OpenAI says it will remove GPT-4o and three other older models from ChatGPT on February 13, 2026, as it shifts more users to its newer GPT-5.2 experience. The change affects model options inside ChatGPT, not the company’s developer API.
In its January 29 announcement, OpenAI said GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and OpenAI o4-mini will be retired from ChatGPT’s model picker on that date. OpenAI added that “there are no changes” to model availability in the API “at this time.”
“Our goal is to give people more control and customisation over how ChatGPT feels to use—not just what it can do,” the company stated.
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The company’s main argument is adoption. It says usage has largely moved to GPT-5.2, with about 0.1% of daily users still choosing GPT-4o. It also says newer releases (GPT-5.1 and GPT-5.2) were shaped by feedback from people who liked GPT-4o for its tone and creative work, and now offer more control over how ChatGPT responds.
OpenAI’s help documentation outlines what changes for everyday users. Existing chats, projects and custom GPT conversations tied to the retiring models remain usable until February 13; after that, conversations will default to GPT-5.2 for new messages. OpenAI also says ChatGPT Voice and ChatGPT Images are not changing as part of this retirement.
GPT-4o has had an unusually vocal fan base. OpenAI acknowledged it previously deprecated the model and later restored access during the GPT-5 rollout after Plus and Pro users asked for more time to move important workflows, especially those tied to creative ideation and GPT-4o’s “warmth.”
Beyond the model switch, the company says it is working on reducing “unnecessary refusals” and overly cautious responses, while expanding user choice “within appropriate safeguards.” It also says it has rolled out age-prediction measures for users under 18 in most markets.
However, OpenAI didn’t address the recently raised allegations that ChatGPT encouraged some teenagers to take their own lives. A California couple sued OpenAI. The parents of one of the deceased teenagers, Matt and Maria Raine, filed the suit in the Superior Court of California.
