OpenAI faces technical issues with ChatGPT desktop app update

OpenAI’s attempt to streamline its ChatGPT desktop application into a single, unified experience has instead created a mess of technical headaches. The company launched a sweeping redesign on July 9 that merged its previously separate ChatGPT, Work, and Codex apps into one Electron-based package, and users have been loudly unhappy about it ever since. The update, which rebranded the prior version as “ChatGPT Classic,” was supposed to make life easier. It did the opposite for a significant number of users, particularly those on Windows, who have reported persistent error messages, vanishing interface elements, and an app that ballooned in size from roughly 159 MB to approximately 1.5 GB. A redesign nobody asked for Conversation history, Projects, and Custom GPTs were all obscured by the new interface layout. Mode transitions between different workspaces became inconsistent. And the tenfold increase in app size didn’t exactly win anyone over, especially users on machines with limited storage. OpenAI moved relatively quickly to address the most vocal complaints. By mid-July, the company pushed patches that restored direct sidebar access to chats and Projects, along with improved synch...