ChatGPT not loading — is it down or is it you

When ChatGPT refuses to load, you need to know within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are melting down or your browser is throwing a tantrum. Open an incognito window and visit chatgpt.com — if it loads there but not

ChatGPT not loading — is it down or is it you

When ChatGPT refuses to load, you need to know within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are melting down or your browser is throwing a tantrum. Open an incognito window and visit chatgpt.com — if it loads there but not in your regular browser, the problem is local. If it fails in incognito too, check the live OpenAI status on this site, which updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with the live OpenAI status monitor on this page. It pulls real-time data from OpenAI's infrastructure and shows you exactly which components are operational — ChatGPT web, API, Sora, the authentication layer. If ChatGPT shows "Operational" in green but you're staring at a blank screen, the issue is almost certainly on your end.

Next, visit status.openai.com directly. Look for the component labeled "ChatGPT" under the status grid. OpenAI breaks down outages by service: you might see API access working fine while the web interface is degraded. Check the incident history at the bottom — if there's an active incident posted in the last hour, millions of users are seeing the same thing you are.

Third-party monitoring sites like Downdetector show user-reported outages in real time. A sudden spike of several thousand reports in the past 10 minutes confirms a widespread problem. If there are only scattered reports, it's probably not a systemic outage.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Work through these isolation steps in order:

  • Open an incognito/private window (Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome, Cmd+Shift+N on Mac). Try chatgpt.com there. If it loads, extensions or corrupted cache data are interfering.
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Site Settings → View permissions and data stored across sites → search for "chatgpt.com" → Clear data. In Firefox: Preferences → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data → search and remove chatgpt.com entries.
  • Disable ALL browser extensions temporarily. Go to chrome://extensions/ (or your browser's equivalent) and toggle every extension off. Restart the browser and try again. Ad blockers, privacy extensions and VPN browser plugins frequently break ChatGPT's authentication flow.
  • Test a different browser entirely. If you normally use Chrome, download Firefox or Edge and try loading ChatGPT there with no extensions installed. This eliminates browser-specific corruption.
  • Check your network. Disconnect from any VPN or proxy. Some corporate networks and aggressive firewall rules block chatgpt.com. Try mobile data — tether your laptop to your phone's hotspot and see if ChatGPT loads over cellular.
  • Compare devices. If ChatGPT won't load on desktop, try the mobile app (iOS or Android). If it works on mobile but not desktop, the problem is tied to that specific machine or network configuration.

For comprehensive troubleshooting beyond loading issues, see ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting.

What to do during an outage

If you've confirmed OpenAI is down via the status monitors, here's what actually helps:

  • Wait 15-30 minutes before retrying. Most ChatGPT outages resolve quickly. OpenAI's incident response team is already working on it.
  • For API users: implement exponential backoff in your code. Start with a 1-second delay, then 2, 4, 8 seconds between retry attempts. Don't hammer the API with immediate retries — that makes recovery slower for everyone.
  • Queue your work if possible. Write your prompts in a text file. When service resumes, you'll paste them in without trying to remember what you needed.
  • Don't delete your account or cancel your subscription during an outage. This doesn't trigger faster support — it just creates administrative headaches when service returns.
  • Don't spam OpenAI support. During major outages, support is flooded with thousands of identical tickets. Check how to contact OpenAI support for appropriate channels, but understand that incident response takes priority over individual inquiries.

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. If ChatGPT shows green and operational but you can't access it, follow the isolation steps above.

Q: How long do ChatGPT outages usually last?

A: Most ChatGPT outages resolve in 15-45 minutes. Major incidents might take 2-3 hours. Check status.openai.com for real-time updates and estimated restoration times.

Q: Will OpenAI refund my ChatGPT Plus subscription for downtime?

A: OpenAI doesn't offer automatic refunds for brief outages. Extended degraded service might qualify for prorated credits — contact them through help.openai.com with specific dates and durations.

Q: Why does ChatGPT load but immediately show errors?

A: That's typically authentication failure, not a loading problem. Clear cookies for chatgpt.com, log out completely, restart your browser, then log back in.

What to remember

  • Check the live status monitor first — don't guess
  • Test in incognito mode to rule out local browser issues immediately
  • Clear cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com, not your entire browser
  • VPNs and corporate networks frequently interfere with ChatGPT access
  • During confirmed outages, queueing your work beats repeatedly refreshing

---

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

Related help