# Data controls in the OpenAI platform

Understand how OpenAI uses your data, and how you can control it.

Understand how OpenAI uses your data, and how you can control it.

Your data is your data. As of March 1, 2023, data sent to the OpenAI API is not
used to train or improve OpenAI models (unless you explicitly opt in to share
data with us).

## Types of data stored with the OpenAI API

When using the OpenAI API, data may be stored as:

- **Abuse monitoring logs:** Logs generated from your use of the platform,
  necessary for OpenAI to enforce our API data usage policies and mitigate
  harmful uses of AI.
- **Application state:** Data persisted from some API features in order to
  fulfill the task or request.

## Data retention controls for abuse monitoring

Abuse monitoring logs may contain certain customer content, such as prompts and
responses, as well as metadata derived from that customer content, such as
classifier outputs. By default, abuse monitoring logs are generated for all API
feature usage and retained for up to 30 days, unless we are legally required to
retain the logs for longer.

Eligible customers may have their customer content excluded from these abuse
monitoring logs by getting approved for the
[Zero Data Retention](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#zero-data-retention)
or
[Modified Abuse Monitoring](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#modified-abuse-monitoring)
controls. Currently, these controls are subject to prior approval by OpenAI and
acceptance of additional requirements. Approved customers may select between
Modified Abuse Monitoring or Zero Data Retention for their API Organization or
project.

Customers who enable Modified Abuse Monitoring or Zero Data Retention are
responsible for ensuring their users abide by OpenAI's policies for safe and
responsible use of AI and complying with any moderation and reporting
requirements under applicable law.

Get in touch with our sales team to learn more about these offerings and inquire
about eligibility.

### Modified Abuse Monitoring

Modified Abuse Monitoring excludes customer content (other than image and file
inputs in rare cases, as described
[below](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#image-and-file-inputs))
from abuse monitoring logs across all API endpoints, while still allowing the
customer to take advantage of the full capabilities of the OpenAI platform.

### Zero Data Retention

Zero Data Retention excludes customer content from abuse monitoring logs, in the
same way as Modified Abuse Monitoring.

Additionally, Zero Data Retention changes some endpoint behavior to prevent the
storage of application state. Specifically, the `store` parameter for
`/v1/responses` and `v1/chat/completions` will always be treated as `false`,
even if the request attempts to set the value to `true`.

### Storage requirements and retention controls per endpoint

The table below indicates when application state is stored for each endpoint.
Zero Data Retention eligible endpoints will not store any data. Zero Data
Retention ineligible endpoints or capabilities may store application state.

| Endpoint                   | Data used for training | Abuse monitoring retention | Application state retention    | Zero Data Retention eligible   |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------------ | ------------------------------ |
| `/v1/chat/completions`     | No                     | 30 days                    | None, see below for exceptions | Yes, see below for limitations |
| `/v1/responses`            | No                     | 30 days                    | None, see below for exceptions | Yes, see below for limitations |
| `/v1/conversations`        | No                     | Until deleted              | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/conversations/items`  | No                     | Until deleted              | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/assistants`           | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/threads`              | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/threads/messages`     | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/threads/runs`         | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/threads/runs/steps`   | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/vector_stores`        | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/images/generations`   | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes, see below for limitations |
| `/v1/images/edits`         | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes, see below for limitations |
| `/v1/images/variations`    | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes, see below for limitations |
| `/v1/embeddings`           | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/audio/transcriptions` | No                     | None                       | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/audio/translations`   | No                     | None                       | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/audio/speech`         | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/files`                | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted\*                | No                             |
| `/v1/fine_tuning/jobs`     | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/evals`                | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/batches`              | No                     | 30 days                    | Until deleted                  | No                             |
| `/v1/moderations`          | No                     | None                       | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/completions`          | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes                            |
| `/v1/realtime` (beta)      | No                     | 30 days                    | None                           | Yes                            |

#### `/v1/chat/completions`

- Audio outputs application state is stored for 1 hour to enable
  [multi-turn conversations](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/audio).
- When Zero Data Retention is enabled for an organization, the `store` parameter
  will always be treated as `false`, even if the request attempts to set the
  value to `true`.
- See
  [image and file inputs](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#image-and-file-inputs).

#### `/v1/responses`

- The Responses API has a 30 day Application State retention period by default,
  or when the `store` parameter is set to `true`. Response data will be stored
  for at least 30 days.
- When Zero Data Retention is enabled for an organization, the `store` parameter
  will always be treated as `false`, even if the request attempts to set the
  value to `true`.
- Audio outputs application state is stored for 1 hour to enable
  [multi-turn conversations](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/audio).
- See
  [image and file inputs](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#image-and-file-inputs).
- MCP servers (used with the
  [remote MCP server tool](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/tools-remote-mcp))
  are third-party services, and data sent to an MCP server is subject to their
  data retention policies.
- The
  [Code Interpreter](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/tools-code-interpreter)
  tool cannot be used when Zero Data Retention is enabled. Code Interpreter can
  be used with
  [Modified Abuse Monitoring](https://platform.openai.com/docs/guides/your-data#modified-abuse-monitoring)
  instead.

#### `/v1/assistants`, `/v1/threads`, and `/v1/vector_stores`

- Objects related to the Assistants API are deleted from our servers 30 days
  after you delete them via the API or the dashboard. Objects that are not
  deleted via the API or dashboard are retained indefinitely.

#### `/v1/images`

- Image generation is Zero Data Retention compatible when using `gpt-image-1`,
  not when using `dall-e-3` or `dall-e-2`.

#### `/v1/files`

- Files can be manually deleted via the API or the dashboard, or can be
  automatically deleted by setting the `expires_after` parameter. See
  [here](https://platform.openai.com/docs/api-reference/files/create#files_create-expires_after)
  for more information.

#### Image and file inputs

Images and files may be uploaded as inputs to `/v1/responses` (including when
using the Computer Use tool), `/v1/chat/completions`, and `/v1/images`. Image
and file inputs are scanned for CSAM content upon submission. If the classifier
detects potential CSAM content, the image will be retained for manual review,
even if Zero Data Retention or Modified Abuse Monitoring is enabled.

#### Web Search

Web Search is ZDR eligible, but Web Search is not HIPAA eligible and is not
covered by a BAA.

## Data residency controls

Data residency controls are a project configuration option that allow you to
configure the location of infrastructure OpenAI uses to provide services.

Contact our sales team to see if you're eligible for using data residency
controls.

### How does data residency work?

When data residency is enabled on your account, you can set a region for new
projects you create in your account from the available regions listed below. If
you use the supported endpoints, models, and snapshots listed below, your
customer content (as defined in your services agreement) for that project will
be stored at rest in the selected region to the extent the endpoint requires
data persistence to function (such as /v1/batches).

If you select a region that supports regional processing, as specifically
identified below, the services will perform inference for your Customer Content
in the selected region as well.

Data residency does not apply to system data, which may be processed and stored
outside the selected region. System data means account data, metadata, and usage
data that do not contain Customer Content, which are collected by the services
and used to manage and operate the services, such as account information or
profiles of end users that directly access the services (e.g., your personnel),
analytics, usage statistics, billing information, support requests, and
structured output schema.

### Limitations

Data residency does not apply to: (a) any transmission or storage of Customer
Content outside of the selected region caused by the location of an End User or
Customer's infrastructure when accessing the services; (b) products, services,
or content offered by parties other than OpenAI through the Services; or (c) any
data other than Customer Content, such as system data.

If your selected Region does not support regional processing, as identified
below, OpenAI may also process and temporarily store Customer Content outside of
the Region to deliver the services.

### Additional requirements for non-US regions

To use data residency with any region other than the United States, you must be
approved for abuse monitoring controls, and execute a Zero Data Retention
amendment.

### How to use data residency

Data residency is configured per-project within your API Organization.

To configure data residency for regional storage, select the appropriate region
from the dropdown when creating a new project.

For regions that offer regional processing, you must also send requests to the
corresponding base URL for the request to be processed in region. For US
processing, the URL is **https://us.api.openai.com/**. For EU processing, the
URL is **https://eu.api.openai.com/**. Note that requests made to regional
hostnames will **fail** if they are for a project that does not have data
residency configured.

### Which models and features are eligible for data residency?

The following models and API services are eligible for data residency today for
the regions specified below.

**Table 1: Regional data residency capabilities**

| Region                     | Regional storage | Regional processing | Requires modified abuse monitoring or ZDR | Default modes of entry      |
| -------------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| US                         | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image   |
| Europe (EEA + Switzerland) | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| Australia                  | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| Canada                     | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| Japan                      | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| India                      | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| Singapore                  | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |
| South Korea                | â               | â                  | â                                        | Text, Audio, Voice, Image\* |

\* Image support in these regions requires approval for enhanced Zero Data
Retention or enhanced Modified Abuse Monitoring.

**Table 2: API endpoint and tool support**

| Supported services                                               | Supported model snapshots | Supported region |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------- |
| /v1/audio/transcriptions /v1/audio/translations /v1/audio/speech | tts-1                     |

whisper-1  
gpt-4o-tts  
gpt-4o-transcribe  
gpt-4o-mini-transcribe | All | | /v1/batches | gpt-5-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-chat-latest-2025-08-07  
gpt-4.1-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14  
o3-2025-04-16  
o4-mini-2025-04-16  
o1-pro  
o1-pro-2025-03-19  
o3-mini-2025-01-31  
o1-2024-12-17  
o1-mini-2024-09-12  
o1-preview  
gpt-4o-2024-11-20  
gpt-4o-2024-08-06  
gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18  
gpt-4-turbo-2024-04-09  
gpt-4-0613  
gpt-3.5-turbo-0125 | All | | /v1/chat/completions | gpt-5-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-chat-latest-2025-08-07  
gpt-4.1-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14  
o3-mini-2025-01-31  
o3-2025-04-16  
o4-mini-2025-04-16  
o1-2024-12-17  
o1-mini-2024-09-12  
o1-preview  
gpt-4o-2024-11-20  
gpt-4o-2024-08-06  
gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18  
gpt-4-turbo-2024-04-09  
gpt-4-0613  
gpt-3.5-turbo-0125 | All | | /v1/embeddings | text-embedding-3-small  
text-embedding-3-large  
text-embedding-ada-002 | All | | /v1/evals | | US and EU | | /v1/files | | All |
| /v1/fine_tuning/jobs | gpt-4o-2024-08-06  
gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18  
gpt-4.1-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14 | All | | /v1/images/edits | gpt-image-1 | All | |
/v1/images/generations | dall-e-3  
gpt-image-1 | All | | /v1/moderations | text-moderation-007  
omni-moderation-latest | All | | /v1/realtime (beta) | gpt-4o-realtime-preview  
gpt-4o-mini-realtime-preview | US | | /v1/responses | gpt-5-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-mini-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07  
gpt-5-chat-latest-2025-08-07  
gpt-4.1-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-mini-2025-04-14  
gpt-4.1-nano-2025-04-14  
o3-2025-04-16  
o4-mini-2025-04-16  
o1-pro  
o1-pro-2025-03-19  
computer-use-preview\*  
o3-mini-2025-01-31  
o1-2024-12-17  
o1-mini-2024-09-12  
o1-preview  
gpt-4o-2024-11-20  
gpt-4o-2024-08-06  
gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18  
gpt-4-turbo-2024-04-09  
gpt-4-0613  
gpt-3.5-turbo-0125 | All | | /v1/responses File Search | | All | | /v1/responses
Web Search | | All | | /v1/vector_stores | | All | | Code Interpreter tool | |
All | | File Search | | All | | File Uploads | | All, when used with base64 file
uploads | | Remote MCP server tool | | All, but MCP servers are third-party
services, and data sent to an MCP server is subject to their data residency
policies. | | Scale Tier | | All | | Structured Outputs (excluding schema) | |
All | | Supported Input Modalities | | Text Image Audio/Voice |

#### /v1/chat/completions

Cannot set store=true in non-US regions

#### /v1/responses

computer-use-preview snapshots are only supported for US/EU. Cannot set
background=True in EU region.