ChatGPT down right now?

You're trying to use ChatGPT and it won't load, throws an error, or just sits there spinning. Check the [live OpenAI status](/status) on this site — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and will show y

ChatGPT down right now?

You're trying to use ChatGPT and it won't load, throws an error, or just sits there spinning. Check the live OpenAI status on this site — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and will show you immediately if there's a confirmed outage.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

The fastest way to verify an outage is checking this site's live OpenAI status monitor at the top of the page. It pulls directly from status.openai.com every 60 seconds and breaks down the health of each component: ChatGPT web interface, API, Sora, and backend services. If you see red or yellow indicators next to "ChatGPT" specifically, you're not alone.

OpenAI's own status page at status.openai.com gives the official word. They list separate components — ChatGPT for the web app, API for developers, and individual models. Sometimes the API works fine while the web interface is down, or vice versa. Check the specific service you're using.

Third-party monitoring sites like DownDetector and IsItDownRightNow aggregate user reports in real time. Spike in reports usually confirms a widespread issue. Twitter/X searches for "ChatGPT down" or "OpenAI down" often surface complaints within minutes of an outage starting. If hundreds of people are posting the same error code you're seeing, it's OpenAI's problem, not yours.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Before assuming it's an outage, isolate your setup. Open an incognito or private browsing window and try chatgpt.com again. This bypasses cached data and extensions. If ChatGPT loads in incognito, your regular browser has corruption.

Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" → Time range: Last 24 hours → Clear data. In Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data → search for "chatgpt.com" → Remove Selected. Then restart your browser and try again.

Disable all browser extensions temporarily. Ad blockers, VPNs, privacy tools and script blockers frequently interfere with ChatGPT's authentication flow and streaming responses. Turn them all off, reload, and see if the problem disappears. If it does, re-enable extensions one by one to find the culprit.

If you're on a VPN or corporate network, try your phone's mobile data instead. Some VPNs or workplace firewalls block OpenAI's domains. If ChatGPT works on mobile data but not your regular connection, the issue is network-level. Switch to the ChatGPT mobile app (iOS or Android) as an alternative — the app sometimes routes around issues that affect the browser version.

Test both the mobile app and desktop browser. If the app works but the browser doesn't, or the reverse, you've narrowed it down to that platform. Check for app updates if you're on mobile. Outdated versions can break when OpenAI pushes backend changes.

What to do during an outage

First, do nothing hasty. Don't delete your account, don't cancel your ChatGPT Plus subscription, don't submit multiple support tickets. Outages typically resolve within 30 minutes to a few hours. You won't lose access to your conversation history or subscription.

For API users experiencing downtime, implement exponential backoff in your code. Start with a 1-second retry delay, then double it each attempt: 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, up to a max of 60 seconds. Set a retry budget — after 5-7 attempts over a few minutes, queue the request for later instead of hammering the API. This prevents you from wasting rate limit quota when services recover.

Monitor the live OpenAI status for updates every 60 seconds. OpenAI posts incident reports on status.openai.com explaining what broke and estimated resolution time. Subscribe to status updates there to get email or Slack notifications when incidents are posted or resolved.

If you're mid-conversation, save what you can. Copy important ChatGPT responses to a text file before they're lost. ChatGPT doesn't auto-save in-progress messages during an outage. Your chat history usually returns when service restores, but better safe than sorry.

For urgent work, consider alternatives temporarily: Claude.ai, Microsoft Copilot, Google Gemini, or Perplexity. They're not identical, but they can handle basic tasks while you wait. If you absolutely need ChatGPT specifically, patience is your only option — no amount of refreshing or re-logging will force it back online faster.

If the outage persists beyond 6 hours or you suspect account-specific issues, check ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for deeper diagnostics. For API-specific errors during degraded performance, review OpenAI API error 429 and other API errors.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live OpenAI status at the top of this page. It updates every 60 seconds and shows green for operational, yellow for degraded, red for down.

Q: Why does ChatGPT say "ChatGPT is at capacity right now"?

A: That's not a full outage — too many concurrent users are logged in. ChatGPT Plus subscribers get priority access. Free users see this message most often during US business hours and evenings. Wait 15-30 minutes or upgrade to Plus.

Q: How long do ChatGPT outages usually last?

A: Most resolve in under 2 hours. Major incidents occasionally stretch to 4-6 hours. OpenAI posts estimated resolution times on status.openai.com during ongoing incidents.

Q: Will I get refunded for ChatGPT Plus downtime?

A: OpenAI doesn't automatically refund for brief outages. Extended service disruptions (multi-day) sometimes qualify for prorated credits — contact OpenAI support if you experience that.

What to remember

  • Check the live OpenAI status first — it updates every 60 seconds and confirms outages instantly
  • Test incognito mode, clear cookies for chatgpt.com, disable extensions to rule out local issues
  • API users: implement exponential backoff and retry budgets, don't spam failed requests
  • Don't cancel subscriptions or delete accounts during temporary outages
  • Save important responses mid-conversation before an outage wipes them
  • For persistent problems beyond confirmed outages, review ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting

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*openai-support.com is an independent resource, not affiliated with OpenAI Inc.*

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