ChatGPT not working today?

When ChatGPT won't load or stops mid-conversation, you need to know within 30 seconds whether it's a widespread outage or something on your end. Check the [live OpenAI status](/status) on this site first — it updates eve

ChatGPT not working today?

When ChatGPT won't load or stops mid-conversation, you need to know within 30 seconds whether it's a widespread outage or something on your end. Check the live OpenAI status on this site first — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and shows you exactly which services are affected.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

The fastest way to confirm an outage is our live OpenAI status monitor at the top of this page. It pulls data directly from status.openai.com every minute and breaks down performance by component: ChatGPT web interface, API, Sora, DALL-E, and others. If you see "Operational" across the board but ChatGPT still won't work for you, the problem is almost certainly local.

OpenAI's official status page at status.openai.com gives you more detail — incident history, planned maintenance windows, and real-time updates during major outages. Click into individual components to see whether the issue is "Partial Outage" (some users affected) or "Major Outage" (widespread). During partial outages, refreshing or switching from app to browser sometimes gets you through.

Third-party monitoring sites like Downdetector show real-time user reports, but treat these as supplementary. A spike in reports doesn't always mean OpenAI is down — it might mean a network provider upstream had issues, or a browser update broke compatibility for thousands of users at once.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Before assuming it's an outage, isolate your setup. These steps take three minutes and solve most "ChatGPT not working" issues when OpenAI's status shows green.

  • Open ChatGPT in an incognito or private window. In Chrome press Ctrl+Shift+N (Cmd+Shift+N on Mac). Navigate to chatgpt.com and try logging in. If it works here, corrupted cookies or cache are blocking you in regular browsing.
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and Security → Clear Browsing Data → select "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" → set time range to "All time" → tick only chatgpt.com if prompted → Clear Data. Sign in again from scratch.
  • Disable all browser extensions. Extensions that block trackers, modify JavaScript, or manage cookies often interfere. Test in incognito with extensions disabled, then re-enable one by one to find the culprit.
  • Check your VPN or corporate network. Some VPNs route traffic through IP addresses flagged by OpenAI's anti-abuse systems. Disconnect your VPN and try again. If you're on a work or school network, firewall rules might block chatgpt.com entirely — test from your phone on cellular data.
  • Try the ChatGPT mobile app if you're on web, or vice versa. The iOS and Android apps use different infrastructure paths. If the app works but the website doesn't, your browser or network is the problem. If neither works and status shows "Operational", check ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for deeper diagnostics.
  • Test on another device or another account. Borrow a phone or laptop, or use a friend's account. If ChatGPT works there, your account might have a billing hold, suspension notice, or regional restriction you haven't seen yet.

What to do during an outage

When OpenAI confirms degraded performance or an outage, here's how to minimise wasted time and avoid making it worse.

  • Wait 15 minutes before retrying. Hammering the refresh button during an outage increases server load and delays recovery. Set a timer, check status.openai.com for updates, and come back.
  • For API users, implement exponential backoff. Your code should catch HTTP 503 or 529 errors and retry after 1 second, then 2, 4, 8, up to 60 seconds. Use a retry budget — if you've failed five times, queue the request and move on. Constant retries get your API key rate-limited even after the outage ends.
  • Don't delete your account, cancel your subscription, or open duplicate support tickets. None of these actions restore service faster. Cancelling ChatGPT Plus during an outage doesn't entitle you to a pro-rated refund, and re-subscribing later resets your billing cycle.
  • Check the live OpenAI status monitor every few minutes. During major outages, OpenAI posts incident updates directly to status.openai.com. Refresh there instead of spamming chatgpt.com.
  • For urgent work, consider API fallback options. If you're building on the API and ChatGPT web is down but the API shows "Operational", switch temporarily. The reverse rarely works — API outages don't usually affect the web interface.

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 it shows "Operational" and you still can't connect, follow the troubleshooting steps above.

Q: How long do ChatGPT outages usually last?

A: Most outages resolve in under 30 minutes. Major incidents involving database failures or infrastructure migrations can last 2-4 hours. Check status.openai.com for incident-specific estimates.

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

A: OpenAI's terms don't guarantee uptime SLAs or automatic refunds for ChatGPT Plus. If you experience extended unusable service, contact support through chatgpt.com — see How to contact OpenAI support — but refunds aren't standard practice.

Q: Why does ChatGPT work for some people but not me during a "partial outage"?

A: OpenAI's infrastructure is distributed across regions and server clusters. Partial outages affect specific data centres, user cohorts, or accounts on certain legacy systems. Your account might route through an affected cluster while others don't.

What to remember

  • Use the live OpenAI status monitor on this site for instant updates every 60 seconds
  • Test in incognito mode and disable VPNs before assuming it's an outage
  • Never spam refresh during confirmed outages — you're slowing recovery for everyone
  • API users must implement exponential backoff and retry budgets in production code
  • Most "ChatGPT not working" issues are local — see ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting for full diagnostics

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

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