OpenAI restores chat sidebar in Mac app after user backlash over confusing redesign

OpenAI restores chat sidebar in Mac app after user backlash

OpenAI has updated its ChatGPT Mac app to restore direct access to chat conversations following widespread user complaints about a confusing interface redesign.

On July 10, OpenAI launched a redesigned ChatGPT Mac app that combined ChatGPT, Codex, and the newly announced Work agent into a single application. The company simultaneously rebranded the previous app as "ChatGPT Classic." The update drew immediate criticism for two main issues: replacing the native Mac client with a significantly larger Electron-based application, and relegating standard chat functionality to a less prominent button that opened a floating window without access to conversation history or Projects.

Users posted complaints to OpenAI's Community forums and X immediately after the update. The following day, Thibault Sottiaux, who leads OpenAI's effort to merge ChatGPT and Codex into a unified application, acknowledged the criticism and promised to restore chats and Projects to the sidebar.

What changed in the update

The latest update adds a prominent toggle at the top of the window allowing users to switch between Chat and Work modes. A sidebar drop-down menu now lets users choose between standard ChatGPT and Codex. Previously, the standard Chat experience was accessible only through a less obvious button that opened without conversation history.

The original redesign featured a prominent drop-down for switching between Codex and Work, while standard chat functionality was buried in the interface—a design choice that frustrated users who primarily use the app for basic ChatGPT conversations.

What this means

The rapid reversal highlights tension between OpenAI's product expansion strategy and user experience priorities. The company's decision to ship an Electron-based app—significantly larger than the previous native Mac client—combined with an interface that deprioritized core chat functionality suggests focus on feature parity with competitors like Anthropic over optimizing the primary use case. The fact that OpenAI maintains ChatGPT Classic as a separate download option indicates awareness that the unified app approach may not serve all users. For Mac users who relied on the streamlined native client, the Electron transition and multi-product interface represent a clear regression in app performance and usability, even with the restored chat access.