ChatGPT not loading — is it down or is it you

When chatgpt.com refuses to load, you need to know within seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down or if the problem is sitting between you and your router. Here's how to tell the difference and what to do abou

ChatGPT not loading — is it down or is it you

When chatgpt.com refuses to load, you need to know within seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down or if the problem is sitting between you and your router. Here's how to tell the difference and what to do about it.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with the live OpenAI status monitor on this site — it pulls fresh data from OpenAI's official status feed every 60 seconds and shows you exactly which services are working right now. If the ChatGPT component shows degraded performance or a major outage, you've got your answer immediately.

Next, check status.openai.com directly. OpenAI posts incident reports here when things break, usually within 5-10 minutes of a widespread problem. Look at the component list — you'll see separate statuses for ChatGPT web, ChatGPT API, Sora, and the main API. If ChatGPT shows green but the API shows orange, that tells you something specific.

Search Twitter for "ChatGPT down" and filter by latest posts. If dozens of people complained in the last 5 minutes, it's almost certainly OpenAI. If the most recent complaint is from 3 hours ago, the problem is probably on your end.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

1. Open an incognito or private browsing window. Press Ctrl+Shift+N in Chrome or Cmd+Shift+N in Safari. Try loading chatgpt.com there. If it works, you've got a browser cache or extension problem.

2. Clear your browser cache and cookies for chatgpt.com specifically. In Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data > choose "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files". Set the time range to "All time" and make sure chatgpt.com is included. Click Delete data.

3. Disable all browser extensions. Type chrome://extensions in Chrome or go to Safari > Settings > Extensions. Turn off everything — especially VPN extensions, ad blockers, and privacy tools. Reload chatgpt.com. Re-enable extensions one at a time to find the culprit.

4. Check your network. Disconnect from any VPN or proxy. Try your phone's mobile hotspot instead of your regular wifi. If ChatGPT loads on mobile data but not on wifi, your network administrator might be blocking OpenAI domains — common in schools and corporate networks.

5. Try the mobile app instead of the browser. Download the official ChatGPT app from the iOS App Store or Google Play. If the app works but the website doesn't, you've isolated it to browser-specific settings or network restrictions on port 443.

6. Test on a completely different device. Use your phone, your partner's laptop, your work computer. If ChatGPT loads everywhere except your main machine, the problem is local configuration.

If none of these steps work and the live status monitor shows everything green, check ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for deeper fixes including DNS changes and firewall rules.

What to do during an outage

1. Don't refresh obsessively. Hammering the reload button won't bring the service back faster. It might actually slow down your access when systems recover because you're triggering rate limits.

2. Check if the API is still up. If you have API access, the API endpoints at api.openai.com often stay operational when the ChatGPT web interface goes down. API users should implement exponential backoff — wait 1 second, then 2, then 4, then 8 between retry attempts.

3. Don't delete your account or cancel your subscription. Some people panic and think cancelling ChatGPT Plus will somehow fix loading issues. It won't. You'll just lose your subscription and have to sign up again.

4. Wait at least 30 minutes before contacting support. OpenAI's engineering team already knows about major outages within minutes. Support can't make servers come back faster. Save everyone time and check the status page first.

5. If you need immediate help and ChatGPT is down, try Claude at claude.ai or Microsoft Copilot at copilot.microsoft.com. Both offer similar capabilities during OpenAI outages.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live status monitor on this site — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and shows exactly which services are operational. Green means working, orange means degraded, red means down.

Q: Why does ChatGPT load on my phone but not my computer?

A: Usually browser extensions, aggressive privacy settings, or corporate network restrictions. Follow the incognito test above to isolate whether it's your browser or your network.

Q: Does clearing cache delete my ChatGPT conversation history?

A: No. Your conversations are stored on OpenAI's servers, not in your browser cache. Clearing cookies will log you out, but your chat history remains intact.

Q: How long do ChatGPT outages usually last?

A: Most incidents resolve within 15-45 minutes. Major outages affecting all services occasionally take 2-3 hours. Check status.openai.com for real-time updates during incidents.

What to remember

  • The live status page updates every 60 seconds and shows component-level details
  • Try incognito mode first — it's the fastest way to rule out browser issues
  • Disable all extensions, especially VPNs and ad blockers, before declaring ChatGPT broken
  • Don't cancel your subscription during an outage — you'll just create a new problem
  • If the web interface is down, the API at api.openai.com might still work

Related help

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

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