ChatGPT release notes: where to find them and how to read them
OpenAI's weekly digest, its changelogs, and when a news write-up gets you the point faster.
By ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom · Editorial team
· 3 min read
ChatGPT release notes live in three places on OpenAI's developer site: a weekly What's new digest, a ChatGPT and Codex changelog, and the API changelog. This guide shows what each one covers, how to read an entry, and when a news write-up such as ClaudeGPT Si is the faster way to get the point.
Where OpenAI publishes ChatGPT release notes
| Page | What it covers | Read it when |
|---|---|---|
| What's new | A weekly digest of ChatGPT and Codex features | You want the week's changes in plain terms |
| ChatGPT and Codex changelog | Every versioned update, bug fix and small improvement | You need the exact version or fix |
| API changelog | Changes for developers, such as new models and endpoints | You build on the OpenAI API |
The What's new page says it plainly: for every versioned update, bug fix and minor improvement, go to the changelogs. The digest picks the features that change how you work.
How to read a What's new entry
Each week has a date range, such as October 26 to 30, 2026, and a short block per feature. Take the GPT-6.1 Terra entry as an example. It says what the model is (fast and efficient, strong image understanding, precise computer use), where it runs (ChatGPT Work and Codex), and which plans get it (Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu).
Three parts deserve attention:
- The date range. Release notes give the week, not always the day. The API changelog for Terra gives the day: October 26.
- The availability line. Many entries say access depends on plan, client, rollout or workspace settings. A feature in the notes may not be in your account yet.
- The "read the full update" link. Bigger launches link to a longer post with setup steps.
How to read the API changelog
API entries are tagged by type, such as Feature or Update, and by the model or endpoint they touch. On October 7, for example, OpenAI updated the chat-latest snapshot, which points to the latest model in ChatGPT. On October 26 it released GPT-6.1 Terra for the Responses and Chat Completions endpoints. If you do not write code, you can skip this page.
Notes that need action
Most release notes are optional reading. Retirements are not. In September OpenAI announced that GPT-5.5 would retire from ChatGPT, ChatGPT Work and Codex on October 14, 2026, across all plans, and told users to update saved model settings, custom agents, scheduled tasks and scripts that still chose it. The API was not affected. A notice like that is the main reason to check release notes on a schedule.
When a news article is the better read
Release notes tell you what shipped. They rarely tell you how it compares or why it matters. That is where an independent write-up helps. ClaudeGPT Si turned the Terra entry into a dated launch story and a Sol vs Terra comparison, each with OpenAI's pages listed as sources. It is free, not affiliated with OpenAI, and updates articles when facts change.
Use the release notes when you need the exact wording or a version number. Use a news site when you want the context in a few minutes.
A simple routine
- Once a week, open What's new and scan the date range you missed.
- If you rely on a model, search the page for "retire" or "retirement".
- Add claudegpt.si/feed.xml to a feed reader to see ChatGPT stories as they publish.
- Open the API changelog only if you build with the API.
One honest limit: no news site replaces the changelog for small fixes. If a bug in the desktop app is blocking you, OpenAI's own changelog is where the fix will appear first.