Did ChatGPT remove the snippet/reference feature from the main desktop app?

Enhancement or Oversight? The Impact of Recent Changes to ChatGPT’s Desktop Application on Professionals

As a dedicated professional user of ChatGPT on the desktop platform, I rely heavily on its features to streamline my workflow. One particularly valuable feature has been the snippet and reference tool integrated into the main desktop application. This feature provided a seamless way to keep critical context visible throughout complex tasks, enabling me to work efficiently within a full-sized conversation window.

Recently, I’ve noticed that this functionality appears to have been either removed or relocated to the Companion Window workflow. This change raises concerns, especially for users like myself who depend on quick access to snippets and references during deep work sessions. While the Companion Window offers a convenient quick-access panel, it is inherently limited in size and scope, making it unsuitable as the primary workspace for professional tasks.

Screen real estate, context retention, and quick referencing are fundamental to efficient professional use of AI tools. Moving essential features such as snippets and references away from the main interface diminishes their immediate accessibility and may hinder productivity. To draw a parallel, it feels akin to taking a vital tool off the main workbench and relegating it to a smaller side drawer—less accessible and less practical during intensive work sessions.

For subscribers like myself, who select ChatGPT because it aligns with my workflow more effectively than competing solutions, these changes are notable. The removal or concealment of key workflow-enhancing features in the main application risks undermining the product’s utility for professional users.

Is there a setting that I might have overlooked? Or has this feature truly been removed or moved to a less accessible part of the interface? The core issue isn’t the Companion Window itself; it’s the absence of the snippet and reference features within the main application that impacts the overall user experience.

As the platform evolves, maintaining and enhancing core productivity features is crucial. For professional users, such tools are not luxuries—they are essentials. Clear communication about feature changes and thoughtful design decisions will ensure that ChatGPT continues to serve its diverse user base effectively.