Is ChatGPT down right now

When ChatGPT stops responding mid-conversation or refuses to load entirely, you need to know within 30 seconds whether it's OpenAI's problem or yours. Check the [live OpenAI status monitor](/status) on this site — it upd

Is ChatGPT down right now

When ChatGPT stops responding mid-conversation or refuses to load entirely, you need to know within 30 seconds whether it's OpenAI's problem or yours. Check the live OpenAI status monitor on this site — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed and shows exactly which services are experiencing issues.

How to check if OpenAI is actually down

Start with this site's live status monitor. It pulls data directly from status.openai.com every minute and displays the current operational state of ChatGPT, the API, Sora, and other OpenAI services. If you see "Operational" in green next to ChatGPT, the service should be working globally.

Next, visit status.openai.com directly. OpenAI publishes real-time incident reports here, often before users notice problems. Look for component-level status indicators — ChatGPT web might be down while the API runs fine, or vice versa. If OpenAI acknowledges an outage, they'll post updates with estimated resolution times.

Third-party monitoring sites like Downdetector show user-reported issues by geographic region. A spike in reports in the last 15 minutes usually confirms a genuine outage. Twitter/X searches for "ChatGPT down" can reveal whether thousands of others are experiencing the same problem at the same moment.

Is it OpenAI or is it you

Before assuming ChatGPT is down, isolate your local setup with these specific tests:

Open an incognito or private browsing window and try chatgpt.com again. This bypasses your cache and extensions. If ChatGPT loads here but not in your regular browser, your cookies or extensions are interfering.

Clear your browser cache and cookies for chatgpt.com specifically. In Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data → check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files" → set time range to "Last 7 days" → Clear data. In Firefox: History → Clear Recent History → check both boxes → select "Everything" from the dropdown.

Disable browser extensions one by one, especially ad blockers, privacy tools, and VPNs. Some extensions block the WebSocket connections ChatGPT needs to stream responses. Test after disabling each one.

Switch networks if possible. Try your phone's mobile data instead of your home Wi-Fi. Corporate and school networks often block ChatGPT at the firewall level. If ChatGPT works on mobile data but not your usual network, that's your answer.

Test the ChatGPT mobile app versus the web browser. Sometimes the iOS or Android app remains functional during partial web outages. Conversely, if the app fails but the browser works, reinstalling the app usually fixes it.

Try a different device entirely. If ChatGPT fails on your laptop but works on your phone (both on the same Wi-Fi), you're looking at a device-specific issue — likely DNS cache or firewall settings.

If you've eliminated all local factors and the live status monitor shows "Operational," check out our complete ChatGPT not working troubleshooting guide for advanced fixes.

What to do during an outage

When OpenAI confirms an outage, here's what to do:

Stop refreshing obsessively. You're not helping and you're adding load to already-struggling servers. Check status.openai.com every 15-20 minutes instead.

If you're using the API, implement exponential backoff in your code. Start with a 1-second delay between retries, then double it each time up to 60 seconds maximum. Set a retry budget — don't hammer the API indefinitely.

Don't delete your account or cancel your subscription in frustration. Outages are temporary and you'll lose your conversation history permanently. OpenAI doesn't automatically refund for brief service interruptions.

Avoid opening support tickets unless the issue persists for hours after OpenAI declares services restored. Support can't make servers come back faster during an active incident.

Queue your requests if you're running production systems against the API. Collect inputs during the outage and process them in batch once service returns, rather than losing data entirely.

Questions people actually ask

Q: Is ChatGPT down right now?

A: Check the live status monitor at the top of this page. It refreshes every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official status feed and shows whether ChatGPT, the API, and other services are operational right now.

Q: Why does ChatGPT say "ChatGPT is at capacity right now"?

A: That's not a full outage — OpenAI is temporarily limiting new sessions because too many people are using the service simultaneously. Wait 5-10 minutes and try again, or upgrade to ChatGPT Plus for priority access during peak hours.

Q: How long do ChatGPT outages usually last?

A: Most outages resolve within 15-30 minutes. Serious incidents involving database or infrastructure problems can take 2-4 hours. OpenAI posts time estimates on status.openai.com during major events.

Q: Can I get a refund for downtime?

A: OpenAI doesn't offer automatic refunds for brief outages. If you're a Plus or Team subscriber experiencing multiple days of degraded service, you can request a prorated refund through help.openai.com, but it's handled case-by-case.

What to remember

Check this site's live status monitor first — it updates every 60 seconds from OpenAI's official feed
Isolate local issues with incognito mode, cache clearing, and network switching before assuming an outage
During confirmed outages, stop refreshing and check status.openai.com every 15-20 minutes instead
Never delete your account or cancel subscriptions during temporary outages — you'll lose your data
API users should implement exponential backoff and request queuing for production resilience

Related help

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