ChatGPT Plugins let you add specialized capabilities and connect ChatGPT to other tools and services. To use a plugin, open the Plugin Directory, choose the plugin you want, install it, connect any required account, and then use the plugin from a ChatGPT conversation.
The exact options you see can vary depending on your ChatGPT plan, region, workspace, and the plugin itself. Some plugins work immediately, while others require you to connect an external account before ChatGPT can access its information or actions.
What Are ChatGPT Plugins?
A ChatGPT plugin is a packaged capability designed to help ChatGPT complete a particular type of task or workflow.
A plugin can include:
- Skills — reusable instructions and workflows that help ChatGPT perform a particular task.
- Apps — connections to external services and information.
- App templates — configurations that organizations can use to create their own integrations.
Not every plugin contains all three.
For example, one plugin may simply provide specialized workflow instructions, while another may connect ChatGPT to an external service so it can find information or perform supported actions there.
This distinction is important because plugins and apps are not exactly the same thing.
An app provides the connection to an external service. A plugin can package that app together with additional instructions or capabilities into a larger workflow.
Where Do You Find ChatGPT Plugins?
The easiest way to find them is through the Plugin Directory.
Depending on the version of ChatGPT you are using, you can access Plugins from the ChatGPT sidebar or through Settings > Plugins. The directory is available on ChatGPT web and the desktop app.
Open the directory and select a plugin to see information such as:
- What the plugin does
- Which apps it includes
- Whether an external account is required
- What setup is necessary
- What permissions may be required
You may still see references to Apps in some parts of ChatGPT. That is normal.
OpenAI moved discovery from the App Directory to the Plugin Directory on July 9, 2026, but apps continue to exist as the underlying integrations that connect ChatGPT to external services.
How to Install a ChatGPT Plugin
Installing a plugin generally takes only a few steps.
- Open Plugins in ChatGPT.
- Search or browse for the plugin you want.
- Open the plugin to review what it does and which apps it uses.
- Select Install plugin if that option appears.
- If an included app requires an account, select Connect.
- Sign in to the external service when prompted.
- Review the requested permissions before approving access.
Once the required setup is complete, the plugin can be used in supported ChatGPT conversations.
Some plugins do not require an external account at all, so the exact installation process can differ.
How Do You Use a Plugin After Installing It?
Once a plugin is installed and any required accounts are connected, you can tell ChatGPT what you want it to do.
One way to explicitly select a plugin is to type @ and choose an available plugin or app.
Depending on your ChatGPT interface, you may also be able to select +, followed by More, and choose the relevant plugin or app there.
Then ask for the task normally.
For example, if you have connected a plugin that can access a supported external service, you might ask ChatGPT to find information from that service, summarize something, or perform one of the actions the integration supports.
You generally do not need to learn special commands. Describe what you want in normal language.
What Can ChatGPT Plugins Actually Do?
That depends on the plugin and any apps included with it.
Plugins can potentially help ChatGPT:
- Search information from connected services
- Retrieve files or other content
- Summarize information from another service
- Use specialized workflow instructions
- Work with synced information
- Perform supported actions in external services
Apps can also provide interactive experiences inside ChatGPT, and some can be used as information sources for Deep Research.
Some apps support write actions, meaning ChatGPT may be able to create or change information in the connected service rather than simply reading it.
The available actions vary by app and can also be restricted by workspace administrators.
Do ChatGPT Plugins Have Access to Your Accounts?
Only when a plugin uses an app that you have authorized or that your organization has made available to you.
Installing a plugin does not automatically bypass the permissions of an external service.
If an app requires authorization, you still need to sign in and approve the requested access. ChatGPT cannot use the plugin to access files, channels, records, or other information that the connected account itself is not allowed to access.
Before connecting an account, review:
- Which service is being connected
- Which account you are using
- What information the app can access
- Which actions it can perform
- Whether you are comfortable granting those permissions
This is particularly important for work accounts or services containing private information.
How Do You Manage Connected Plugin Accounts?
You can review connected accounts from ChatGPT settings.
Open:
Settings → Apps or Plugins → select the relevant app/plugin
The exact label may vary depending on your account and current interface.
From there, supported apps may allow you to:
- See which account is connected
- Connect another account
- Reconnect an account
- Review the connection
- Disconnect an account
If you have both personal and work accounts for the same service, make sure you connect the account that actually has access to the information you want ChatGPT to use.
Connecting your personal account does not automatically give ChatGPT access to information that exists only in your work account.
How Do You Disconnect a ChatGPT Plugin or App?
To disconnect an account:
- Open Settings.
- Select Apps or Plugins, depending on what appears for your account.
- Select the relevant plugin or app.
- Open the connected account options.
- Select Disconnect.
Disconnecting the account prevents future access through that connection.
However, disconnecting an app does not automatically delete existing ChatGPT conversations, saved files, or Memory information that may already exist separately in ChatGPT. Those need to be managed independently when applicable.
Why Can’t I Find ChatGPT Plugins?
If you cannot find a particular plugin, it does not necessarily mean you are looking in the wrong place.
Plugin availability can depend on:
- Your ChatGPT plan
- Your country or region
- Your workspace
- Your role within that workspace
- The ChatGPT interface you are using
- The capabilities required by the plugin
The Plugin Directory itself is available across ChatGPT plans, but that does not mean every user can install and use every plugin.
For managed Business, Enterprise, or Edu accounts, an administrator may also control which plugins and apps members can access.
Why Is the Connect Button Disabled?
A disabled Connect button can have several causes.
OpenAI says access can be restricted by factors including:
- Geographic availability
- Your ChatGPT plan
- Workspace settings
- Administrator restrictions
If the interface specifically says Disabled by admin, the plugin or underlying app needs to be enabled by the administrator of that workspace.
So upgrading your ChatGPT plan will not necessarily solve every disabled plugin. First check what the interface says is restricting access.
Are ChatGPT Plugins Free?
The Plugin Directory is visible across ChatGPT plans, but whether a particular plugin can actually be installed or used depends on the plugin, plan, workspace, region, and capabilities it requires.
There is another cost to consider as well.
A plugin may connect to a third-party service that has its own subscription or account requirements. ChatGPT access does not automatically give you a paid account with that external provider.
So the better question is not simply whether “ChatGPT Plugins are free,” but whether the specific plugin and underlying service you want to use are available with your accounts.
Are ChatGPT Plugins Safe to Use?
Plugins can be useful, but you should treat connections to external services the same way you would treat integrations in other software.
Before installing one, check what it connects to and what permissions it requests.
Some plugins display an OpenAI Verified badge. OpenAI says verified plugins are reviewed for quality, reliability, and usefulness. However, OpenAI also notes that verification does not replace your own privacy or security review.
This matters especially when connecting:
- Work email
- Cloud storage
- Company documents
- Development repositories
- Financial information
- Other accounts containing sensitive information
Grant only the access you actually need.
What Is the Difference Between ChatGPT Plugins and the Old Apps?
This is one of the most confusing parts because the terminology changed recently.
As of July 9, 2026, OpenAI moved the App Directory into the Plugin Directory. Existing app connections were not removed. Instead, plugins became the primary way to discover workflow capabilities.
Apps still exist.
The easiest way to think about the current system is:
App = connection to another service
Plugin = packaged workflow that can contain apps, skills, or both
So if you find an older tutorial telling you to open the App Directory, the interface may no longer match what you see today.
Look for Plugins instead.
So, How Do You Use ChatGPT Plugins?
The basic process is:
Open the Plugin Directory → choose a plugin → install it → connect any required account → use the plugin in a ChatGPT conversation.
After it is connected, you can usually select it with an @ mention or through the + / More menu when those controls are available, then simply tell ChatGPT what you want it to do.
The most important thing is to check what the plugin actually connects to and what permissions you are granting before authorizing an external account.
Once configured, plugins can turn ChatGPT from a standalone chatbot into a tool that can work with the services and information you already use.