What data does OpenAI permanently delete versus retain for backups when an account is closed?
Executive summary
OpenAI’s stated default practice is to schedule deleted consumer chats and files for permanent removal from active systems within about 30 days, but internal backups can retain that data for up to an additional 30 days and legal or security obligations can extend retention; enterprise customers can instead use configurable retention or Zero Data Retention (ZDR) contracts that change what is logged or preserved [1] [2] [3]. A U.S. court preservation order in litigation has overridden normal deletion practices for affected consumer data, requiring OpenAI to preserve certain ChatGPT and API content until the matter is resolved [4] [5].
1. What OpenAI says it deletes and on what timetable
OpenAI’s help pages state that when a user deletes a chat or closes an account the item is removed from the user’s visible history immediately and “scheduled for permanent deletion” from OpenAI systems within 30 days, and enterprise pages reiterate that deleted conversations are removed within 30 days unless retention is required by law [1] [2].
2. Backups and the extra 30-day window
Even after a chat becomes unavailable via the Compliance API or the user interface, OpenAI warns that internal backups may retain deleted conversations for up to 30 additional days beyond the scheduled deletion, and those copies are not accessible through the Compliance API [1].
3. Exceptions and safety review holdbacks
OpenAI documents explicit exceptions: certain detections—such as potential child sexual abuse material flagged by classifiers—can cause images to be retained for manual review even when Zero Data Retention or Modified Abuse Monitoring is enabled, and other security or legal obligations can likewise keep data beyond the standard windows [6] [2].
4. Enterprise, workspace controls, and ZDR customers
Qualifying enterprise customers can configure workspace retention windows or obtain Zero Data Retention or modified abuse-monitoring agreements that exclude customer content from abuse-monitoring logs and change default logging; enterprise workspaces can set retention policies (indefinite or time‑bound) that determine whether removed members’ chats and files persist or are purged [3] [7] [6].
5. The litigation preservation order that overrides deletion
OpenAI has publicly stated it is compelled by a court order in litigation to preserve ChatGPT and API content that would otherwise be deleted, that the company is challenging the order, and that while the preservation order stands it has suspended its usual deletion practices for affected consumer data [4] [5] [8].
6. What this means in plain terms — delete vs. “permanently gone”
Under normal, non‑litigation conditions, deleted chats and files are removed from the user interface immediately and are scheduled to be purged from OpenAI’s systems within about 30 days, with internal backups possibly holding copies for up to an extra 30 days; enterprise agreements and ZDR can materially change whether inputs/outputs are logged at all, while legal holds and safety review policies can require retention despite deletion actions [1] [2] [6] [3].
7. Reporting limits and unanswered technical details
Public OpenAI documentation clarifies policy windows and exceptions but does not publish exhaustive technical details about every backup layer, how many copies persist at each layer, or the exact deletion mechanics for every system component, so this account is limited to the company’s stated timelines, contractual options, and the known impact of court preservation orders described in OpenAI’s public notices and help pages [1] [2] [4].