How to stop ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude training on your chats
Each of the three biggest AI apps has a switch that decides whether your chats help train its models. In ChatGPT, turn off Improve the model for everyone. In Claude, turn off Help Improve our AI models. In Gemini, turn off Keep Activity. It takes about five minutes, costs nothing and works on free accounts.
What you need
| Apps | ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. Do only the ones you use |
|---|---|
| Cost | Free. No paid plan needed |
| Time | About 5 minutes for all three |
| You need | To be signed in to your personal account in each app. Work and school accounts are set by an administrator |
Step by step
Step 1: ChatGPT: turn off Improve the model for everyone
On the web, open your account menu, select Settings, then Data controls. Select Improve the model for everyone, turn it off and select Done. On iOS and Android, open the sidebar, select your profile icon to open Settings, select Data controls and turn it off. OpenAI's help page says your new conversations then won't be used to train its models. They can still appear in your chat history.
Tip: A temporary chat is not used to improve OpenAI models and does not appear in your history. OpenAI's help page says it may be kept for up to 30 days for safety.
Step 2: Gemini: turn off Keep Activity
On a computer, go to gemini.google.com, click Settings & help, then Activity. Near the top, click Turn off (or Turn off and delete activity). Google's help page says that with Keep Activity off, your conversations are still saved with your account for up to 72 hours so Google can provide the service and process feedback, and they won't appear in your Gemini Apps Activity.
Tip: Google's page says that with Keep Activity off, only a short list of connected apps stays available, including Messages, Phone and WhatsApp.
Step 3: Claude: turn off Help Improve our AI models
Select your name from the settings menu, then Settings, then Privacy. Under Help Improve our AI models, click the button to turn it off. Anthropic's help page says new chats and coding sessions will then not be used for future model training. Chats already used stay in training that has started.
Tip: An Incognito chat in Claude is not used to improve Claude, even if the setting is on.
Common mistakes
- Thinking the switch deletes your chats. In ChatGPT, turning it off does not delete or hide saved chats. It only changes what happens to new ones.
- Using the thumbs up or down in Claude. Anthropic's help page says it stores the whole chat when you send feedback, for up to 5 years, and may use it to train its models.
- Expecting the past to change. Anthropic says data already used in training that has started stays in it.
- Changing settings on a work or school account. Those are controlled by an administrator, so you may not be able to.
Questions people ask
Does turning off Improve the model for everyone delete my ChatGPT chats?
No. OpenAI's help page says turning it off does not delete or hide saved chats. Regular chats stay in your history, and archived chats stay archived.
Does Google really keep Gemini chats when Keep Activity is off?
For a short time. Google's help page says your conversations are saved with your account for up to 72 hours to provide the service and process any feedback. That activity won't appear in your Gemini Apps Activity.
What does the Claude switch change?
Anthropic says that if you turn off the model training setting, it will not use any new chats and coding sessions for future model training. It adds that chats flagged by its safety classifiers may still be used for safety work.
Is there a way to chat without leaving a trace?
Each app has a private mode. ChatGPT has temporary chats, kept up to 30 days for safety. Claude has Incognito chats. Neither is used to improve the models.
Do I have to pay for this?
No. The settings are in free accounts. Anthropic's help page covers Claude Free, Pro and Max, and OpenAI's covers signed-in ChatGPT users.
Checked against
- OfficialOpenAI Help: Data controls in ChatGPT
- OfficialGemini Apps Help: Manage & delete your activity in Gemini Apps
- OfficialAnthropic Privacy Center: How do I change my model improvement privacy settings?
- OfficialAnthropic Privacy Center: Is my data used for model training?
AI apps change their buttons often. If a step no longer matches what you see, email hello@openloopnews.com and we will update this guide.
