OpenAI makes ChatGPT’s Projects feature free for all users

OpenAI has announced that its Projects feature is now available to free users of ChatGPT, marking another step in the company’s gradual expansion of premium tools to its broader user base.

Originally reserved for paying subscribers, Projects let users organize their ChatGPT conversations around specific topics or tasks. While at first glance Projects may seem like little more than folders for chats, they offer deeper functionality. Users can set custom instructions for how the AI responds and even restrict the files or information the assistant can reference—making them a valuable tool for power users managing complex or ongoing work.

Alongside the broader rollout, OpenAI is also expanding file upload limits within Projects. Free users can now upload up to five files for ChatGPT to reference. Plus subscribers are capped at 25 files, while Pro subscribers can upload 40 files. To personalize the experience further, all users—paid or free—can also choose custom colors and icons for their Projects.

The move continues a familiar pattern for OpenAI. In recent years, the company has often launched new features as subscription-only perks before eventually extending them to free users, albeit with more restrictions. Features like Deep Research and ChatGPT Voice followed this trajectory. Even OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-5, was made available to all users at launch, though free accounts face stricter usage limits compared to subscribers.

For now, Projects are available on the ChatGPT web app and on Android devices. OpenAI says that iOS support will roll out “over the coming days.”