Previously saved memories not retrieved when downgrading from Plus to Free with full memory

[jolly onyx]

Reported by @narrow edge

Bug Report: Previously saved memories not retrieved when downgrading from Plus to Free with full memory

`Steps to Reproduce`

1 - On Free plan, save personal memory (e.g., detailed medication schedule)

2 - Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus and allow more personal memory to be stored.

3 - Fill up the stored memory to 100%

4 - Downgrade back to Free.

5 - Ask ChatGPT: “What medications do I take?".

6 - Delete memory entries until usage drops below 100% (Not the

7 - Re-ask the same question — result: data is surfaced correctly.

`Expected Result`

When stored memory while on the Plus subscription is at 100% and the user downgrades to the free version, the user should be prompted that some stored memory may not be accessible until it drops below 100%.

`Actual Result`

When the user is on the Free plan after previously using ChatGPT Plus with memory usage at full capacity, ChatGPT does not retrieve previously saved memories. The system silently deprioritizes or suppresses some saved memories without warning. Retrieval resumes once memory usage is sufficiently reduced.

`Environment`

ChatGPT Web app (chat.openai.com) Browser: Firefox (include version if possible) Operating System: Arch Linux (include kernel version if you want) Memory feature: Enabled Plan history: Free → Plus → Free

Jul 15, 2025, 6:43 AM

Additional Information

Please provide relevant details to help resolve the issue, such as:

• ChatGPT Shared Link (if applicable).
• Screenshots or videos demonstrating the problem.

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[slow solar]

You have two requests here. I agree that the inability to use memory after a downgrade is an issue. One can expect that memory limits decrease on a downgrade, but it should still work.

the user should be prompted that some stored memory may not be accessible

That's a great suggestion for an enhancement - a warning about all features that will be limited, lost, or inaccessible when the account is downgraded.
That might already be there...

[narrow edge]

I’m curious what logic the system uses to determine which memories become inaccessible after a downgrade.

In my opinion, it would make more sense to prioritize older memories that were saved while on the Free plan, up to the 100% storage limit of the Free tier. Newer memories added while on the Plus plan (that exceed the Free tier’s capacity) should be the ones temporarily disabled until dropping to 100% or under of the free tier.

It would be great if it indicated which ones were disabled too, possibly by graying them out, or some other visual indicator.

[slow solar]

I don't think anyone outside of the company would know that detail.

I think its a matter of individual preference as to which memories are required for later use:

Older might be more significant. Newer might be more relevant. Their save-time might not be important at all - we might load a new account with the most important memories at that time and then add others later, changing some along the way. They're all important until we decide we need to eliminate some.

Rather than auto-selection based on an arbitrary factor like time, I think a simple blog might help: "Here's what happens when a subscription lapses". For existing accounts, it seems the best option might be to allow the user to freely edit their memory list, with free account memory disabled until the list is small enough.

BTW, did you know that we can edit memories in-chat and ask ChatGPT to do so for us?

Please list all of my current memories in a simple list of sentences with no markup.

Then just tell it to remove specific items, or ask for a numbered list and then ask it to eliminate # 4, 15, 3, 16, etc.

I just did this and it worked immediately:

Forget about the cathedral ceilings, the fireplace, the bathroom, ants, and irrigation zones.

BTW, you use the phrase %100 a lot which is really confusing. Exactly how many memories is the max in a free account now? I don't know if there is a limit in Plus. I have less than 50 now.

[narrow edge]

I'm not sure, I believe it's by total characters, not a specific amount of entires