OpenAI just gave ChatGPT the keys to your text messages. The company’s macOS desktop app now includes a plugin that integrates directly with Apple Messages, allowing the AI to read, search, summarize, and even send replies on your behalf.
The update, released on August 20, 2026, works across iMessage, SMS, and RCS messaging formats. It’s available to all ChatGPT subscription tiers, including free users, though there’s one important guardrail: actually sending a message requires explicit user approval each time.
How the integration works
The new Messages plugin operates within both Work and Codex modes of the ChatGPT desktop app. In practical terms, that means you can ask ChatGPT to pull up a conversation thread, find a specific message from weeks ago, or generate a reply to that group chat you’ve been ignoring since Tuesday.
The plugin is restricted to Apple silicon Macs. If you’re still running an Intel-based machine, this feature isn’t available to you. There’s also no current indication that OpenAI plans to expand this particular integration to iOS.
