AINov 3, 2026, 4:38 PM UTC·2 min read

OpenAI Merges ChatGPT's Chat and Work Tabs Into One Interface

OpenAI will combine the separate Chat and Work tabs in the ChatGPT desktop app, share one usage quota with Codex, and retire ChatGPT Classic on January 30, 2027.

ChatGPT desktop app window showing a single merged interface for chatting and running tasks — Image: Webrazzi

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OpenAI is preparing to merge the Chat and Work tabs in the ChatGPT desktop app into a single interface. The new experience will first be tested with a limited group of users, and the company plans to widen the rollout after collecting feedback.

Today the desktop app splits ChatGPT and Codex into separate sections, and ChatGPT itself has two tabs, Chat and Work. That setup can make it hard to tell where you are working when a conversation turns into a larger task. Under the new design, the line between chatting and asking ChatGPT to carry out a job from start to finish largely disappears.

Users will be able to start by discussing an idea, then use their files and plugins in the same view to ask ChatGPT to build a website, prepare a presentation or perform actions on the web. They will be able to follow what ChatGPT is doing and steer it when needed. Codex will remain a separate experience in the desktop app.

Shared usage quota

The change goes beyond the layout. ChatGPT and Codex will draw from a common usage quota instead of separate limits. Consumption will depend on the chosen model and the complexity of the task, with more advanced models and harder tasks using more of the quota. OpenAI says most users should not see their limits reset any less often than before, and that the unlimited Instant usage included in plans will not count against the shared quota.

ChatGPT Classic to retire

OpenAI will also shut down ChatGPT Classic, the name given to the older desktop app after the company launched its combined ChatGPT, Work and Codex app. According to a notice now shown in the app, Classic will be retired on January 30, 2027. Chat history will carry over to the new app, so users can pick up existing conversations where they left off.

The interface had drawn criticism before. OpenAI President Greg Brockman earlier acknowledged that the new layout had become complicated and said the goal was to remove the Work tab by the end of the year and move its functions into the standard ChatGPT experience. The latest step moves the desktop app toward one integrated environment for conversation and agent-style work.