Safety and compliance
Settings to change in ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot
Five minutes that make a difference: the privacy settings to check in ChatGPT, Claude and Copilot. Status November 2026.
5 min read
Many people use AI tools with the default settings. Five minutes' work makes your use considerably safer. Menus change regularly, so the exact names may differ.
Status November 2026.
ChatGPT
- Model training: in the data controls, turn off improving the model for everyone if you use a personal account.
- Temporary chat: for a one-off question with more sensitive content, use a temporary chat, which isn't saved to your history.
- Memory: check what ChatGPT remembers about you and delete anything that shouldn't be there.
Claude
- Model training: in the privacy settings, turn off helping to improve Claude if you use a personal account.
- Memory and projects: check what information is stored in projects and memory, and clear out what you no longer need.
- Connected apps: check which connections to email, calendar or documents are active and whether you need them.
Copilot
- Work account: for work, use Copilot with your Microsoft 365 work account, not a personal Microsoft account. Your organisation's business terms then apply.
- Personal version: if you do use the consumer version, check its privacy settings for model training.
For all tools
- Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Check shared links to conversations and delete any that needn't be public.
- Only allow connected apps and plug-ins you really need.
- Sign out on shared devices.
Checklist
Your answers stay only in this browser.
Prompt to copy
I use [tool] with a [personal / business] account. Give me a checklist of privacy and security settings to check, with roughly where to find them. Note that menus may change and that I should check the provider's current help page.
