ChatGPT Chat and Work Tabs to Merge in Desktop App

OpenAI is merging the ChatGPT Chat and Work tabs into a single workspace in the ChatGPT desktop app, according to an email sent to users and reported by TechCrunch on November 2, 2026. Select users will get the change first so OpenAI can gather feedback before a wider rollout. Codex will stay as a separate section.

What is changing

The ChatGPT desktop app currently has two main sections, ChatGPT and Codex. Inside ChatGPT there are two more tabs, Chat and Work. TechCrunch said this setup can be confusing, because users sometimes lose track of where they are working and where a project is saved.

According to the email quoted by TechCrunch, the merged space will let users go from exploring an idea to having ChatGPT complete the task, all in one place. Users will be able to:

• bring in their own files and plugins,
• ask ChatGPT to build a website or create a presentation,
• have it carry out tasks on the web, and
• review and guide its work as it goes.

Shared usage limits for ChatGPT and Codex

The second change matters more for heavy users. OpenAI told users that ChatGPT and Codex will now draw tokens from the same allowance pool. The company said most people will not notice. However, depending on how much they use the tools and which models they choose, some users may have to wait for their limits to reset more often.

In practice, someone who uses Codex heavily for coding and also relies on ChatGPT for documents or research will be spending from one shared budget instead of two.

Part of a wider trend

The move follows a similar step by OpenAI's rival Anthropic. TechCrunch noted that Anthropic merged the chat and Cowork functions in its Claude app into one screen in September. AI companies are increasingly combining everyday chat with agent-style features, where the assistant carries out multi-step tasks instead of only answering questions.

What it means for users in Thailand

Many freelancers, small businesses and office teams in Thailand already use AI assistants for drafting, research and simple automation. A single workspace could make it easier to move from asking a question to getting a finished file. Our guides to using ChatGPT for business automation and the best AI tools for business cover practical ways to use these tools.

As always with AI output, check the facts before you rely on them. We have covered how AI chatbots can spread misinformation. OpenAI has not given a date for the wider rollout.

Image: Jernej Furman, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons