ChatGPT Is Ending Custom GPTs on December 11, 2026

ChatGPT is ending custom GPTs on December 11, 2026, according to a recently updated OpenAI support document. The company says that user-created GPTs will be automatically migrated into plugin form, marking a shift in how personalized settings are stored and used within the service.

The change is not just about renaming a feature. OpenAI describes plugins as a different model for organizing instructions, files, connected applications and context for ChatGPT. In other words, the current logic of custom GPTs is being replaced by a more centralized package of elements that will form the basis of work on the platform.

Until now, users could create their own custom GPT by writing personalized instructions, adding files and selecting the model that best suited the use case at hand. At the same time, the Explore tab served as a directory of ready-made GPTs for different needs, from specialized assistance to tools focused on a specific subject.

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The transition stipulates that the instructions of each GPT will be converted into a “skill” within the new plugin. Knowledge files will be copied as reference files so they can continue to function as reference material. OpenAI is therefore not presenting the process as a manual restart from zero, but as an automatic transfer of the core elements that had been created.

The difference will be felt more strongly in the Explore experience. There, specialized GPTs existed for specific issues, such as tools around WordPress security, which could offer targeted guidance. The removal of custom GPTs therefore changes not only the creation tool, but also the way ready-made solutions are discovered within ChatGPT.

As an alternative, ChatGPT Projects are being suggested. In a Project, users can write custom instructions, upload files and share them with other users. The feature covers several of the practical needs of custom GPTs, but the migration description itself makes clear that it does not offer exactly the same experience as the Explore tab and the GPTs that were available there.

The crucial point for those who have invested time in creating their own GPTs is the date: on December 11, 2026, the retirement will become official and the migration will take place automatically.

The article was written with the support of AI tools and the content was reviewed in accordance with TechitNews editorial policy.