ChatGPT not responding to prompts

You type a prompt, hit send, and nothing happens. Or worse — the input field just sits there blinking at you, completely unresponsive. Before you assume OpenAI's servers are down, you need to check whether the problem is

ChatGPT not responding to prompts

You type a prompt, hit send, and nothing happens. Or worse — the input field just sits there blinking at you, completely unresponsive. Before you assume OpenAI's servers are down, you need to check whether the problem is actually on your end.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with our live OpenAI status monitor at the top of this page. It updates every 60 seconds directly from OpenAI's official status feed and shows you whether ChatGPT, the API, Sora, and other services are operational right now. If everything shows green and you're still getting no response, the issue is almost certainly local.

Head to status.openai.com for OpenAI's official component-level breakdown. Look specifically at "ChatGPT" — if it shows "Operational," the servers are handling requests. Sometimes you'll see "Degraded Performance" or "Partial Outage" with timestamps showing when issues started. During genuine outages, thousands of users report simultaneously on Twitter/X and Downdetector within minutes.

Check the specific component causing trouble. If image generation works but text prompts fail, the issue might be isolated to GPT-4 processing. If you can access chat history but can't send new messages, that's a different failure mode entirely.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Follow these steps in order — one of them usually reveals the culprit:

  • Open an incognito or private browsing window and go to chatgpt.com. Log in fresh. If prompts work here, something in your regular browser is blocking requests.
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → select "Cookies" and "Cached images and files" → choose "All time" → tick only chatgpt.com if the option exists. In Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Manage Data → search for "chatgpt.com" → Remove Selected.
  • Disable all browser extensions. Extensions like ad blockers, privacy tools, and script managers routinely interfere with ChatGPT's WebSocket connections. Turn them all off, reload chatgpt.com, and test again.
  • Check your VPN or corporate network. Some VPNs throttle or block WebSocket traffic. Disconnect temporarily and test. Corporate firewalls sometimes block chatgpt.com entirely — if you're on a work network, try your phone's mobile data.
  • Try the mobile app versus the browser. Download the official ChatGPT app (iOS or Android) and test the same prompt. If it works on mobile but not desktop, you've isolated a browser or network issue.
  • Test on a different device entirely. Use your phone, a tablet, or a different computer on a different network. This eliminates device-specific corruption.

If none of these steps work and our live OpenAI status shows everything operational, check ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for deeper diagnostic steps including DNS issues and rate limiting.

What to do during an outage

When OpenAI confirms an outage (status.openai.com shows red or yellow), here's how to handle it:

  • Stop refreshing the page. You're adding load to already-strained servers. Wait 5-10 minutes between attempts.
  • For API users: implement exponential backoff immediately. Start with a 1-second retry delay, then 2, 4, 8, up to 64 seconds. Set a retry budget — maybe 5 attempts maximum. Don't hammer the endpoint. Check OpenAI API error 429 and other API errors for proper retry logic.
  • Don't delete your account or cancel your subscription. This won't fix anything and you'll lose your chat history. Outages don't qualify for prorated refunds unless downtime exceeds OpenAI's SLA thresholds (which apply mainly to API usage).
  • Don't contact support during widespread outages. They already know. Save how to contact OpenAI support for account-specific issues, not service-wide incidents.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check our live OpenAI status monitor at the top of this page — it updates every 60 seconds. If all components show green, ChatGPT is operational and your issue is local.

Q: Why does my prompt just spin forever?

A: Usually means your request is queued behind high traffic or a timeout occurred server-side. Wait 30 seconds, refresh the page once, and try a simpler prompt to test.

Q: Can I get my Plus subscription refunded for downtime?

A: OpenAI doesn't offer refunds for individual outages. They have SLA credits for API enterprise customers, but ChatGPT Plus doesn't come with uptime guarantees.

What to remember

  • Check the live status monitor first — saves you 15 minutes of troubleshooting
  • Test in incognito mode before assuming it's OpenAI's fault
  • Clear cache and cookies for chatgpt.com specifically, not your entire browser
  • VPNs and browser extensions cause 60% of "ChatGPT won't respond" reports
  • During confirmed outages, wait — don't refresh repeatedly or spam support

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

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