If you rely on a custom GPT in ChatGPT, plan your move to a plugin before December 11, 2026 — or before February 11, 2027 if your notice says you are on a FedRAMP or approved Enterprise deferral. Creators migrate from My GPTs with Migrate to plugin when that option appears; people who only use someone else’s GPT cannot migrate it themselves, and access does not automatically carry over to the replacement. This guide walks through preparation, migration, testing, sharing, and the common snags, using OpenAI’s official Help Center and ChatGPT Learn docs only.

Everything below was checked on November 7, 2026 against OpenAI’s Custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ, the ChatGPT Learn guide Moving your custom GPT workflows to plugins, and the Help Center page Sharing and publishing GPTs. For how plugins work day to day after you migrate, see Plugins and Skills & Plugins on ChatGPT Learn.

Key facts (from OpenAI):

• Standard retirement: December 11, 2026. Custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible on the applicable date. (FAQ)
• Later date for some Enterprise: February 11, 2027 for FedRAMP workspaces and affected Enterprise workspaces with a qualifying, approved deferral. That later date does not apply to every workspace. (FAQ)
• Who is affected: The transition affects all ChatGPT plans. Migration and plugin access may differ by account or workspace — follow your in-product notice. (FAQ)
• What matters for the timeline: Where the GPT was created, not only where you use it. (FAQ)
• What transfers: Instructions become a skill; knowledge files become plugin reference files; connected apps become apps. The selected model does not carry over. Custom actions do not transfer. (FAQ; Migrate guide)
• Existing chats: Conversations with custom GPTs remain accessible after retirement. (FAQ)

Short version

1. List the GPTs you depend on. Note which ones you created and which ones you only open from someone else (or from the GPT Store / a shared link).
2. If you created one: Finish and publish essential edits (publishing does not require public sharing). Save a few familiar prompts and one harder case for testing. When Migrate to plugin is available under My GPTs, run it. Review the new plugin, test it, then share it — it starts private.
3. If you only use someone else’s: You cannot migrate it. Watch the notice on the GPT and any message from the creator. When a replacement plugin is shared with you, install it on an account where plugins are available.
4. Do not wait until the week of retirement. After migration the original GPT becomes read-only. Custom actions need extra time because they do not transfer.

Who this is for

This guide is for people who use ChatGPT in the apps or on the web — not for API developers. You will use menus, buttons, and prompts. No code is required for the built-in migration path.

You should read this if:

• You created one or more custom GPTs and want them to keep working after retirement.
• You use a teammate’s, school’s, or public GPT and need to know what will break and what will not.
• You are on a personal plan (Free, Go, Plus, Pro) or in a managed / Enterprise workspace and want the dates that apply to you.
• Your GPT used custom actions (connections you built yourself) and you need an early warning that those do not move over automatically.

If you are mainly setting up always-on ChatGPT agents rather than classic custom GPTs, our separate guide to ChatGPT dots covers that product. Privacy-minded readers may also want how to stop ChatGPT and Codex training on your data. Usage limits after other December changes are covered in ChatGPT and Codex shared usage limits.

What is changing (in plain language)

OpenAI is retiring custom GPTs and helping creators move those workflows to plugins. In OpenAI’s words, plugins can bring reusable instructions, reference files, and connected apps together so your guidance can work alongside the tools and information a task needs (FAQ).

A useful way to think about the new shape (Migrate guide):

Piece	Role
Plugin	The package for a workflow
Skill	Reusable instructions for how to do the work
App	A connection to another service for information or supported actions

With a custom GPT, you usually opened that GPT (or @-mentioned it on ChatGPT web) and then sent your request. With plugins, you can select an available plugin or skill, or describe the task and let ChatGPT use a matching installed skill when its description fits (Migrate guide; Plugins).

Important: a migrated plugin may respond differently from the original GPT. OpenAI tells creators to compare familiar prompts and at least one harder case before switching the team (FAQ).

Dates to put on your calendar

Follow the notice in your account or workspace. OpenAI is clear that migration access may roll out at different times, and a target date is not a guarantee that every account can migrate that day (FAQ).

Standard path (most people)

Date	What happens
Now through Dec 11, 2026	Existing GPTs remain usable (subject to existing access). Prepare, migrate when available, test, and share.
December 11, 2026	Standard scheduled retirement. Custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible.

Enterprise extras (only if your notice says so)

For affected Enterprise workspaces, OpenAI lists additional milestones (FAQ; Sharing and publishing GPTs):

Date	What happens
Sep 11, 2026	Admin notice to help organizations prepare
Sep 22, 2026	Target for the migration experience and user banner (a target, not a guarantee in every workspace)
Oct 1, 2026	Target for the migration banner in workspaces that opted into delayed banners
October 26, 2026	New GPT creation ended for affected Enterprise workspaces, except FedRAMP. Existing unmigrated GPTs remain usable and editable until retirement. Migration makes the original read-only.
December 11, 2026	Standard retirement
February 11, 2027	Retirement for FedRAMP workspaces and workspaces with a qualifying, approved deferral

A retirement deferral by itself does not preserve eligibility to create new GPTs (FAQ). Standard admin emails use the standard dates and are not tailored to approved delays — check your workspace-specific notice or account team if you think you have a deferral.

On personal plans, OpenAI also notes that personal ChatGPT accounts (including Free, Go, Plus, and Pro) cannot create or publish new GPTs; existing GPTs remain usable and can still be edited if plan and permission requirements are met (Sharing and publishing GPTs).

If you created a GPT: prepare → migrate → test → share

This section is for GPTs under Created by me. Permission to use someone else’s GPT does not let you migrate it (FAQ).

Step 0: Prepare before you click Migrate

Do this before migration, because after you migrate, the original GPT becomes read-only and the creator cannot delete it. You can still use it until retirement, but future edits go to the plugin (FAQ).

1. Confirm you are in the right account or workspace. OpenAI says the timeline and permissions for the account or workspace where the GPT was created apply to that GPT, even if you use it from another account (FAQ).
2. Finish essential edits and publish. Migration uses the GPT’s latest published version. Drafts and unpublished edits do not transfer. Publishing a GPT does not require sharing it publicly (FAQ; Migrate guide).
3. Save a small test kit. Write down a few familiar prompts and one harder case, plus what a good answer looks like. Conversation starters do not transfer one-to-one (Migrate guide).
4. List integrations. Note connected apps and any custom actions. Custom actions do not transfer through the migration workflow (FAQ).
5. Record who should get the replacement. The plugin starts private; existing GPT users do not gain access automatically (FAQ).

OpenAI’s creator checklist also flags these review points (Migrate guide):

If your GPT…	Review before you migrate
Uses custom actions	Rebuild needed integrations with a supported connector or custom MCP connection, then test before the team switches
Depends on a specific model, detailed instructions, or a strict format	Selected model does not carry over (Enterprise defaults apply). Compare prompts and check that the right skill is selected
Relies on files, tools, or previous chat context	Check that files and examples are present; capability settings do not guarantee the same tools
Is shared with teammates or people outside the workspace	Record the audience and verify they can install and use the replacement
Needs updates during the transition	Original stays usable until retirement; maintain the plugin going forward

Step 1: Migrate to a plugin

When migration is available for your account (FAQ; Migrate guide):

1. Go to My GPTs.
2. Find the GPT under Created by me.
3. Select Migrate to plugin.
4. Review the migration details and follow the on-screen instructions to create the plugin.

What moves over (FAQ):

• Instructions → a skill inside the new plugin
• Knowledge files → the plugin’s reference files
• Connected apps → apps on the plugin

What does not move:

• The GPT’s selected model
• Custom actions
• Automatic access for everyone who used the GPT
• Public sharing settings (migration does not automatically make the replacement available to everyone who used a public GPT) (FAQ)

The plugin starts private. Migration does not automatically install it for other people (FAQ).

OpenAI’s Learn guide also notes that in the current app you can find plugins via Customize, then Plugins, in the left navigation (Migrate guide). Exact labels can vary by surface; if you do not see Migrate to plugin, see the troubleshooting section below.

Step 2: Test before you ask anyone to switch

OpenAI recommends checking that the replacement (FAQ; Migrate guide):

• Selects the right skill and follows your instructions
• Uses the expected reference material
• Produces complete answers or files in the required format
• Has the tools and integrations the workflow needs
• Handles a harder case correctly and responds in a workable amount of time

Also test both ways of starting the workflow (Migrate guide; Plugins):

1. Explicit selection: use an @ mention, or open + and select More, where supported.
2. Normal request: describe the task the way you usually would, and see whether ChatGPT automatically uses a matching installed skill. Automatic selection depends on the task and available capabilities; the plugin will not necessarily run on every request.

If a required capability is missing — especially a rebuilt custom action — wait to switch that workflow until you have a tested alternative (Migrate guide).

Step 3: Share the replacement (it will not do this for you)

An individual migration starts with a private plugin. Existing GPT users do not get access automatically (FAQ).

In a managed workspace, Share Plugin can prefill the original GPT’s users, groups, or workspace audience. Review that audience and select Save before asking people to switch (FAQ). Making a personal plugin public requires a separate plugin submission process (FAQ).

In Enterprise workspaces, sharing and publishing are separate permissions (FAQ; Migrate guide):

Goal	Permission to check
Share with people or groups	Share plugins
Publish to the workspace directory	Publish plugins to workspace
Let people install and use plugins	Use plugins, plus a workspace policy that lets them install (or installs for them)
Use an included app	App access, account authorization, and action approvals still apply

After sharing, ask at least one intended user to install and test the replacement (unless an admin already installed it for them). Sharing access and installation are separate steps (Migrate guide).

Then help your audience switch: send the replacement link, explain key differences, demonstrate a familiar task, and name who maintains the plugin going forward (Migrate guide).

What happens to the original GPT after you migrate

• It remains usable until retirement
• It becomes read-only after migration
• The creator cannot delete it
• Future edits belong on the plugin
• At the applicable retirement date, custom GPTs and their GPT pages become inaccessible (FAQ)

Your existing conversations with custom GPTs remain accessible after retirement; you do not need a separate export step just to keep those chats (FAQ).

OpenAI also notes that you will still be able to migrate a GPT after retirement, although the GPT itself will no longer run (Migrate guide). That is a last resort, not a plan — migrate and test while people can still compare side by side.

If you only use someone else’s GPT

You do not migrate a GPT you only use, and permission to use it does not let you migrate it yourself (FAQ).

What to do

1. Open the GPT and read any retirement / migration notice on it.
2. Check guidance from the creator (email, team chat, GPT description) about a replacement plugin.
3. Do not assume access carries over. Access to the original GPT does not automatically give you access to a replacement plugin (FAQ).
4. When a replacement is available to you, install it on an account where plugins are available.
5. Remember that any included apps still need their own app access, account authorization, and action approvals. Installing a plugin does not give you extra permissions to files or data in the connected service (FAQ).

Public GPT you use from a personal account

Yes, you can still be affected. Public GPTs created in affected Enterprise workspaces are included in the Enterprise transition, even if you access them from a personal account or another workspace. What matters is where the GPT was created, not only your own plan (FAQ).

Migration also does not carry over the GPT’s public sharing settings or automatically make the replacement available to everyone who used it (FAQ).

How to use the replacement once you have it

Once the plugin is available and installed (FAQ; Plugins):

• Select an available plugin or skill for your task
• In ChatGPT, use an @ mention, or open + and select More, where supported
• Or describe the task and let ChatGPT automatically use a relevant installed skill when the description matches

Browse and install plugins from the Plugins tab / Plugins Directory on supported surfaces (web, desktop, mobile for Chat or Work where available). Plugins marked Desktop only must be installed and used in the ChatGPT desktop app (Plugins).

Custom actions: plan extra time

If your GPT used a custom action to talk to another service, that piece does not transfer through the built-in migration (FAQ). Features that depended on it will not work in the plugin until you set up a replacement.

OpenAI’s guidance for non-developers is practical:

1. Check whether an available app already supports the tasks you need (FAQ).
2. If not, rebuilding may require a custom MCP server and technical setup. Access depends on options available to your account or workspace (FAQ).
3. Test the rebuilt connection before switching. Do not assume it provides every capability of the original action (FAQ).

For teams that must rebuild, OpenAI publishes a separate technical path under ChatGPT Learn (including asking the original GPT for a rebuild prompt and using Plugin Creator / Sites). That path is for people with the right workspace options; most readers should loop in a technical teammate early rather than waiting until December.

Gotchas FAQ

Why don’t I see Migrate to plugin?

OpenAI lists these common reasons (FAQ; Migrate guide):

• Migration is not rolled out to your account yet
• Plugin access is disabled for you or your workspace
• You are in the wrong account or workspace (use the one where the GPT was created)
• You are not the creator (and, in Enterprise, not a workspace admin with the required access)
• The GPT is not published (drafts cannot be migrated directly)

If those conditions are met and the option is still missing, OpenAI says to contact support with the GPT’s name, owner, and what you see (Migrate guide).

Will the plugin work exactly like my GPT?

Not necessarily. Behavior can differ. Compare familiar prompts and one harder case; check instructions, reference files, format, tools, and timing (FAQ).

Do I lose my old chats?

No. Existing conversations with custom GPTs remain accessible after retirement (FAQ).

Can I keep editing the GPT after I migrate?

No. After migration the original becomes read-only. Edit the plugin instead (FAQ).

What about the model I picked for the GPT?

The selected model does not carry over. In Enterprise workspaces, Enterprise defaults apply (FAQ). If model choice matters for your workflow, re-test answers after migration. For related ChatGPT model switching tips, see how to use GPT-6.1 Terra in ChatGPT and Codex.

Does this affect all plans?

Yes, the transition affects all ChatGPT plans, but migration and plugin access may differ by account or workspace. Follow your in-product notice (FAQ).

I only use GPTs — can I ignore this until December?

You can wait for the creator, but you should still inventory which GPTs you rely on, watch their notices, and confirm you have a plan for each one. If a public GPT was created in an affected Enterprise workspace, its timeline follows that workspace (FAQ).

Enterprise note (admins and power users)

If you are not on Enterprise, skip this section. If you are, OpenAI’s migrate guide is aimed at workspace admins and creators together (Migrate guide).

Who can migrate: the GPT’s creator or a workspace admin, when plugins are enabled and the GPT is published. Built-in migration does not require Upload plugins or Upload plugins with custom MCP servers (FAQ; Migrate guide).

Bulk migrate: available through the ChatGPT Admin plugin. Retrieving the full workspace GPT inventory currently requires a workspace Owner. Bulk migration runs asynchronously — starting the task does not confirm every GPT succeeded. Review results, test replacements, and confirm access before asking users to switch (FAQ).

Bulk sharing: bulk migration does not copy sharing settings. Record who needs access, then share each replacement manually (or ask the creator to). OpenAI says it expects bulk sharing through the Admin plugin soon (Migrate guide).

Admin report: in ChatGPT Work, type @ and select ChatGPT Admin, confirm the Admin app shows Connected, then run a GPT report (for example prioritizing GPTs most recently used in the last 30 days). You can export results and schedule recurring reports when Scheduled tasks are enabled (Migrate guide).

Costs (Enterprise credit-based pricing): converting a custom GPT to a plugin does not consume credits. Creating and editing plugins through a conversation uses Work or Codex; actions in Work consume credits. Using a migrated GPT without apps in Instant Chat has no incremental cost in Enterprise workspaces per the FAQ (FAQ; Migrate guide). Review your workspace rate card before a large rollout.

New workflows: for new reusable workflows after the creation freeze, OpenAI points admins and creators to Plugin Creator and the Build plugins guide rather than creating new custom GPTs (FAQ).

If your team also connects personal productivity apps inside ChatGPT (mail, calendar, and similar), keep those connection permissions separate from GPT migration — see how to connect iCloud Mail and Calendar to ChatGPT for that product path.

What to do this week

Use this as a short checklist for the week of November 7, 2026:

1. Inventory. List every custom GPT you open at least monthly. Mark each as I created it or I only use it.
2. Creators: publish any essential unpublished edits; save 3–5 test prompts plus one harder case; note custom actions.
3. Creators: when Migrate to plugin appears, migrate one low-risk GPT first, test, then migrate the important ones.
4. Users: message each creator (or your admin) once: “Will there be a replacement plugin, and when can I install it?”
5. Admins: enable plugins if needed; confirm Share plugins / Publish plugins to workspace / Use plugins for the right people; run a GPT report if you have ChatGPT Admin.
6. Everyone with custom actions: book time with whoever can rebuild the connection — do not leave that until December.
7. Do not delete your plan B. Keep using the original GPT until the plugin passes your tests; after migration it stays usable (read-only) until retirement.

Sources

• Custom GPT retirement and migration FAQ — OpenAI Help Center
• Moving your custom GPT workflows to plugins — ChatGPT Learn
• Sharing and publishing GPTs — OpenAI Help Center
• Plugins — ChatGPT Learn
• Skills & Plugins — ChatGPT Learn
• Build plugins — ChatGPT Learn