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You cannot select GPT-4o in the ChatGPT Windows app anymore. OpenAI retired GPT-4o and additional models from ChatGPT on February 13, 2026. The retirement did not change GPT-4o availability through the API, so an application that specifically requires GPT-4o must use the API rather than the Windows ChatGPT interface. For normal desktop use, install the current ChatGPT app, sign in, and choose one of the models currently offered to your plan and workspace. This guide explains the Windows requirements, installation, companion window, uploads, voice and browser features, troubleshooting, and the distinction between ChatGPT and API access.
Can you still use GPT-4o in the ChatGPT Windows app?
No. GPT-4o is no longer a selectable ChatGPT model as of February 13, 2026. OpenAI’s retirement notice states: “GPT-4o and additional models were deprecated in ChatGPT on February 13, 2026.” Historical screenshots that show GPT-4o in a Windows model menu describe an earlier version of the service, not the current app.
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The Windows application remains useful, but its model picker now reflects the models available to your subscription, workspace permissions, and rollout access. Those choices can differ between two people using the same Windows version. Do not expect a newly installed app to display GPT-4o or assume that a missing model indicates a broken installation.
OpenAI’s retirement notice did not remove GPT-4o from the API. If you maintain software that must call GPT-4o, the API is the supported route; the Windows ChatGPT app is not a way to restore the retired ChatGPT selection.
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What does the ChatGPT Windows app require?
The official desktop application requires a 64-bit or ARM64 Windows installation that meets OpenAI’s minimum build. Check this before downloading so you do not confuse an operating-system limitation with an account or model problem.
| Requirement | What you need | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 x64 or arm64 | The supported desktop package targets these Windows architectures. |
| Minimum Windows version | Version 17763.0 or higher | Older builds are below the documented requirement. |
| Account | A ChatGPT account | You must sign in before starting chats and using account-based features. |
| Internet access | A connection for sign-in and cloud conversations | The desktop client connects to ChatGPT services rather than running GPT-4o locally. |
| Permissions | Microphone, camera, screenshot or browser permissions when requested | These are needed only for the corresponding voice, photo, screenshot or browsing features. |
How do I check my Windows edition and build?
- Open Settings from the Start menu.
- Select System, then About.
- Under Windows specifications, check the edition, version and OS build. Confirm that the system is Windows 10 or later and that the installed architecture is x64 or arm64.
- If the build is below 17763.0, install available Windows updates and restart before trying the ChatGPT app again.
A Windows 10 laptop or desktop that meets these requirements can run the official app. The requirement does not make GPT-4o available; it only establishes that the desktop client can be installed.
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How do I install ChatGPT on a Windows PC?
Install the official desktop client through the Microsoft Store. This is the simplest route for an individual user because the Store handles the package installation and updates.
- Open the Microsoft Store from the Windows Start menu.
- Search for the official ChatGPT desktop app and verify that you are selecting the official listing rather than an unrelated third-party client.
- Select Get or Install and wait for Windows to finish downloading the app.
- Choose Open from the Store, or launch ChatGPT from the Start menu after installation.
- Sign in with your ChatGPT account. Use the same account associated with the subscription or workspace whose models and features you intend to use.
The app does not download a local copy of GPT-4o. Model availability is controlled by the service, your plan, workspace policy and rollout status, so reinstalling cannot bring back a retired ChatGPT model.
Can an organization install the app with winget?
OpenAI documented Microsoft Store deployment support for winget on January 30, 2025. An administrator can install the Store package from an elevated command prompt or PowerShell session with the documented command:
winget.exe install --id=9NT1R1C2HH7J --source=msstore --accept-package-agreements --accept-source-agreements –silentEnterprise administrators should test the command against their organization’s shell, Windows policies and Store access before broad deployment. Store restrictions, network controls or endpoint-management rules can prevent installation even when the Windows build itself is supported.
How do I start a chat and choose a current model?
After signing in, start a new conversation and use the model choices that appear in your account. The current picker, not an old screenshot or a remembered GPT-4o menu, is the authoritative list for your session.
- Open ChatGPT from the Start menu.
- Use the desktop navigation to select ChatGPT.
- Start a new chat and inspect the model picker. Select a model that your plan and workspace permit.
- Describe the outcome you need in the first message. Include the relevant context, constraints and desired format rather than only naming a topic.
- Attach files when the task requires them, then review the response and ask a focused follow-up question if something is incomplete.
Model choices can vary by plan, organization settings and staged access. Compare the options you actually see using the dimensions that matter to your task:
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- Eligibility: whether your subscription or workspace exposes the model.
- Reasoning level: whether the task benefits from deeper multi-step analysis or a faster response.
- Speed: how quickly you need an answer during a live session.
- Multimodal and file support: whether you need images, screenshots or documents.
- Workspace context: whether the work belongs in regular Chat, Work or Codex.
There is no single replacement model that is guaranteed to appear for every reader. If a model is absent, treat that as an eligibility or rollout difference until your plan administrator or current account information confirms otherwise.
What is the difference between Chat, Work and Codex in the Windows app?
The desktop navigation separates common conversation from longer deliverables and software-development work. Selecting the right view helps keep the task and its permissions in the appropriate workspace.
Chat
Use Chat for quick questions, explanations, drafting and ordinary conversations. Start a new chat when the subject changes so the model has a clean context.
Work
Use Work for longer research and deliverables. Work may have different organization controls and model access from personal Chat, so the model list can change when you switch views.
Codex
Codex is a separate view for software development. It is not a hidden GPT-4o mode and should not be treated as a way to restore the retired model. Use it when the task involves code, repositories or development workflows supported by your account.
How do I open the ChatGPT companion window?
Press Alt + Space to open the companion window. It provides a compact way to ask a question, upload material, start a new chat or use supported image-generation features without opening the full application window.
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- Type your question or use the attachment control to add a file.
- Submit the request and review the response in the companion window.
- Start a new chat from the companion controls when you need to separate the next task from the current context.
If another Windows application already owns Alt + Space, the shortcut may do nothing or open the other application. Change it in Settings > App > Companion window hotkey, then test the new combination.
Which Windows features can I use with ChatGPT?
The Windows release notes document several features beyond typed prompts. Availability can depend on the current app build, account permissions and Windows privacy settings.
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How do I attach a screenshot?
Use the Windows Snipping Tool to capture the relevant screen area, then attach the resulting image to your conversation. Crop out passwords, account numbers and unrelated private information before submitting the capture. A screenshot gives the model visual context, but you should still describe what you want it to identify or explain.
Can I take a webcam photo?
The app can take a photo and attach it to a conversation when camera access is available. Approve camera permission only when you intend to use that feature, and check the preview before sending the image.
How does voice work?
Advanced voice mode is documented for the Windows app. Windows may request microphone permission, and your organization can restrict microphone access. If voice is unavailable, check Windows privacy controls and the permissions shown for the ChatGPT app before changing account or model settings.
How do I open the built-in browser?
In Work or Codex, use the browser control in the toolbar or press Ctrl + Shift + B. Approve access prompts carefully and avoid granting a site more access than the task requires. Browser availability and permissions can differ between personal and managed workspaces.
How do I search my chat history?
Press Ctrl + K to open chat-history search, then enter a distinctive word or phrase from the conversation. Search helps you find earlier work without assuming that an old GPT-4o conversation can be reopened with the same model.
Why is GPT-4o missing from my Windows model picker?
For a current installation, the expected reason is retirement: GPT-4o was removed from ChatGPT on February 13, 2026. The app is not malfunctioning simply because GPT-4o is absent.
Check whether you are looking at an old screenshot
Images or videos made before February 13, 2026 may show GPT-4o in the model menu. They are historical evidence of an earlier interface, not instructions for the current client. Menus can also change when you move between Chat, Work and Codex.
Check account and workspace eligibility
Current model choices depend on your plan, workspace permissions and rollout access. If colleagues see different options, compare the workspace and account used for sign-in before reinstalling the app. A workspace administrator may limit models or features even when the desktop package is identical.
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Check that the app is current
Install available updates through the Microsoft Store, close and reopen ChatGPT, then sign in again. Updating can resolve interface or authentication problems, but it cannot restore a model that OpenAI has retired from ChatGPT.
Check whether the task belongs in the API
If your software or workflow specifically requires GPT-4o, the Windows ChatGPT interface is the wrong integration point. The retirement notice left API availability unchanged, so the application should use the API route and handle its own credentials, model selection and error handling.
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Resetting is useful when the installed client has persistent launch, sign-in or local-state problems. It does not change your plan and does not make retired models reappear.
- Open Windows Settings.
- Select Apps, then Installed Apps.
- Find ChatGPT in the list.
- Open the three-dot menu and choose Advanced Options.
- Select Reset, then launch ChatGPT and sign in again.
Resetting can remove local application data, so be prepared to authenticate again. Conversations stored with your account are separate from the local app installation, but you should not treat reset as a substitute for exporting information you need to keep.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How is API access different from the Windows ChatGPT app?
The Windows app is a ready-made user interface: you sign in, select an eligible current model and submit chats or attachments. API access is for software that sends requests programmatically and needs explicit control over integration, credentials and model configuration.
| Question | Windows ChatGPT app | API integration |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Interactive desktop conversations and built-in features | Embedding model calls in your own application or service |
| GPT-4o after February 13, 2026 | Not selectable in ChatGPT | Availability was unchanged by the ChatGPT retirement notice |
| Model list | Determined by plan, workspace permissions and rollout | Determined by the API account, supported models and your implementation |
| Interface | Windows app, companion window, uploads and documented desktop tools | Your code, user interface and operational safeguards |
This distinction matters for game-development tools, automation and other PC software. Installing ChatGPT on Windows does not automatically give a program API credentials, and an API application does not inherit the desktop app’s companion-window features.
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What should I use instead of GPT-4o in ChatGPT?
Use the best current model exposed in your picker for the task, rather than choosing a replacement by name from an old guide. A practical decision is to balance reasoning depth, response speed, multimodal or file support, and whether the work is in Chat, Work or Codex.
For quick questions
Choose an eligible model optimized for speed when the task is a short explanation, rewrite or simple planning request. Keep the prompt specific so the response does not spend effort inferring the goal.
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For complex analysis
Choose an available model with the reasoning level appropriate to the problem. Provide assumptions, constraints and a definition of success, then verify important conclusions instead of treating any model as automatically correct.
For images and files
Confirm that the selected model and workspace support the file or image operation you need. Attach only the relevant material and remove sensitive information before submission.
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Use Codex when your account supports the required development workflow. Keep application design, code execution and secrets under your own controls; the desktop model picker alone does not establish that a coding task can access your project.
What are the most common Windows setup problems?
- The Store cannot install the app: verify Windows is x64 or arm64 and version 17763.0 or higher, then check Store and organizational restrictions.
- Sign-in loops: close the app, relaunch it, and confirm that you are using the account with the intended plan or workspace.
- The companion shortcut conflicts: change the hotkey under Settings > App > Companion window hotkey.
- Voice, camera or screenshots fail: review the relevant Windows privacy permission and any organization policy, then retry the feature.
- A model is missing: check plan, workspace and rollout eligibility; do not use a pre-2026 screenshot as proof that GPT-4o should appear.
- The app behaves inconsistently after an update: use Settings > Apps > Installed Apps > ChatGPT > Advanced Options > Reset, then sign in again.
These checks separate local Windows problems from service-side model availability. That distinction prevents repeated reinstalls when the underlying issue is simply that GPT-4o is no longer offered in ChatGPT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I continue an old GPT-4o conversation on Windows?
Existing conversations may be continued on newer supported models, but the continuation will not restore GPT-4o behavior. Review the model shown for the new response and restate any requirements that depended on the older model’s style or capabilities.
Does installing the Windows app let me run GPT-4o offline?
No. The desktop client is an interface to ChatGPT services and does not install GPT-4o as a local offline model. An internet connection is needed for sign-in and cloud conversations.
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Why do two people in the same office see different model choices?
Model menus can differ because plans, workspace permissions and rollout access are account-specific. Compare the signed-in account and workspace before diagnosing the difference as a Windows installation problem.
Where should a game launcher send GPT-4o requests?
A game launcher or other program that specifically requires GPT-4o should integrate through the API route, not automate the ChatGPT Windows interface. The API and desktop app are separate access paths with different credentials and implementation responsibilities.
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