ChatGPT Dots Explained: Plans, Setup, Privacy and Admin Controls (Nov 2026)

ChatGPT dots are OpenAI’s always-on personal agents. They got two updates this month: iOS users can reply to their dot from a notification, and dots reached general availability for Enterprise and Edu on November 4, 2026.

This guide explains what a dot is, who can get one, how to set it up, and the privacy and admin controls that matter before November 18.

Note: OpenAI’s help center blocks automated readers, so I checked these details against OpenAI’s release notes as mirrored on Releasebot, plus launch coverage from TechCrunch, Engadget, Tom’s Guide and a detailed write-up that quotes OpenAI’s dots docs. Check your own ChatGPT settings, since rollout is gradual.

What are ChatGPT dots?

A dot is a personal agent inside ChatGPT. OpenAI announced dots at DevDay on September 29, 2026, running on GPT-6 Astra.

Unlike a normal chat, a dot keeps working on ongoing tasks between conversations. It shows up as a small, friendly floating dot that you can name and style.

What each dot comes with

• Its own cloud computer: files, software and browser sessions that keep their state between uses.
• A browser: it can visit sites and sign in through a private form, so the model never sees your password.
• Plugins: access to OpenAI’s plugin ecosystem, which OpenAI says covers more than 4,000 apps.
• Its own notes: it keeps notes on your preferences, decisions and ongoing work.
• Delegation: for heavy jobs it can start tasks in ChatGPT Work or Codex.
• Many channels: you can reach it in ChatGPT, Slack, Microsoft Teams or by voice call.

What changed in November 2026

Two updates landed in the first week of November. Both appear in OpenAI’s release notes.

The GA release also added data residency and Enterprise Key Management (EKM) support for new dots, with inference residency in the EU and US. Dots are HIPAA-eligible in covered workspaces.

Which plans get dots

Dots need a lot of computing power, so access is limited. Here is the picture from launch coverage and OpenAI’s notes.

How usage works

• Chatting with your dot: does not count toward normal ChatGPT usage limits.
• Delegated work: tasks your dot starts in Work or Codex count toward those products’ limits.
• Deeper work allowance: each plan includes one, but OpenAI has not published it as a fixed number.
• Extra dots: OpenAI plans to let you add more dots and scale them later. No prices yet.

For a full plan comparison, see my guide to ChatGPT Free vs Go vs Plus vs Pro.

How to set up your first dot

Setup happens on desktop. The ChatGPT desktop app or a desktop browser works, but mobile web does not.

1. Open ChatGPT on desktop. Sign in with an eligible plan. If you do not see dots yet, the rollout may not have reached you.
2. Open dots and follow the intro. ChatGPT walks you through the basics.
3. Connect a few apps. Pick email, calendar or files, or skip and add them later from the Plugins tab.
4. Decide on your computer. In the desktop app, choose whether to connect your own computer. You can do this later.
5. Name and style your dot. Its handle looks like @yourname-dot and updates if you rename it.
6. Give it a first job. Start small, such as “watch my inbox for invoices and draft replies for me to approve”.

Tip: Connect only the two or three apps your first job needs. Fewer connections means fewer things to review, and you can add more once you trust it.

How to use a dot day to day

Ways to talk to it

• ChatGPT apps: message your dot in the desktop or mobile app, or ChatGPT on a desktop browser.
• iOS notifications: since November 2026, reply right from the notification without opening the app.
• Voice: tap the phone button in the chat, or choose Call in the profile on desktop. Your dot cannot call you yet.
• Slack and Teams: add them from Profile > Add. In Slack it answers only you by default.

Each channel keeps its own message history, but the dot shares what it learned across all of them.

Where things live in the profile

• Profile > Computers: view the cloud computer, or connect your own.
• Profile > Activity: task progress, files and pending requests on desktop.
• Profile > Scheduled: saved schedules you can disable or delete.

Taking over the cloud computer

You can watch the dot’s cloud computer at any time. Use Take over to control it yourself, then Return control to hand it back.

Logins on your laptop do not carry over to the dot’s browser. Some sites block cloud browsers, and then the dot can run a task on your connected computer instead.

Permissions, approvals and custom rules

Dots follow the same plugin permissions as ChatGPT, Work and Codex. Permissions apply per action, so a dot can read email without being able to send it.

• Always needs you: changing passwords and transferring money.
• May ask each time: permanently deleting data and installing software.
• Purchases: need approval. You can approve in advance only for one specific purchase.
• Background research: connected apps are read-only, so the dot cannot send messages or change content.
• Auto-review: a separate check runs before actions that could affect your accounts or share information.

Setting custom rules

Go to Settings > Personalization > Custom rules under Permissions. Each rule can be set to act without asking, act only when you ask, ask before acting, or hand off to you.

Warning: Stopping or pausing a dot does not undo actions it already took. Review your rules before you connect email or payment tools.

Privacy, memory and training

A dot uses three kinds of context: the current conversation, relevant ChatGPT memory and its own private notes.

• Dot notes are separate: you cannot view or delete single notes. Deleting the dot is the only full reset.
• Disconnecting a plugin: stops new access but does not erase what the dot already learned.
• Training on business plans: Business, Enterprise and Edu data is not used for training by default.
• Training on Pro: controlled by the Improve the model for everyone setting.
• Passwords: sign-ins go through a private form to the remote browser, outside the chat.
• Encryption: content is encrypted at rest and in transit.

To manage the ChatGPT memory side, see my ChatGPT memory guide.

Admin controls for Enterprise and Edu

If you run a workspace, the date to remember is November 18, 2026. That is when dots become available by default.

1. Open workspace settings. Go to Workspace settings > Permissions & roles.
2. Decide on access. Turn Use dots on for chosen members, or opt out before Nov 18.
3. Decide on local computers. Allow local computer access is a separate switch and needs a recent desktop app.
4. Review personal dots. Admins can view personal dots and their connections, and pause or resume them.
5. Check activity. Review usage and admin activity. Workspace owners can also delete personal dots.
6. Check custom rules. If you disable custom rules for the workspace, members’ rules stop applying.

In workspaces with data residency, dots created before GA move to the required region within 30 days of launch.

My Take

Dots are the clearest sign yet that ChatGPT is moving from “answer my question” to “do this job for me”. The safety design, with read-only background work and hard approval rules, looks careful.

The weak point is memory control. You cannot edit single dot notes, so be thoughtful about what you connect. For most people on Plus, the wait continues.

Troubleshooting: Common Problems and Fixes

• I do not see dots: check your plan and region. Rollout is gradual, so eligible accounts may wait.
• Setup will not start on my phone: setup needs the desktop app or a desktop browser.
• A site will not let the dot sign in: some sites block cloud browsers. Connect your computer so the dot can work there.
• My connected computer is not used: it must be online with the ChatGPT app open. Only one personal computer can be connected.
• A plugin stopped working: expired connections need reconnecting from the Plugins tab.
• Workspace members cannot use dots: check Use dots in Permissions & roles, and note dots may not be offered in FedRAMP workspaces.
• Something is broken: since November you can report a problem to your main dot inside the conversation. If ChatGPT itself is down, see ChatGPT not working fixes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dot in ChatGPT?

A dot is an always-on ChatGPT agent with its own cloud computer and browser. It keeps working on tasks between conversations and asks you when it needs approval.

Is ChatGPT dots free?

No. At launch, dots come with Pro and Business Premium, where your first dot is included. Free, Go and Plus users do not have dots yet.

Can I reply to my dot from my iPhone?

Yes. OpenAI’s November 2026 update lets iOS users reply to their dot directly from a notification.

When did dots reach Enterprise and Edu?

Dots reached general availability for eligible Enterprise, Edu and Healthcare workspaces on November 4, 2026. They become available by default on November 18 unless admins opt out.

Does chatting with a dot use my ChatGPT limits?

No. Chatting with your dot does not count, but tasks it starts in Work or Codex count toward those limits.

Can I have more than one dot?

At launch you get one primary dot. OpenAI says it plans to let you add more dots and work with teams of them later.

How do I delete a dot?

Delete it from the dot’s profile. Deletion is permanent, but files, Codex threads and chats it created stay, and memory added to ChatGPT stays until you remove it.

Sources

• Releasebot: OpenAI release notes (dots Nov 2026 updates)
• TechCrunch: OpenAI launches dots
• Engadget: Dots are OpenAI’s new personal agents
• Tom’s Guide: Why most ChatGPT users cannot try dots yet
• Flavio Copes: A deep dive into OpenAI dots (quotes OpenAI docs)
• FindSkill: OpenAI dots plans and limits