How to Block ChatGPT User Access Using robots txt: 1 Minute to Set Up Your robots.txt for ChatGPT Blocking

It’s a common misconception that you can block ChatGPT or similar AI crawlers simply by editing your robots.txt file. While robots.txt can help you control access for search engine bots—such as Googlebot or Bingbot—ChatGPT itself doesn’t crawl the web for real-time information. Instead, it relies on data collected by its parent company (like OpenAI), which may use separate crawling infrastructure. Some organizations, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, offer their own bot user agents (e.g., GPTBot, Anthropic-ai) that you can disallow using robots.txt. Here’s how you can add rules to block these specific agents:

This will instruct compliant bots not to crawl your website. However, it’s important to acknowledge that not all bots respect robots.txt, and manual data submissions or scraping may still occur via third parties. For those dealing with sensitive design content or client work, I always recommend multiple layers of protection—for example, combining robots.txt directives with other methods like CAPTCHAs, authentication, or legal notices.

From a designer’s perspective, any website is an interconnected digital environment. When optimizing interior design portfolio sites or sharing 3D layouts, I ensure privacy by configuring not only robots.txt, but also exploring advanced techniques that go beyond surface-level blockades. For example, when using modern tools like a 3D Floor Planner, setting the correct privacy preferences within the platform can be equally essential to prevent unauthorized reuse or crawling of visuals.

Tips 1:

Regularly review the user-agent strings of evolving bots. As AI tools and search agents develop new identifiers, update your robots.txt accordingly to maintain effective control.

FAQ

Q: Can blocking user-agents in robots.txt prevent all AI models from using my content?

A: No. Only bots that recognize and respect robots.txt will refrain from crawling. Manual submissions or non-compliant bots may still access your content.

Q: What user-agent should I use for blocking ChatGPT in robots.txt?

A: As of now, use GPTBot to block OpenAI’s web crawler. Other AI services may have different user-agents—update your file as needed.

Q: Will blocking GPTBot in robots.txt affect my site’s SEO?

A: No. GPTBot and other AI bots are separate from major search engine crawlers like Googlebot or Bingbot. Your search ranking won’t be affected.

Q: Can designers secure their 3D models or images from AI datasets?

A: Besides robots.txt, leverage privacy settings in your design tools and platforms, watermark images, or use scripts to prevent automated downloads.

Q: Where should robots.txt be placed on my website?

A: Place the file in your web root directory (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/robots.txt) so bots can easily find and process it.