Artificial intelligence · Article
ChatGPT Now Lets Shoppers Virtually Try On Clothes Before Buying
OpenAI announced a global rollout of new shopping tools for ChatGPT on October 1, 2026, headlined by a virtual try-on feature that shows users wearing clothing and accessories they are browsing, according to TechCrunch and Engadget. A companion Favorites feature was launched at the same time, letting users save products to a library inside the app for later reference.
How the try-on feature works
When a clothing or accessory item appears in ChatGPT's shopping results, a "Try on" button is shown next to it, according to Search Engine Roundtable, which cited OpenAI's own description of the feature. Users tap the button and then take or upload a selfie, or a full-body photo, which ChatGPT uses to generate an image of them wearing the item, Engadget and TechCrunch reported. Reference photos can be managed later in the app's Settings, under Personalization, Search Engine Roundtable noted.
The feature is not limited to products ChatGPT surfaces on its own. According to Engadget, users can upload a screenshot of any clothing item, including one found elsewhere on the web, and ask ChatGPT to simulate how it would look on them using their saved photo.
The technology behind the images
OpenAI said the try-on images are generated with its ChatGPT Images 2.5 model, released in September 2026, according to Engadget and TechCrunch. The company said the model improves lighting and texture quality, keeps the appearance of people in reference photos more consistent across edits, and follows multi-step editing instructions more reliably, describing the results as having "more natural lighting and richer textures," according to a statement quoted by Engadget.
Rollout, favorites and style discovery
South Korean outlet DigitalToday, reporting on October 2, 2026, described the launch as a sequential worldwide rollout rather than a single simultaneous release in every market, though it did not specify a country-by-country schedule. Beyond the try-on button, users can describe a desired style in words or upload a photo of a celebrity outfit, and ChatGPT will suggest similar items that are available to buy, DigitalToday and TechCrunch both reported. Liked products, along with their generated try-on images, can be saved to the user's Library and organized for future browsing.
Limitations and privacy considerations
OpenAI has cautioned that the generated images do not guarantee an accurate fit or correct sizing, according to TechCrunch. Engadget also reported a broader privacy note that applies to ChatGPT generally: by default, images uploaded from a personal account can be used for AI model training unless the user actively opts out.
Entering a market Google already serves
Both TechCrunch and Search Engine Roundtable pointed out that Google has previously rolled out its own virtual try-on tools, meaning OpenAI is entering a feature category that already has an established competitor rather than introducing the concept to the market for the first time. DigitalToday framed the update as part of OpenAI's broader push to position ChatGPT as a shopping discovery tool alongside platforms such as Pinterest and Google.
Questions
- How do I use ChatGPT's virtual try-on feature?
- Tap the "Try on" button that appears next to a clothing or accessory item in ChatGPT's shopping results, then take or upload a selfie or full-body photo for ChatGPT to generate the preview image, according to Search Engine Roundtable and Engadget.
- Can I try on clothes from outside ChatGPT's shopping results?
- Yes. Engadget reported that users can upload a screenshot of virtually any clothing item and ask ChatGPT to simulate it on their saved photo, not just items ChatGPT itself surfaces.
- What AI model powers the try-on images?
- OpenAI's ChatGPT Images 2.5 model, released in September 2026, generates the try-on photos, according to TechCrunch and Engadget.
- Will my uploaded photos be used to train OpenAI's AI models?
- By default, images uploaded from a personal ChatGPT account can be used for training unless the user opts out, Engadget reported.
- Is ChatGPT the first to offer virtual try-on shopping?
- No. TechCrunch and Search Engine Roundtable both noted that Google had already launched similar virtual try-on functionality before OpenAI introduced its version.
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