How to Use Chat Settings for Better Privacy: Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot

Improve the model for everyone (turn OFF)

Stops OpenAI from using your prompts and responses for training new models. Set once and applies to future conversations.

Where: Settings → Data Controls → Improve the model for everyone

Chat history and training (review)

Controls whether your chat history is saved at all. If you turn history off, new chats are not saved in your account and not used for training.

Where: Settings → Data Controls → Chat history

Temporary Chats (use for sensitive topics)

Conversations marked Temporary do not appear in history, are not used for training, and disappear after 30 days. Use for anything you would not paste into a search bar.

Where: Click the chat title at the top, toggle Temporary

Memory (turn OFF if you want zero persistence)

Memory lets ChatGPT remember facts about you across conversations. Useful for personalization, risky if you share a device or want clean separation.

Where: Settings → Personalization → Memory

Custom Instructions (review what you have shared)

Custom Instructions are persistent context you typed in once and apply to every conversation. Audit annually; people forget what they wrote 6 months ago.

Where: Settings → Personalization → Custom Instructions

Export your data

Download a complete export of your conversations, custom GPTs, and account data for review or backup. Useful before deleting an account.

Where: Settings → Data Controls → Export Data

Privacy & data controls (review)

Verify whether your conversations are being used for model training. Pro and above default to no training; free tier requires checking the current policy.

Where: Settings → Privacy or Account

Delete individual conversations

You can delete individual chats from your history. Deleted conversations are removed from your account view, though backend retention may follow legal hold periods.

Where: Hover over a chat in the sidebar and click delete

Project privacy

If you use Projects (Claude Pro feature) to upload files or share context with the model, those files are accessible to Claude within that project. Audit which files you uploaded.

Where: Project settings → Files

Shared chat links (review)

If you have created shareable chat links, those URLs make the chat publicly viewable by anyone with the link. Audit your shared chats list.

Where: Settings → Shared Links or via the share icon at the top of any chat

Delete account (final option)

Deletes all your Claude account data. Subject to backend retention for legal compliance reasons.

Where: Settings → Account → Delete Account

Gemini Apps Activity (set to off or auto-delete)

Controls whether Gemini saves your conversations to your Google Account. When off, conversations are not saved and cannot be reviewed by humans.

Where: myactivity.google.com/product/gemini → Gemini Apps Activity

Auto-delete activity (3, 18, or 36 months)

If you keep activity on, set auto-delete to 3 months so old conversations are cleared automatically. The default is 18 months, which is longer than most people need.

Where: myactivity.google.com/product/gemini → Auto-delete

Workspace data sharing (review for Google AI Pro / Ultra)

When you use Gemini inside Workspace apps (Docs, Gmail, Drive), Google applies stricter data handling for paid Workspace tiers. Verify your business or consumer status affects the right tier.

Where: Google Workspace admin console or account settings

Delete specific Gemini conversations

You can delete individual conversations from your activity log. Deletion is generally final after a short retention window.

Where: myactivity.google.com/product/gemini → click on conversation → delete

Web & App Activity (broader Google account)

Gemini activity is part of your broader Google account activity. Audit Web & App Activity separately if you use Gemini inside Search.

Where: myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy

AI Data Retention (turn off training)

Controls whether Perplexity uses your conversations to train AI models. Available in the privacy settings on most accounts.

Where: Settings → Privacy or AI Data Retention

AI Profile (audit personal context)

Perplexity builds a profile of your interests and preferences to personalize answers. Review what is stored, and clear it if you do not want personalization.

Where: Settings → AI Profile or Personalization

Incognito search (per-query privacy)

Searches in Incognito mode are not saved to your history and not used for personalization. Use for one-off sensitive queries.

Where: Toggle at the search bar or via the menu

Spaces (review what is shared)

If you have created Spaces (Perplexity's project workspaces), conversations and uploaded files within a Space are accessible to anyone you invited. Audit collaborators on every Space.

Where: Spaces → individual Space settings

Delete account

Deletes your Perplexity account and associated history. Subject to backend retention for legal compliance.

Where: Settings → Account → Delete Account

Commercial Data Protection (verify enabled)

Available with a signed-in Microsoft Entra (Azure AD) work or school account. When enabled, your conversations are not used to train AI models. Look for the green shield icon in the Copilot interface.

Where: Sign in with your work/school account; verify shield icon

Chat history (manage)

Controls whether your Copilot conversations are saved across sessions. Saved history personalizes results but expands the data footprint.

Where: Copilot Settings → Chat History

Personalization data (review)

Microsoft Copilot can use your account context (email, calendar, files in M365) to personalize responses. Audit which apps are connected.

Where: Settings → Personalization or Connected Apps

Microsoft Privacy Dashboard

Centralized view of all data Microsoft has collected via your account, including Copilot interactions. Use this to delete activity in bulk.

Where: account.microsoft.com/privacy

Work vs personal account separation

Keep your work and personal Microsoft accounts strictly separate. Work Copilot follows your employer's data policies; personal Copilot follows consumer terms. Mixing them is the easiest way to create compliance issues.

Where: Sign in to Copilot with the correct account; verify in the top-right