Abstract
- I by chance misplaced my information in ChatGPT, making me panic.
- Backing up ChatGPT historical past might help keep away from dropping customized initiatives and settings.
- ChatGPT backups include chat textual content and pictures however lack initiatives, customized GPTs, and scheduled duties.
I take advantage of ChatGPT lots. A number of instances a day, I flip to ChatGPT for assist with all the pieces from brainstorming article concepts to looking the net. It is an extremely great tool, and my utilization has gone even increased with the discharge of the current image-generation updates.
That is why I had a second of absolute panic after I thought I might misplaced my ChatGPT historical past. It introduced residence simply how a lot info I might lose.
My ChatGPT Historical past Seemed Like It Was Gone
In ChatGPT’s sidebar, there is a lengthy record of all of my earlier chats. A few of them I’ve organized into folders, however the overwhelming majority are within the monumental record of conversations. There are tons of of conversations, and I can return into any one in every of them at any time I need.
Think about my panic, then, after I glanced on the sidebar, and there have been two conversations exhibiting above a frighteningly massive expanse of empty house. In that immediate, my abdomen dropped on the realization that every one of my ChatGPT historical past was gone perpetually.
Fortunately, the panic was solely non permanent. I shortly decided that I might by chance typed some random letters within the ChatGPT search area with my clumsy fingers, and it was exhibiting solely these chats that contained this textual content. I deleted the textual content from the search area, and the complete record of chats was returned, to my monumental reduction!
Why Dropping My ChatGPT Information Scared Me So A lot
It is solely an AI chatbot, so why did the considered dropping all my chat historical past ship me into such a panic? The easy motive is that, over the months, I’ve put lots of time into utilizing ChatGPT.
I’ve created customized initiatives and custom GPTs that took a very long time to excellent, and that I take advantage of every day. I’ve scheduled duties set as much as remind me of what I must do or simply to generate amusing pictures on daily basis. Even basically conversations, I’ve info that I would wish to seek advice from once more or pictures that I’ve generated.
The considered having to begin once more from scratch was a genuinely horrifying one, with a lot info misplaced and so lots of my customized settings gone perpetually. It might have taken me hours simply to arrange all my initiatives and customized GPTs once more, and the data within the conversations can be virtually unattainable to recreate.
It was solely after I thought that I might misplaced all of it that I even stopped to contemplate what dropping my ChatGPT historical past would imply. I resolved to make sure that if it ever did occur, I’d not less than have some type of backup.
I Wasn’t Conscious You May Again Up Your Chats
Up so far, I hadn’t even considered whether or not you possibly can again up ChatGPT. That is, in fact, actually dumb after placing a lot time and data into it, however AI chatbots are such a brand new phenomenon that I might not likely considered treating the information like some other essential information I’ve and backing it up.
After a fast search, I discovered that it was doable to again up your ChatGPT historical past, and it was simple to take action. Within the Information Controls settings of all of the ChatGPT platforms, there may be an “Export Information” possibility. Clicking this selection generates a backup of your whole ChatGPT historical past and sends a obtain hyperlink to your registered e-mail deal with that’s legitimate for twenty-four hours.
It will possibly take a while for the e-mail to be despatched, and the primary time I attempted it, nothing ever got here. The second time, nevertheless, I acquired the e-mail after a few hours and was capable of obtain the backup through the hyperlink.
Not Every thing Will get Backed Up
The backup is a bit odd. You get a folder that is principally stuffed with DAT information together with a “chat.html” file that incorporates the textual content of your whole chats which you could open and skim in a browser.
Your picture generations are additionally included within the information, however whereas the DALL-E pictures are exported in a pleasant folder of WEBP picture information, pictures generated with the brand new 4o Picture Era are saved as DAT information, making them extra of a chore to open. A number of the DAT information additionally include the audio responses from utilizing ChatGPT voice, however there is not any apparent approach of telling them aside from the pictures based mostly on the file names.
Fortunately, VLC was set because the default for .DAT information and had no downside opening each the pictures and the audio information as a result of VLC can open anything on Earth, it appears. In addition to any pictures ChatGPT has generated, your backup information additionally contains any pictures that you’ve got uploaded to ChatGPT.
In the event you’re hoping for a full backup of all of your ChatGPT information, nevertheless, you then’ll be disillusioned. The obtain does not embody any of your ChatGPT initiatives or scheduled tasks. It does not include any of your customized GPTs, both. It implies that if the worst did occur, there’s nonetheless lots you possibly can lose.
Counting on a Single Service Is not the Greatest Concept
There is a saying about having all of your eggs in a single basket, and that is a bit like the way it feels with ChatGPT. If one thing did go flawed with ChatGPT, I might lose the overwhelming majority of my AI chatbot interactions in a single fell swoop. I’d say 95% of my chatbot interactions have been with ChatGPT.
By solely utilizing one AI chatbot, your information is at extra threat. The 3-2-1 backup rule says it’s best to have three copies of your information on two several types of media with one off-site copy. That is clearly not doable with AI chatbots, however spreading conversations over a number of AI chatbots as an alternative of simply counting on a single mannequin could be a extra wise possibility as a approach of minimizing the danger of dropping each dialog you have ever had.
I am Carrying On Regardless for Now
The difficulty is, I can not afford to pay for subscriptions to each single AI service; I’ve a ChatGPT Plus subscription, so that is the one I predominantly use. Not solely does the subscription give me additional options and better limits, however it additionally makes me extra possible to make use of ChatGPT since I am paying for it.
I do use different chatbots with free accounts; there’s lots you possibly can do with Gemini for free that is pretty much as good as and even higher than what ChatGPT can provide, and I used Claude without cost in lots of my iOS shortcuts. In the end, nevertheless, I am nonetheless utilizing ChatGPT the overwhelming majority of the time. It is placing a few of my information in danger, however it’s a threat I am going to simply should take.
For the temporary second after I thought I might misplaced all of my ChatGPT information, I actually did panic. I now have a backup of lots of the information, though if one thing did go flawed, there’s nonetheless lots that I’d lose.
Maybe probably the most horrifying factor, nevertheless, is realizing simply how a lot information I’ve entered into ChatGPT and what an extremely correct profile of me it could have the ability to create from that information. For now, that information does not appear to be put to any sinister use, however who is aware of what it could be used for sooner or later? Regardless, if you have not already, I might undoubtedly advocate exporting your information simply to be on the secure facet.