How to check OpenAI server status

When ChatGPT stops responding mid-conversation or your API calls start timing out, you need to know within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down or if the problem is on your end. Check the [live OpenAI st

How to check OpenAI server status

When ChatGPT stops responding mid-conversation or your API calls start timing out, you need to know within 30 seconds whether OpenAI's servers are actually down or if the problem is on your end. Check the live OpenAI status monitor on this site — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed — and look for any red or yellow indicators next to ChatGPT, API or Sora services.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with this site's live OpenAI status page. It pulls data directly from OpenAI's infrastructure monitoring and shows you component-level status for ChatGPT (web and mobile), OpenAI API, Sora and Labs features. Green means operational, yellow means degraded performance, red means outage. The page refreshes automatically every 60 seconds, so you're seeing near real-time data without hitting refresh.

Next, visit status.openai.com directly — OpenAI's official status dashboard. This shows the same information but with more historical detail. Click on any component to see incident reports, timestamps and resolution updates. If you see "All Systems Operational" but you're still having problems, the issue is likely on your end or affecting a specific subset of users not yet reflected in the aggregate status.

For broader context, check Twitter/X by searching "OpenAI down" or "ChatGPT down" — filter by Latest. During actual outages, you'll see hundreds of reports within minutes. Check DownDetector too, though it only shows user-submitted reports, not actual system status. If you see a spike in the last 15 minutes alongside yellow or red status indicators, it's confirmed widespread.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Before you assume it's an outage, run these checks to isolate local problems:

  • Open an incognito or private browsing window and try chatgpt.com. If it works there but not in your regular browser, you've got a cache or extension problem.
  • Clear site data for chatgpt.com: In Chrome, click the lock icon left of the URL → Site settings → Clear data. In Firefox, click the shield icon → Clear Cookies and Site Data. In Safari, Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data → search for chatgpt.com → Remove.
  • Disable browser extensions one by one. Ad blockers, privacy tools and VPNs frequently break ChatGPT's WebSocket connections. Start with uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger and anything that modifies web traffic.
  • Try a different network. Switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data, or vice versa. If it works on one but not the other, your network is blocking OpenAI's endpoints — common on corporate, school and public Wi-Fi.
  • Test the mobile app versus browser. If the iOS or Android app works but the browser doesn't, you've confirmed a browser-specific issue. If neither works, check the live OpenAI status again.
  • Check a different device. If your laptop fails but your phone succeeds on the same network, you've got device-specific problems — antivirus software, DNS settings or firewall rules.

For API users specifically: test with curl to isolate your code from the equation. Run `curl https://api.openai.com/v1/models -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"`. If this returns model data, your code has a bug. If it times out or returns 503, OpenAI's API is down.

What to do during an outage

If you've confirmed OpenAI is actually down, here's what to do:

  • For API users, implement exponential backoff immediately. Wait 1 second, then 2, then 4, then 8 between retries. Don't hammer the API with constant requests — you'll hit rate limits the moment service resumes. See OpenAI API error 429 and other API errors for implementation details.
  • Queue requests locally instead of dropping them. Store failed API calls in a database or message queue, then replay them once status returns to green.
  • Monitor the live OpenAI status every few minutes. Outages typically resolve within 30-90 minutes for ChatGPT, sometimes longer for API infrastructure.
  • Don't delete your account or cancel Plus. During outages, people panic and cancel subscriptions, thinking it'll help. It won't — and you'll lose your chat history and subscription benefits.
  • Don't spam support tickets. OpenAI support already knows about widespread outages. Multiple tickets slow down their queue for everyone. Only contact support if your problem persists for 24+ hours after status shows green. See How to contact OpenAI support for proper channels.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live OpenAI status monitor on this site — it updates every 60 seconds. If you see green across all components but still can't access ChatGPT, see ChatGPT not working — troubleshooting.

Q: Why doesn't OpenAI send outage notifications?

A: OpenAI posts incident reports to status.openai.com but doesn't send proactive email or push notifications. You need to check status pages manually or use this site's live monitor.

Q: Does OpenAI refund Plus subscriptions during outages?

A: No automatic refunds exist. OpenAI's terms allow for "reasonable downtime." For extended multi-day outages affecting your work, you can request a prorated refund through help.openai.com, but there's no guarantee.

What to remember

  • Check this site's live OpenAI status first — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed
  • Isolate local problems with incognito mode, cache clearing and network switching before assuming an outage
  • During confirmed outages, implement exponential backoff for API calls and queue requests locally
  • Don't cancel subscriptions or spam support tickets during widespread outages
  • Use status.openai.com for detailed incident reports and historical uptime data

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

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