ChatGPT down right now?

ChatGPT throws an error, won't load, or says "We're experiencing exceptionally high demand"? You can tell within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down by checking their official status page or using a liv

ChatGPT down right now?

ChatGPT throws an error, won't load, or says "We're experiencing exceptionally high demand"? You can tell within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down by checking their official status page or using a live monitor. If ChatGPT works for others but not you, the problem's on your end.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with the live OpenAI status monitor on this site. It updates every 60 seconds directly from OpenAI's official status feed and shows you the current state of ChatGPT, the API, Sora, and other services. Green means operational. Yellow means degraded performance. Red means down.

You can also check status.openai.com directly. OpenAI breaks down components separately — ChatGPT for web, ChatGPT mobile apps, OpenAI API, and individual services like Sora. A partial outage might affect only API users while ChatGPT users see nothing wrong, or vice versa. Look at the specific component you're trying to use.

Third-party outage trackers like Downdetector or social media reports can confirm widespread problems, but they lag behind official channels. If the live OpenAI status shows green and you're still having trouble, the issue is almost certainly on your end.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Run through these checks in order:

  • Open an incognito or private browsing window and go to chatgpt.com. If ChatGPT works there, cached data or extensions are blocking you in your regular browser.
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → Time range: All time → Check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" → Clear data. In Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data → search for "chatgpt.com" → Remove Selected → Save Changes.
  • Disable all browser extensions temporarily. Ad blockers, privacy tools, and VPN extensions frequently break ChatGPT. Test with extensions off. If it works, re-enable them one by one to find the culprit.
  • Try a different network. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or vice versa. Corporate networks and some ISPs block OpenAI domains. If ChatGPT works on mobile data but not your office Wi-Fi, your network administrator has restricted access.
  • Test the mobile app versus the browser. Download the official ChatGPT app (iOS or Android) if you haven't. If the app works but chatgpt.com doesn't, you've isolated a browser-specific problem.
  • Check on a different device entirely. If ChatGPT works on your phone but not your laptop, the laptop has a configuration issue — not OpenAI.

If all these steps fail and the official status still shows green, see ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for deeper diagnostics.

What to do during an outage

If OpenAI confirms an outage, here's what works:

  • Wait it out. Most outages resolve within 15-45 minutes. Refreshing every 30 seconds won't help. OpenAI's engineering team knows about major outages within seconds of them starting.
  • For API users: implement exponential backoff. Don't hammer the API with retries. Wait 2 seconds, then 4, then 8, then 16 before trying again. Set a maximum retry budget — say, 5 attempts — then give up and queue the request for later.
  • Queue non-urgent tasks. If you're using the API for batch processing or background jobs, pause your workers and resume when status returns to green.
  • Check for status updates at status.openai.com. OpenAI posts incident updates there, including estimated resolution times when they have them.

What NOT to do: Don't delete and recreate your account. Don't cancel and re-subscribe to ChatGPT Plus thinking it'll help. Don't spam OpenAI support with "is it down?" tickets — they're already working on it. See How to contact OpenAI support for when contacting support actually makes sense.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live OpenAI status on this site — it updates every 60 seconds. If all components show green and you still can't access ChatGPT, follow the troubleshooting steps above to isolate whether it's your browser, network, or device.

Q: Why does ChatGPT say "We're experiencing exceptionally high demand"?

A: That's a capacity error, not a full outage. OpenAI's servers are overloaded. Free users see this more often than Plus subscribers. Waiting 5-10 minutes usually works. During major launches or viral moments, demand spikes and everyone gets rate limited.

Q: Does OpenAI offer refunds for downtime?

A: OpenAI's terms don't guarantee uptime for ChatGPT Plus subscriptions. API users on paid plans have SLA credits for qualifying outages. Individual refund requests go through support, but there's no automatic compensation for a few hours of downtime.

What to remember

  • The live status monitor updates every 60 seconds — check it first before troubleshooting
  • Clear cache and test incognito to rule out browser problems
  • Different OpenAI services can fail independently — ChatGPT web might work while the API doesn't
  • Most outages resolve in under an hour without user intervention
  • API users should implement retry logic with exponential backoff, not aggressive retry loops

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

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