Otto memory — gets to know you

Memory helps Otto carry useful context between conversations: how you like replies written, recurring relationships, and facts you would otherwise repeat. It is included on Plus and Pro; an active Team plan also includes organization memory.

Getting started

Personal memory is on by default for eligible new users. An existing choice to turn it off is preserved. The single AI agreement covers memory alongside Otto’s other AI features. Visit Settings → Memory. Memories shows saved knowledge with status filters and chronological sorting. Controls manages learning, sources and memory use; changes save immediately. Activity explains background learning and automatic changes. New source categories are not silently added to an existing selection.

Learning and using memory

Learn from activity controls new learning. Use saved memory controls whether saved knowledge helps Otto's responses. These are separate controls: you can pause learning while using what is already saved. Processing happens in the background; the panel shows waiting work or a paused queue. An observation is not a guarantee that a durable memory will be created.

On Pro, say “Remember that I prefer concise replies” for an immediate save, or add a fact in Settings. Ask “What do you remember about me?” to inspect it. Explicit saves made while memory use is off remain inactive; Otto should tell you that. Pro also supports editing facts and tuning your writing voice. Plus includes viewing, deleting and relearning writing preferences. Manual additions and edits require Pro. Chat shows a receipt for a save, an inactive save, or a suggestion awaiting team approval. If a change is unconfirmed, check your memories before retrying.

Sources, corrections, and privacy

Open a memory's Why Otto remembers this to see retained evidence. Legacy imports without reliable sources are labeled and cannot justify automatic actions. Correct an inaccurate memory on Pro, or delete it. Use Controls → Export memories to download your profile. Clear memory removes saved knowledge from the general profile and all its mailboxes, and pauses learning and automatic changes; it does not delete original mail, chats, or notes.

Memory stores concise knowledge rather than a second archive of your mailbox. Temporary processing excerpts are removed after processing and expire within seven days. Default capacities are 50 personal memories on Plus, 200 on Pro, and 200 shared memories per organization. Runtime plan adjustments can change the effective limit shown in the panel. Item text is limited to 512 characters. The panel reports when processing cannot continue. You can still manage saved knowledge when background processing is paused.

Personal and team memory

Personal memory belongs to you. Organization memory belongs to the team and is managed in Organization → Memory. Active members can view shared knowledge and suggest changes; admins and owners approve changes and control learning. A private chat does not become team knowledge merely because you opened a shared mailbox. Sharing requires an explicit selected statement or proposal.

Scope and exceptions

Use the scope selector to choose personal or organization knowledge and, when relevant, a particular mailbox. General knowledge applies within its owning space; equally authoritative mailbox-specific preferences take precedence there. Explicit settings and current instructions outrank inferred preferences. If one mailbox belongs to several organizations, choose the active organization rather than letting Otto guess.

Review and troubleshoot

Open Why Otto remembers this for evidence and correction controls. Shared-memory suggestions go to administrators for approval; ordinary members cannot directly rewrite team policy. A From memory explanation shows which saved context affected a supported draft or default. Notes can contribute when their source category is enabled and their scope is authorized.

A waiting queue means learning has not completed. An exhausted processing budget delays inference, while explicit saves and corrections remain available within their existing entitlement. If a save is unconfirmed, inspect the collection before retrying. When memory is unavailable, the main inbox task continues without it; Otto must not claim a failed save succeeded.

Automatic changes

Using memory in an answer is separate from automatically changing app behavior. Automatic adaptation requires its own activation and a supported, reversible preference. Inferred behavior needs at least ten independent examples across three days, 90% agreement and no unresolved correction; team inference additionally needs two contributors or administrator approval. Review applied changes in Activity and use Undo there when available. Undo preserves later user edits and suppresses further application until re-enabled. Changes apply prospectively; historical bulk changes retain confirmation. Sending, deletion, forwarding, permissions, and actual calendar commitments keep their explicit action flows.