Overview

Apps connect ChatGPT to external tools, information, and actions. Some plugins include one or more apps together with skills for a specific workflow.

Within the containing plugin, apps can take actions on your behalf, search and reference information from your data sources, run deep research across multiple sources with citations, display information in UI, or sync content in advance so you have up-to-date information on demand in your workspace’s knowledge base.

App capabilities

Plugins depend on an app’s underlying capabilities to accomplish specific tasks. Apps within a plugin may have several features to help you accomplish your tasks within ChatGPT.

Interactive apps

Some appsinclude rich, in-chat experiences (for example, interactive cards, maps, or playlists).

Search

Apps can help you search and reference information from connected third-party services, pulling relevant context into your conversation.

Deep research

Some apps can be used with deep research for complex, multi-source analysis, with citations back to the originals.

Sync

Some apps support syncing to index content in advance for faster responses and improved quality.

Write actions

Some apps may be able to take actions, such as creating or updating information in a connected service. Availability depends on the app and how it is configured.

App permissions control when ChatGPT asks before using connected apps. By default, ChatGPT uses Important actions, which allows reading from apps automatically but asks before actions that may have a meaningful effect outside ChatGPT, expose sensitive information, or be difficult to undo.

Workspace admins can configure which actions an app is allowed to take and, where available, when members must approve app actions.

App permissions

Apps let ChatGPT read information and take actions in connected services. App permissions control when ChatGPT must ask before using an app.

These app permissions apply to ChatGPT conversations. Workspace Agents use per-agent controls set by the agent's builder to determine which app actions are available and when end users are asked to approve them. For agent behavior, see:ChatGPT Workspace Agents for Enterprise and Business.

These settings apply after an app is connected. They do not connect an app, expand the access you granted when connecting it, or change the app's own permissions.

Permission options

Available options may include:

• Always ask: ChatGPT asks before taking any app action, including reading information.

• Any changes: ChatGPT can read automatically, but asks before changing anything.

• Important actions: ChatGPT can read automatically, but asks before important actions. This is the default.

• Never ask: ChatGPT can read and take actions automatically. This option has elevated risk because actions can happen without a confirmation prompt.

Never ask may not be available as an overall default for every account or workspace. It may still be available as a setting for an individual app.

Important actions

An important action is an app action that could have a meaningful effect outside ChatGPT, expose sensitive information, or be difficult to undo. ChatGPT evaluates the specific action, information being shared, and action context before it runs.

Examples may include:

• Sending or editing an email, message, comment, post, invitation, appointment, or other communication on your behalf.

• Deleting content, canceling an appointment, or removing a reservation.

• Making a purchase, issuing a refund, or managing a financial transaction or subscription.

• Uploading a file, or moving or renaming a file in cloud storage.

• Changing sharing permissions, account access, security settings, or creating access credentials.

• Sharing sensitive personal, financial, health, identity, or authentication information with an app.

ChatGPT generally considers the full context of a request when evaluating whether it may be considered an important action. For example, saving a private draft is generally lower risk than sending that content to another person. Updating a shopping cart without completing a purchase is generally lower risk than placing the order. Changing a normal preference is generally lower risk than changing a security setting.

If one request includes several actions, ChatGPT considers the highest applicable level of risk. Suspicious or hidden instructions in app content can also cause ChatGPT to ask for approval or block the request.

Not every change is considered important. Lower-risk actions, such as saving a private draft, changing a non-security preference, or updating a shopping cart without completing a purchase, may proceed without asking under Important actions. To require approval before any change, select Any changes.

Some especially risky actions may be blocked instead of being presented for approval. Selecting a less restrictive app permission does not override certain safety or workspace protections.

Change app permissions

For a personal account, you can change your default app permission:

• Open your profile menu and select Settings.

• Select Apps.

• Under App Preferences, find Ask permission.

• Choose your preferred option.

Your default applies to connected apps unless you choose a different permission for a specific app.

To choose a different permission for one app:

• Open the Plugins Directory.

• Select the connected app.

• In the app's Preferences, choose an option under Ask permission.

An app-specific selection overrides your default. Select Reset to default to remove the override and use your overall setting again.

When ChatGPT asks for permission

Before an action runs, ChatGPT shows an approval card with information about the app and the proposed action. Review the details before deciding.

Depending on the action and account, you may see:

• Deny: Do not perform the action.

• Allow or Allow once: Perform this action without changing your saved app permission.

• Always allow: Perform the action and allow future actions for that connected app without asking again.

The exact buttons may vary. Always allow only appears when a persistent choice is available.

For personal accounts, selecting Always allow changes that app's permission to Never ask and approves the current action. You can change the app's permission later in Settings > Apps.

In managed workspaces, persistent permissions are controlled by workspace administrators, so members may not see Always allow. Workspace administrators can set workspace-wide and app-specific app permissions where available.

What app permissions do not change

App permissions do not grant an app new access. The data and actions available to an app are determined by the app, the access granted when it was connected, and any workspace controls.

To remove an app's access, disconnect it or ask your workspace administrator to disable it. Changing an app permission only changes when ChatGPT asks before using the access the app already has.

App permissions are separate from settings that apply generally to all conversations in ChatGPT, such as Memory, personalization, data retention, and your choices about whether content may be used to improve models. Manage those features in their respective ChatGPT settings.

Building your own app

You can also build a custom app to connect ChatGPT to your own tools and internal data.

• Build apps using the Model Context Protocol (MCP) to let ChatGPT call approved tools and retrieve information from services.

• If you are on a workspace plan, admins can control whethercustom apps are allowed and how they are rolled out.

• If you are a developer building an app, the Apps SDK is the recommended way to package and publish app experiences, including apps that use MCP-backed tools. You can get started with building apps by referring to theApps SDK documentation.

Publishing a custom MCP app makes that app available according to your workspace settings. It does not by itself guarantee that a separate plugin is published to your workspace. If you want the app to be distributed as part of a plugin, the plugin also needs to be created, imported, submitted, or made available for the workspace.

You can submit an app for publication. If it is approved, it may be distributed through a plugin listing in the Plugins Directory. See submitting apps for more information.

Discover apps through plugins

The Plugins Directory is the primary place for people to discover workflow capabilities across ChatGPT and Codex. A plugin listing can include one or more apps, skills, and app templates.

Open the Plugins Directory and select a plugin to review its capabilities, included apps, required setup, and connection requirements.

The Plugins Directory is visible across ChatGPT plans. Whether you can install or invoke a plugin depends on your plan, workspace settings, role, supported surface, region, and the capabilities of its included apps.

Select a plugin listing to review each included app’s capabilities, connection requirements, terms, and privacy policy. If a plugin requires an app, that app must be enabled for your workspace and role before the app-backed capability can be used.

Note: the Connect button for a given app may be greyed out based on geo restrictions, workspace settings, or your plan type. If the button or tooltip says Disabled by admin, ask your workspace admin to enable the app before trying again.

Connect a new app

You can connect an app from a plugin listing in the Plugins Directory when the app is available for your plan and workspace.

• Open the Plugins Directory.

• Find a plugin that includes the app you want, open its details, and select Connect when that option is available.

• Complete the app’s login and authorization flow, if applicable.

• The app is now available for use in ChatGPT conversations.

Business and Enterprise/Edu workspace setup

Admins and owners can control app availability from Workspace settings > Apps. Eligible workspaces may also have Workspace settings > Plugins for plugin availability and installation policy.

• Apps are enabled by default for Business plans.

• Apps are disabled by default for Enterprise/Edu plans.

• Plugins with required apps are available only when those apps are enabled for the member's role.

• Plugins inherit each included app's role access, action controls, approval settings, sync settings, domain restrictions, and other app-specific controls.

You can view all available apps from the Directory tab. The Enabled tab shows apps currently enabled for your workspace, and the Drafts tab includescustom apps being developed for your organization.

The Enabled tab allows you to search and filter for apps and apply actions to a group of apps by selecting them. For example, you can filter for all apps with write actions and disable them as a group.

Workspace users can browse the Plugins Directory, but they can connect to and use only capabilities allowed by their plan, workspace settings, role, supported surface, region, and the underlying app’s controls.

Business workspace setup for admins and owners

Apps are enabled by default for Business plans, including apps with sync. You can manage apps from the Enabled tab.

• Select the more options menu (•••) for the app you want to manage.

• Select App details to review the app.

• Select Action control to review which actions are available for the app.

• Select Disable to make the app unavailable for your workspace.

• Select Manage domains if you want to limit which accounts workspace members can use to connect the app.

You can also use the search and filtering functionality to select and configure multiple apps, so long as the configuration is common to all selected apps.

Enterprise/Edu workspace setup for admins and owners

Apps are disabled by default for Enterprise/Edu workspaces. You can enable desired apps for your workspace by accessing the Directory tab and selecting Enable in the app listing. Depending on the app, you can configure several app features during the enablement process and select Publish for the changes to take effect.

Configure access

Choose this option to configureRBAC. By default, the app is available to all users in the workspace, but you can restrict access to specific groups.

Configure actions

Choose this option to configure the actions an app can perform. Select Action control to review which actions the app can use in your workspace. Admins can choose how the app's current actions are handled by allowing all actions, allowing only read actions, or selecting a custom set of actions. If admins select Custom, they can also choose how actions added later are handled by selecting Enable all new actions, Only enable new read actions, or Disable new actions.

For non-sync apps, you can also add parameter constraints to actions. Parameter constraints help control what arguments the model is allowed to send to an app when the action is called. You can apply constraints to all non-object fields in an action, such as strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, and objects with nested properties. When a constraint blocks an action, end users will see a message explaining that the action was blocked due to a workspace configuration and which constraint prevented it.

To add a constraint:

• Select Parameter Constraints for the action you want to constrain.

• Locate the parameter you want to constrain and set the required constraint or filter.

• Select the save button, such as Save regex for string constraints or Save range for numeric constraints.

If you want to remove the constraint, select Parameter Constraints for the action you want to revert, find the parameter, and then either delete the constraints you imposed or select Reset to default.

Manage domains

If available, choose this option to limit which accounts workspace members can connect to ChatGPT by restricting connected accounts to an approved set of domains. The list of approved domains is configurable per app.

Enable sync

Some apps may allowsync. By default, users have to opt into sync from user settings when they connect the app. Some apps may allow you to enable sync for your entire team.

To enable sync for the app, select the checkbox, then select Publish. If the app supports it, you may see additional options to deploy team-wide or enable self-service.

• Select Deploy to your team if available to enable sync for your entire team. Your team members will not need to do any additional setup.

• Select Self-service setup to allow each team member to set up the app or connector individually from Settings > Apps.

After choosing options and publishing the app, it appears in the Enabled tab. You can further configure it by using the more options menu (•••) next to the app listing.

• Select App details for more information about the app.

• Select User access to control RBAC.

• Select Action control if available to configure app actions.

• Select Disable to make the app unavailable for your workspace.

You can also use the search and filtering functionality to select and configure multiple apps, so long as the configuration is common to all selected apps.

App templates

Some workspace apps start from an app template. A template is an OpenAI-provided setup flow that lets workspace admins and owners create a workspace-specific draft app using their organization's own provider configuration, such as OAuth credentials, callback URLs, webhook details, or a managed MCP server URL.

After an admin creates and publishes the draft, members use the published workspace app. They do not use the template directly. Admins can manage the published app from Workspace settings > Apps > Enabled, including access, action controls, and app permissions where available.

For general setup guidance, seeChatGPT app templates.

Manage apps

After app setup, you can manage app settings from Workspace settings > Apps. Select the Enabled tab, locate the app you want to manage, and then select the more options menu (•••) for the app you want to manage. Review the section above for various configuration options.

Apps capabilities by plan

The Plugins Directory is visible across plans, but specific apps and capabilities can have additional plan, workspace, role, surface, and regional requirements.

Supported apps and capabilities

For the current list of available workflows, open the Plugins Directory. In managed workspaces, admins configure underlying apps in Workspace settings > Apps.

Admin controls, security, and compliance

• Workspace owners and admins manage app availability from settings. Enterprise/Edu workspaces can configureRBAC for apps.

• Eligible Business, Enterprise, and Edu workspaces can manage plugins from workspace plugin controls. Admins can choose whether a plugin is Available or Installed for roles, and plugins with required apps inherit the app's access and action settings.

• User conversations, including conversations using any app, are already available in the Compliance API.

• All app calls are logged as part of theOpenAI Compliance Logs platform.

• Read more:Compliance API for Enterprise Customers.

FAQ

Which models can I use with apps?

App compatibility varies by app, capability, plan, workspace, and model. Open the plugin or app details to confirm current availability.

In Enterprise, Edu, and Business workspaces, who can enable or disable apps and plugins?

Workspace owners and admins manage availability in settings. For Enterprise and Edu, owners can configure role-based access controls (RBAC).

For plugins, admins can choose whether a plugin is Available or Installed for eligible roles. A plugin that requires an app is usable only when the required app is enabled for the member's role. If the app is disabled or its role access does not include the member, the app-backed plugin capability is blocked across supported ChatGPT and Codex surfaces.

Are there special rate limits for apps?

No. Apps follow normal ChatGPT rate limits for your plan (external apps may impose their own caps).

Can I remove an app from my workspace or account?

Admins and owners can disable an app fromWorkspace settings. Users can disconnect apps from Settings > Apps.

Your connected third-party application may also have its own options for unlinking.

What does ChatGPT share with apps?

After you enable an app, the app may be able to access information from ChatGPT in order to help provide context for your requests. For example, if the Canva app is enabled and you ask, “Canva, can you turn these ideas into a presentation?”, then the app may access and use relevant context from your ChatGPT conversations (such as names or taglines you have been brainstorming) in order to help generate a design based on what you have discussed.

If you have Memory turned on, when an app is responding to your requests, it may also leverage relevant information from memories to provide more customized and useful interactions for you. For example, if you have Memory turned on and you ask, “Canva, can you design a flyer for my business?”, then the app may access and use relevant context from your memories (such as the fact that you have a dog-walking business) to better customize the requested flyer. You can learn more aboutMemory, including how to disable it or control individual memories.

Apps you enable may also see basic information typically shared when you visit a website, such as your IP address, device or browser type, language and region settings, and approximate location, and can use that information to improve the accuracy of your results. Approximate location is based on your IP address and reflects a general area like your city or region, not your exact street address or GPS coordinates. For example, if you have enabled the Zillow app and ask to find houses nearby, the app can use your approximate location to show listings in your area without you needing to type in a city or ZIP code.

Data shared with apps is handled according to each app’s terms of service and privacy policies, which you will see before enabling the app.

How does ChatGPT use information from apps?

After you enable an app, ChatGPT can use information in the app as context to help provide responses. If you haveMemory enabled in your settings, ChatGPT may remember relevant information accessed from the app, unless that app or connected source restricts Memory from saving that information. ChatGPT can also use relevant information accessed from apps to inform web search queries when ChatGPTsearches the web to provide you with information.

Does Voice mode support apps?

Voice mode currently does not support apps.

Does OpenAI use information from apps to train its models?

• For ChatGPT Business, Enterprise, and Edu customers: OpenAI does not use information accessed from connectors to train models by default.

For ChatGPT Free, Plus, Go, and Pro users: OpenAI may use information accessed from apps to train our models if your “Improve the model for everyone” setting is on. You can read more about how your data is stored and used inthis article in our help center.