How to Enable ChatGPT Plugins and Use Them

ChatGPT plugins were an older way to connect ChatGPT with external services, such as travel or research tools. OpenAI discontinued the plugin system in 2024, so you cannot enable or install plugins in ChatGPT today; use currently available GPTs or connected apps instead, if they appear in your account.

What You’ll Need

A ChatGPT account and access to the ChatGPT website or app.
An up-to-date understanding that plugin instructions written before the 2024 shutdown no longer apply.
If you want similar functionality, access to a suitable GPT or app available in your ChatGPT account. Availability and features can vary by plan, region, and account.

Step-by-Step

Check whether you mean the retired plugin feature. The former plugin system let users select third-party plugins from a store and use them in a dedicated ChatGPT mode. That system has been discontinued. There is no current setting that restores it, and changing plans or reinstalling the app will not bring the old plugin store back.
Open ChatGPT and sign in. Use the official ChatGPT website or app, then sign in to the account where you want to use available tools. Keep the app updated, or refresh the website, so the interface reflects the features currently offered to your account.
Look for GPTs or the GPT Store. If the option is available, open the GPT discovery area, sometimes labeled Explore GPTs or GPTs. Search for a GPT suited to your task, open its details, and review what it says it can do before starting a conversation. Menu names and availability may change.
Start a chat with the GPT you chose. Select it and describe the task clearly. For example, ask it to help compare travel options or summarize information, rather than expecting it to run a specific retired plugin. A GPT may use its own configured capabilities, but that is not the same as enabling the former plugins.
Check for apps or connectors, if offered. Some accounts may show connected apps or other integrations in settings or within the chat interface. If you see an app that fits your task, read its description and follow the on-screen connection steps. Only grant access you understand and are comfortable with; an integration may be able to access or act on data covered by its permissions.
Confirm the connection and try a simple request. Complete any sign-in or authorization prompt shown by the app, then ask a basic question that uses the connected service. If ChatGPT requests permission before an action, review what it proposes and approve only if it is appropriate.
Use a regular chat if the feature is unavailable. If you cannot find GPTs or an app connection, the feature may not be available for your account, location, or current interface. You can still ask ChatGPT for help without an integration, or use the relevant service separately and provide information you are allowed to share.

Common Mistakes

Following old plugin setup guides. Instructions that say to turn on a “Plugins” beta, choose “Plugin Store,” or select a plugin model describe the former interface. Those steps are no longer a way to enable plugins.
Expecting a GPT to be a plugin. GPTs can be configured for particular tasks, but they are a different feature with different setup and capabilities. Do not assume a GPT has access to a particular external service unless its description and current interface confirm it.
Assuming every account has the same features. Available GPTs, app connections, and settings can differ. An option missing from your account is not necessarily a problem with your device.
Approving access without checking it. When connecting an external service, read the requested permissions and make sure you understand what information or actions they cover. Avoid sharing sensitive details unless necessary and appropriate.
Searching for unofficial plugin installers. A download or site claiming to restore the discontinued plugin system is not an official way to enable it. Use the ChatGPT interface and services you trust.

Tips

Describe the outcome you want, not just the name of a retired plugin. This makes it easier to identify a current GPT, app, or ordinary chat workflow that may help.
Review a GPT’s description and any relevant instructions before sharing information. Treat its responses as suggestions and verify important details with the source service.
If you connect an app, use the account and permissions needed for the task rather than granting broader access without a reason.
For an action that changes external data—such as sending, saving, or booking—check the details before confirming it.
Check current ChatGPT help information if you need to know whether a particular feature is available to your account. Interfaces and feature names can change over time.

Troubleshooting

You cannot find a Plugins setting. This is expected: the original ChatGPT plugins feature has been discontinued. Do not keep searching for a hidden toggle or attempt to enable an old beta.

You cannot find GPTs or an app option. Confirm that you are signed in to the intended account and using the current website or app. Refresh the page or update the app, then check again. If the option remains absent, it may not be available for that account or region. Consult current product help rather than relying on screenshots from older guides.

A connected app does not respond. Check that its connection completed, that you selected the right account, and that any required permission was granted. If the connection appears expired or broken, use the app’s available reconnect or disconnect controls and follow the prompts. Avoid repeatedly authorizing an unfamiliar service.

A GPT does not perform the action you expected. Re-read its description, ask what capabilities it has, and try a smaller, clearer request. A GPT may not have access to a live external service, and a response that sounds current is not proof that it checked live data. Verify time-sensitive information directly with the relevant service.

You are seeing conflicting instructions online. Check the publication date. Guides referring to the old plugin store are obsolete; use current ChatGPT help and the controls visible in your own account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still enable ChatGPT plugins?
No. OpenAI discontinued the original plugin system in 2024, and there is no supported setting to turn it back on.

What replaced ChatGPT plugins?
There is no one-for-one replacement. Depending on account availability, GPTs and connected apps may provide some related capabilities, but they work differently.

Do I need a paid plan to use GPTs or apps?
Access and limits can depend on the current plan and product availability. Check the options shown in your account and current plan details; do not assume an old plugin guide’s requirements still apply.

Why does my friend have a feature that I do not?
Features may vary by account, plan, region, or rollout. Confirm you are using the same type of account and check current product information for availability.

Can I install a third-party plugin to restore the old feature?
No supported installer restores the retired ChatGPT plugin system. Avoid downloads or sites promising to reactivate it, and use features offered through ChatGPT’s current interface.

Can a GPT access the internet or another service?
Some GPTs or connected features may have external capabilities, while others do not. Check the feature’s description and available controls, and verify important results with the original source.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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