ChatGPT — use your subscription with screenpipe

if you have a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription, you can connect it directly to screenpipe. this lets you use OpenAI's latest models for chat, summaries, and pipes without managing API keys or paying extra.

what you get

• AI chat — ask questions about your screen history, meetings, and activity using GPT models
• pipes — run scheduled or on-demand automations (summaries, time tracking, etc.) powered by your subscription
• no API key needed — sign in with your OpenAI account, that's it

how to connect

1. open screenpipe
2. click the model selector next to the chat input (shows "OAI", "Ollama", etc.)
3. select ChatGPT as your provider
4. click sign in with ChatGPT
5. a browser window opens — log in with your OpenAI account and approve access
6. done — you'll see a green checkmark and your available models

choosing a model

after signing in, you can pick from your available models in the dropdown. these depend on your subscription tier:

subscription	models available
ChatGPT Plus	GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, and more
ChatGPT Pro	GPT-4o, GPT-4o mini, o1, o1-pro, and more

the model list updates automatically based on what your subscription includes.

using it for pipes

pipes are automations that run on a schedule or on demand. when you connect your ChatGPT subscription, pipes use it automatically.

examples:

• toggl sync — auto-track time in Toggl based on your screen activity, every 30 minutes
• day recap — one-click summary of what you accomplished today
• meeting summary — summarize meeting transcripts with action items

to set up a pipe:

1. go to pipes in the sidebar
2. pick a pipe or create your own
3. in the pipe settings, select your ChatGPT preset
4. enable the pipe

how it's different from MCP

screenpipe also supports MCP integrations with ChatGPT Desktop, Claude, and other apps. that's a different thing:

	ChatGPT subscription	MCP integration
what it does	powers screenpipe's built-in AI chat and pipes	lets external apps (ChatGPT Desktop, Claude) query screenpipe data
setup	sign in with your OpenAI account inside screenpipe	add screenpipe as an MCP server in the external app
where you chat	in screenpipe's chat window	in the external app (ChatGPT Desktop, Claude, etc.)
runs pipes	yes	no

you can use both at the same time.

signing out

to disconnect your ChatGPT account:

1. open the model selector
2. click the sign out button next to your ChatGPT connection

this removes the stored tokens from your machine. your data stays local.

troubleshooting

sign-in window doesn't open?

• make sure screenpipe is running
• try restarting the app and signing in again

"could not get token" error?

• your session may have expired — sign out and sign back in
• check that your ChatGPT subscription is active at openai.com

models not showing up?

• sign out and sign back in to refresh your token
• some models are only available on higher subscription tiers

pipes failing with auth errors?

• tokens refresh automatically, but if it persists, sign out and back in

still stuck? ask in our discord.