ChatGPT not working today?

You load ChatGPT, see a spinner that never stops, or get an error message you've never seen before. Before you panic or waste an hour reinstalling apps, spend 30 seconds checking whether OpenAI's servers are actually dow

ChatGPT not working today?

You load ChatGPT, see a spinner that never stops, or get an error message you've never seen before. Before you panic or waste an hour reinstalling apps, spend 30 seconds checking whether OpenAI's servers are actually down or if the problem is on your end.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with the live OpenAI status monitor on this site. It pulls data directly from OpenAI's official status feed every 60 seconds and shows you exactly which components are operational, degraded, or offline. You'll see separate status indicators for ChatGPT web, ChatGPT mobile, API services, Sora, and Labs features. If ChatGPT shows red or yellow, the problem isn't you.

Next, visit status.openai.com directly. OpenAI posts incident reports there within minutes of detecting issues. Look at the component status grid at the top—if "ChatGPT" shows anything other than green "Operational," you've confirmed an outage. Read the incident timeline below the grid for details about what's broken and when OpenAI expects to fix it.

Check third-party outage trackers like Downdetector or search Twitter for "ChatGPT down" with results filtered to the last hour. If hundreds of people are reporting the same issue at the same time, it's almost certainly an OpenAI infrastructure problem, not a coincidence affecting just your device.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

If the live OpenAI status shows everything green but ChatGPT still won't work for you, the problem is local. Follow these steps in order:

  • Open an incognito or private browsing window and try chatgpt.com. If it works there, your regular browser has corrupted cache or a problematic extension.
  • Clear your browser cache and cookies specifically for chatgpt.com. In Chrome: Settings > Privacy and security > Clear browsing data > choose "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files," then set the time range to "All time." In Safari: Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data, search for "chatgpt," and remove it.
  • Disable all browser extensions and reload ChatGPT. Ad blockers, privacy tools, and VPN extensions frequently break the interface. Re-enable them one by one to identify the culprit.
  • Switch networks. If you're on a corporate VPN or restrictive WiFi (school, library, coffee shop), try mobile data or a different network. Some employers and institutions block OpenAI domains entirely.
  • Try a different device or app. Test ChatGPT in the mobile app if you've been using a browser, or vice versa. If it works on mobile but not desktop, you've isolated a device-specific configuration problem.

For detailed troubleshooting beyond these steps, see ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting.

What to do during an outage

If you've confirmed OpenAI's servers are down, here's how to handle it without making things worse:

  • Wait it out. Most ChatGPT outages resolve within 15-60 minutes. Refreshing the page 40 times won't help—it just adds load to systems OpenAI is trying to bring back online.
  • If you're using the API, implement exponential backoff in your code. Start with a 1-second delay after a failed request, double it with each subsequent failure (2s, 4s, 8s), and cap at 60 seconds. Don't hammer the API with immediate retries. See OpenAI API error 429 and other API errors for implementation details.
  • Don't delete your account, unsubscribe from Plus, or file chargebacks. Outages happen. They're frustrating but temporary. Canceling your subscription during downtime won't get you special treatment, and chargebacks can trigger account termination.
  • Don't spam support tickets. OpenAI's support team can't resolve infrastructure outages faster by reading your email. During major incidents, they're already aware and working on it. Save support requests for account-specific issues. For guidance on when contacting support actually helps, see How to contact OpenAI support.
  • Queue your work. If you depend on ChatGPT or the API for production workflows, have a backlog system. Write down prompts, draft content locally, or queue API calls to retry automatically when service resumes.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live OpenAI status monitor on this site or visit status.openai.com. Both show real-time component status. If ChatGPT is green and operational but you still can't access it, follow the browser troubleshooting steps above.

Q: Why does ChatGPT keep going down?

A: OpenAI runs one of the highest-traffic AI services on the internet. Traffic spikes from viral features, new model releases, or coordinated usage patterns can overwhelm even well-provisioned infrastructure. Most outages resolve quickly.

Q: Will OpenAI refund me for downtime?

A: ChatGPT Plus subscriptions include no uptime guarantee. OpenAI has never issued pro-rated refunds for outages. API users on paid tiers should check their service agreement on platform.openai.com for any SLA terms.

What to remember

  • The live OpenAI status updates every 60 seconds—check it first before troubleshooting
  • Clear chatgpt.com cache and cookies, then test in incognito mode to rule out browser issues
  • Never spam API endpoints during an outage—implement exponential backoff
  • Most outages resolve within an hour—don't cancel subscriptions or file chargebacks in panic
  • If status shows green but you still can't connect, the problem is local: try a different network or device

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

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