On August 7, 2025, OpenAI officially launched ChatGPT-5, but the update quickly sparked controversy among paying users. Many argued that GPT-5 feels more “rigid”, lacking the warmth and conversational style that GPT-4o was loved for. Because of this, a lot of users started looking for ways to switch back.
Why Users Want to Go Back to GPT-4o
Just days after GPT-5 rolled out, countless ChatGPT Plus subscribers expressed that they still preferred the creativity, flexibility, and friendly tone of GPT-4o. Listening to this feedback, OpenAI introduced an option for Plus and Team users to restore GPT-4o on both the ChatGPT web app and the Desktop app.
Free plan users, however, don’t get this option, they can only use GPT-5 by default.
How to Switch Back to GPT-4o, GPT-4.1 on Desktop
If you want to bring back GPT-4o, here’s the step-by-step guide using the ChatGPT web version:
- Go to chatgpt.com and log into your account.
- Click your profile picture at the bottom-left corner → select Settings.
- Under General, enable the option “Show Legacy Models.”
Once you turn this on, GPT-4o and other legacy models will appear under the Legacy Models section in the model selector. After a few minutes, the setting will sync with the ChatGPT app, and you’ll see GPT-4o available again when you restart the app.
Note: GPT-4o is only available for paying subscribers (starting from the Plus plan at $20/month). OpenAI hasn’t announced when support will end. They only mentioned that they will “monitor usage” before deciding whether to keep or remove GPT-4o.
Why This Matters
By giving Mac users the ability to restore GPT-4o, OpenAI is showing that it listens to community feedback and is willing to stay flexible. However, since there’s no official timeline on how long GPT-4o will be supported, I recommend enabling and using it now — before OpenAI makes any future changes.
How to Use Legacy Models Like GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, and GPT-3.5-Turbo for Free
If you don’t have a Plus subscription but still want to try older models online for free, here’s a simple workaround:
- Go to MiniToolAI.com
- Select the ChatGPT (GPT-5)
- From the model dropdown, choose your preferred version: GPT-3.5-turbo, GPT-4o, GPT-4.1, or GPT-5 — all free to use directly in your browser.
Conclusion
GPT-5 is powerful, but many of us still love the friendly, creative, and conversational style of GPT-4o. Thankfully, OpenAI now allows Plus and Team users to restore GPT-4o in ChatGPT on desktop and web. If you’re a fan of GPT-4o, turn it on as soon as possible while it’s still available.
And if you don’t have a paid plan? You can still experience GPT-4o and other legacy models for free through third-party tools like MiniToolAI.
