ChatGPT not responding to prompts

ChatGPT accepting your input but delivering nothing back is maddening. If the cursor just blinks at you or the model starts typing then stops mid-sentence, you're likely hitting rate limits, token caps or a degraded Open

ChatGPT not responding to prompts

ChatGPT accepting your input but delivering nothing back is maddening. If the cursor just blinks at you or the model starts typing then stops mid-sentence, you're likely hitting rate limits, token caps or a degraded OpenAI service — and you can confirm which one in under a minute.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with our live OpenAI status monitor. It pulls data from OpenAI's official status feed every 60 seconds and shows component-level health for ChatGPT, API, DALL·E and Sora. If ChatGPT shows "Degraded Performance" or "Partial Outage", everyone's seeing the same non-response behaviour you are.

Next, visit status.openai.com directly. OpenAI posts incident reports there when ChatGPT stops responding, times out or returns blank outputs. Look for active incidents labeled "ChatGPT" — these explain whether the issue is timeouts, model failures or infrastructure load. If nothing's listed, the problem might be local.

Check third-party monitoring sites like Downdetector or search Twitter for "ChatGPT down" posted in the last 15 minutes. Mass reports from users in your region or timezone confirm a genuine outage. If you see dozens of complaints about prompts hanging, it's OpenAI, not you.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Before assuming an outage, isolate your setup. Open chatgpt.com in an incognito or private window. If ChatGPT suddenly responds, cached data or a broken cookie is the culprit. Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com — in Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data, select "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files", set the time range to "All time", then restart your browser.

Disable all browser extensions. Ad blockers, privacy tools and script managers can block ChatGPT's streaming response mechanism. Turn off every extension, reload chatgpt.com and try your prompt again. If it works, re-enable extensions one by one to find the offender.

Switch networks. If you're on a VPN, disconnect and try again. Some VPN exit nodes are blocked by OpenAI's anti-abuse filters. If you're on corporate or school Wi-Fi, those networks sometimes throttle or block streaming AI responses. Test on mobile data or a home network to confirm.

Try the ChatGPT mobile app instead of the browser. If the app responds but the browser doesn't, your desktop browser has a configuration problem. If neither works, it's either your account or OpenAI's infrastructure. Log out and back in on both platforms. For persistent account-level issues, check ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for rate limit and subscription diagnostics.

What to do during an outage

If OpenAI confirms degraded ChatGPT service, wait it out. Repeatedly submitting the same prompt during an outage won't help — it adds load and may trigger anti-abuse throttling on your account. Close the chat window and check our live OpenAI status every few minutes until the incident clears.

For API users hitting non-responsive endpoints, implement exponential backoff. Start with a 1-second retry delay, then double it with each failure — 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s. Cap retries at five attempts. Queue prompts client-side instead of hammering the API. If you're seeing 429 errors alongside non-responses, you've exceeded your rate limit. Read OpenAI API error 429 and other API errors for quota and tier fixes.

Don't delete your account or cancel your subscription during an outage. This won't restore service and creates billing complications. Don't open multiple support tickets for the same issue. If you need to escalate after normal troubleshooting, follow the single-ticket process at How to contact OpenAI support.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check our live OpenAI status monitor. It updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and will show "Operational", "Degraded Performance" or "Partial Outage" for ChatGPT specifically.

Q: Why does ChatGPT start responding then stop?

A: Mid-response cutoffs usually mean the model hit a token limit, encountered a content filter trigger or the backend service timed out. If it's happening on every prompt, check status.openai.com for an active incident.

Q: Can I get a refund if ChatGPT doesn't work?

A: OpenAI doesn't publish automatic refund policies for temporary outages. For extended service disruptions affecting paid subscriptions, contact support through help.openai.com with your account email and outage timestamps.

What to remember

  • Our live status monitor updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed — check it first
  • Test in incognito mode and on a different network before assuming an outage
  • Clear cache and cookies for chatgpt.com specifically if responses suddenly stop working
  • During confirmed outages, wait instead of spamming prompts — you'll avoid account throttling
  • API users should implement exponential backoff and queue prompts instead of retrying immediately

---

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

Related help