ChatGPT Context Mentions: Reference Past Chats with @@ (2026)

To reference a past ChatGPT conversation inside a new chat, type @@ in the message box, pick the conversation from the "Recently used" list, and AI Toolbox (formerly ChatGPT Toolbox) summarizes that chat and drops its context into your prompt. Native ChatGPT cannot pull a specific past conversation into a new chat on demand. Its Memory references your history automatically and opaquely, and Projects only share context inside one workspace. Context Mentions let you choose exactly which conversation to carry forward.

TL;DR: Context Mentions (@@) is a feature in the ChatGPT module of AI Toolbox. Type @@, select any recent conversation, and it is summarized and inserted as context so ChatGPT continues where that chat left off. The free plan includes 3 Context Mentions per day; Premium ($9.99/mo or $99 lifetime) makes them unlimited. AI Toolbox has 25,000+ active users and a 4.5/5 Chrome Web Store rating.

If you use ChatGPT every day, your useful context is scattered across dozens of old chats: the project brief from last week, the code review from this morning, the style rules you agreed on three conversations ago. Starting a new chat means re-pasting all of it or hoping Memory remembered the right detail. Context Mentions in AI Toolbox (formerly ChatGPT Toolbox) let you pull a specific past conversation into your current prompt on demand, with AI-powered summarization so even a long chat fits without burning your context window. This guide shows exactly how it works, where native ChatGPT stops, and when the feature is worth it.

What native ChatGPT does and doesn't do with past conversations

Native ChatGPT can reuse context from your history, but only on its own terms. Two native features touch this:

• Memory saves facts about you and, with "reference chat history" enabled, can draw on past conversations automatically. You do not choose which chat it pulls from, and you cannot see or edit the exact text it injects, as documented in OpenAI's Memory FAQ.
• Projects give a set of chats a shared workspace with shared files and instructions, described in OpenAI's Projects help article. Context is shared inside the project only; a chat outside the project cannot reach into it, and you still cannot point at one specific past conversation.

So the honest gap is narrow and real: native ChatGPT has no way to select one specific earlier conversation and inject its content into the chat you are writing right now. Memory is automatic and invisible, Projects are scoped to a workspace, and copy-paste means scrolling back through a long thread. That on-demand, you-choose-it step is exactly what Context Mentions adds. AI Toolbox runs on Chromium browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, Arc). It does not run on Firefox.

What are Context Mentions (@@)?

Context Mentions is a ChatGPT-module feature that lets you reference a previous conversation as context by typing @@ in the message box. A "Recently used" picker appears listing your recent chats with their message counts. When you select one, AI Toolbox summarizes that conversation and inserts the summary into your prompt, so ChatGPT answers with the earlier context in mind. It is the on-demand, user-controlled version of what Memory tries to do automatically.

The summarization step matters. A long conversation can run thousands of tokens, so AI Toolbox condenses it into a focused summary before inserting it. That keeps your prompt readable and avoids spending your context window re-pasting an entire thread. You stay in control: you pick the conversation, and you can read the summary before you send.

How to reference a past conversation in ChatGPT (step by step)

Here is how to use Context Mentions in three steps. You need AI Toolbox installed from the Chrome Web Store and pinned; the feature works on chatgpt.com inside any Chromium browser.

1. Type @@ in the message box. A "Recently used" panel opens above the composer, listing your recent conversations with their message counts and timestamps.
2. Pick the conversation you want. AI Toolbox shows "Summarizing conversation" while it condenses that chat into a focused summary.
3. Send your prompt. The summary is inserted as a labelled context block (for example [Summary of "JSON parsing issue"]), and you type your new question underneath. ChatGPT now answers with that earlier context.

Native ChatGPT vs AI Toolbox Context Mentions

The difference is control. Native ChatGPT decides what context to reuse; Context Mentions let you decide.

Tired of re-pasting context into every new ChatGPT chat? AI Toolbox adds Context Mentions, folders, full-text search, and bookmarks to ChatGPT, trusted by 25,000+ users with a 4.5/5 Chrome Web Store rating. Add AI Toolbox to Chrome free and try 3 Context Mentions a day.

Who uses Context Mentions

Any workflow that builds on earlier chats benefits, but a few roles lean on it daily:

• Developers carry a bug write-up or an architecture decision from an earlier thread into a new debugging chat without re-pasting code. Pair it with full-text message search to locate the chat first.
• Researchers reference a literature-summary conversation while drafting in a new chat, keeping sources straight across sessions.
• Consultants and agencies pull a client's brief from last week into this week's deliverable chat, instead of digging through dozens of conversations.
• Writers and marketers reference an agreed tone-of-voice or brand-guidelines chat so a new draft stays on style.

Context Mentions pricing: free vs Premium

Context Mentions are available on the free plan with a limit of 3 per day, and unlimited on Premium. Premium is $9.99 per month or $99 as a one-time Lifetime purchase, and it also unlocks unlimited folders, full-text search, bulk export, and prompt chaining. If you also use Gemini or Claude, the All Access Lifetime ($149) covers all three modules and saves $148 versus buying three separate Lifetimes ($99 each). Every paid plan includes a 14-day money-back guarantee.

The free 3-per-day cap is enough to test the feature on real work. If you reference past chats several times a day, that is the natural upgrade trigger. See the full breakdown on the pricing page.

Limitations: what Context Mentions can't do

Being precise about the edges is fair, and it is how you decide if the feature fits:

• It inserts a summary, not the full verbatim transcript. The summarization keeps prompts compact and token-efficient, but if you need an exact quote from an old chat, open that chat or use search instead.
• The free plan is capped at 3 Context Mentions per day. Heavy daily use needs Premium.
• It is a Chromium browser extension. It works in Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Arc, and does not run on Firefox or in the ChatGPT mobile app.
• It references your own ChatGPT conversations, not external documents. To bring in a file, use ChatGPT's native upload or a Project.

The Gemini module has an equivalent feature; see how to reference past Gemini conversations.

Frequently asked questions

How do I reference a previous conversation in ChatGPT?

Install AI Toolbox, then type @@ in the ChatGPT message box. Pick the conversation you want from the "Recently used" list, and AI Toolbox summarizes it and inserts that context into your prompt so ChatGPT answers with the earlier chat in mind.

Can ChatGPT use context from a past conversation natively?

Only automatically. ChatGPT's Memory can reference your history with "reference chat history" enabled, and Projects share context inside one workspace, but native ChatGPT cannot let you pick one specific past conversation and inject it into a new chat on demand. Context Mentions add that control.

What does the @@ summarization do?

When you select a conversation, AI Toolbox condenses it into a focused summary before inserting it into your prompt. This keeps long chats from filling your context window and lets you read the context before you send.

Is Context Mentions free?

Yes, with a limit of 3 Context Mentions per day on the free plan. Premium ($9.99/mo or $99 lifetime) makes them unlimited and adds unlimited folders, full-text search, and bulk export.

Does it insert the full conversation or a summary?

A summary. Context Mentions insert an AI-generated summary of the chosen chat, not the full verbatim transcript, so the prompt stays compact. For an exact quote, open the original conversation or use full-text search.

Which browsers support Context Mentions?

AI Toolbox runs on Chromium browsers: Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, and Arc. It does not run on Firefox or in the ChatGPT mobile app.

Conclusion

Native ChatGPT reuses your history, but it decides what to reuse and hides the details. Context Mentions (@@) hand that control back to you: choose a specific past conversation, let AI Toolbox summarize it, and continue your work with that context in place. It closes a gap that Memory and Projects leave open, and the free 3-per-day allowance is enough to feel the difference on real tasks.

Reference any past ChatGPT chat with @@. AI Toolbox (formerly ChatGPT Toolbox) adds Context Mentions, folders, full-text search, bulk export, and bookmarks to ChatGPT. Trusted by 25,000+ active users with a 4.5/5 Chrome Web Store rating and a 14-day money-back guarantee on paid plans. Add AI Toolbox to Chrome free or compare plans.

References

• OpenAI Help Center, Memory FAQ
• OpenAI Help Center, Projects in ChatGPT
• AI Toolbox, How to manage ChatGPT Memory

Last updated: June 15, 2026