements are met".

What to do, and by when

Now, on any plan:

Work out which GPTs you use and whether you built them. The FAQ: "Identify the GPTs you rely on and whether you created them or use someone else's."
If you built one, write down what is in it. The September 16 version advised: "Record the instructions, reference material, integrations, and a few familiar prompts so you can test the migrated workflow." The current version asks creators to "Save a few familiar prompts so you can compare the replacement's results."
Apply any draft edits you want kept, since only the latest published version migrates. For an existing GPT, the companion article says to "select Update to apply your latest draft changes".
If you would rather delete a GPT than migrate it, note that the FAQ says a migrated original cannot be deleted by its creator.
Start early on custom actions: "Allow extra time for GPTs that use custom actions."

When migration reaches your account, "go to My GPTs and select Migrate to plugin", then test the result against your saved prompts.

If you only use someone else's GPT: "You do not need to migrate a GPT you only use, and permission to use it does not let you migrate it yourself." Access to the original "does not automatically give you access to a replacement plugin." Watch the GPT's notice and its creator's guidance. A public GPT created in an affected Enterprise workspace follows the Enterprise timeline even if you use it from a personal account.

Enterprise workspaces (planned dates, subject to change):

October 1: migration banner target for workspaces that opted into delayed banners.
October 26: creation of new custom GPTs ends. "Publish any drafts you need to migrate before this cutoff; public sharing is not required."
December 11: standard retirement.
February 11, 2027: only for workspaces with a qualified, approved deferral. The FAQ adds that "Standard admin emails use the standard dates and are not tailored to workspaces with approved delays."

What the record does not say

Why. No page read gives a reason for retiring GPTs, or for moving the dates.
What happens to old chats. The FAQ says conversations do not move to the plugin and that GPT pages become inaccessible. It does not say whether past conversations with a GPT stay readable in a user's history after December 11.
Export. None of the pages read describes a way to download a GPT's configuration or knowledge files other than migration.
What a personal-plan plugin can do. The plugins article describes creating and editing plugins by chat "In supported ChatGPT Business and Enterprise workspaces" and says "Personal Skills are generally available to ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, Healthcare, and Edu users." Migration turns instructions into a skill, and the FAQ says "Migration and plugin access may differ by account or workspace." This desk could not establish what a Free, Go, Plus or Pro user's migrated plugin will be able to do.
How many. No count of GPTs or users affected.
Personal-account timing. Beyond December 11, non-Enterprise timing follows in-product notices this desk cannot see. When personal accounts lost the ability to create GPTs is not stated.
How many edits. The Archive holds no copy between September 18 and September 25, so this record cannot say whether the changes came in one edit or several.

The replacement is a plugin

The FAQ was rewritten, and the dates moved

Two pages, two target dates

What to do, and by when

What the record does not say

Source links