OpenAI on August 20, 2026 launched an Apple Messages plug-in that allows users to connect their Messages inbox to ChatGPT. The company says the extension lets the chatbot sort, analyze, edit and search message history, and can draft, send or delete messages on a user’s behalf.
Capabilities and integrations
The plug-in is designed for both personal and professional use: OpenAI noted it works with Codex and ChatGPT Work, enabling the same message-handling features across use cases. A short demonstration shows a user asking ChatGPT to propose follow-up replies based on messages received the previous day. The tool can also locate information buried in message threads and perform bulk edits or deletions as requested.
Privacy and user controls
OpenAI states the plug-in “runs locally on a user’s machine” and that it “doesn’t create an index of all someone’s messages,” though the company provided limited detail on what those claims entail. The move has prompted privacy questions about how message data is accessed, processed and retained.
OpenAI advises users to monitor what ChatGPT does when connected to Messages and warns against enabling persistent approval. According to the company, persistent approval “removes your final chance to review a message before ChatGPT sends it as you.” The company was contacted for additional technical clarifications about local processing and indexing.
The plug-in’s functions—sorting, drafting, searching, editing and sending texts—are available to users who opt to connect their Apple Messages account. OpenAI’s guidance emphasizes reviewing generated messages before they are sent and keeping automation controls off if users want a final manual check.
Original source: TechCrunch AI