ChatGPT Downtime Explained, Plus Fixes and Workarounds

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Learn why ChatGPT is down and how to get around those annoying “at capacity” errors

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High Server Traffic

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Service Outages

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Subscribe to Minimize Downtime Errors

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Other Workarounds

ChatGPT is an amazing resource that can help you do almost anything you can imagine, from writing programs in Python to generating chocolate chip cookie recipes. But when you keep running into error messages every time you try to log on, it can get frustrating fast. In this article we’ll explain most common reasons ChatGPT tends to be down and explain the best workarounds to get you chatting again in no time.

Things You Should Know

ChatGPT may give you an “at capacity” error if too many people are trying to use the chatbot at the same time.
If you think ChatGPT is experiencing a more serious service outage, you can check at https://status.openai.com/.
The best way to avoid capacity errors is to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus.
If you’d rather not subscribe, try workarounds like using a VPN or clearing your browser cache.

Section 1 of 4:

The most common reason is too much server traffic.

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ChatGPT is an incredibly popular and in-demand resource. If you try to use ChatGPT and get an error message saying “ChatGPT is at capacity right now,” it means that too many people are trying to use the service at once and the servers are overloaded.

Section 2 of 4:

It may be a service outage.

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Like any other website, ChatGPT can experience outages. If you can’t get ChatGPT to work at all, or if it’s been unusually glitchy or prone to errors, it’s possible that there’s a problem with the system. You can always check the current status of ChatGPT and other OpenAI services by visiting the OpenAI Status page.
- You can also check whether OpenAI is down or report a problem at the Downdetector website.
- A major service outage will cause ChatGPT to stop working even for ChatGPT Plus subscribers.

Section 3 of 4:

The best way to avoid capacity errors is to subscribe.

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ChatGPT Plus gives you access even at high-traffic times. If you’re willing to pay the subscription fee, ChatGPT Plus makes it less likely that you’ll run into capacity errors, slow response times, and other service issues. The subscription plan also offers early access to new features.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Even if a ChatGPT subscription doesn’t fit your budget right now, more affordable plans may be available in the future. OpenAI may soon be rolling out lower-cost subscription tiers.
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Tyrone Showers
Technologist
Tyrone Showers is a Technologist and the Co-owner of Taliferro Group, an IT consulting company based in Seattle, Washington. With over 35 years of professional experience, he specializes in API Design, e-Commerce, Operational Efficiency, and website development. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from DeVry Institute of Technology.
Tyrone Showers
Technologist
OpenAI offers a premium subscription called ChatGPT Plus. This subscription provides access to all the latest features of the OpenAI chatbot, including the GPT-4 language model, priority access at peak times, and potentially faster response times. Consider subscribing if these benefits align with your demands.

Section 4 of 4:

Try these workarounds when ChatGPT is down.

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ChatGPT tends to get the most traffic during weekdays and during business hours. While the peak time depends on your time zone, most users find it to be busiest between the hours of 7AM and 12AM. Try hopping on late at night, early in the morning, or on weekends when fewer people are using ChatGPT.
Most capacity errors don’t last very long. In many cases, waiting 15 to 20 minutes and then trying again is enough to solve the problem.
Sometimes a simple page refresh is enough to clear the capacity error and get ChatGPT working again. Click the Refresh button at the top of your browser window (it usually looks like a circular arrow) to reload the page.
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Switch to a different browser. If refreshing your browser isn’t doing the trick, switching to a different browser may help. Open a separate browser window on your computer or mobile device and navigate back to ChatGPT, then try again.
- You may need to log in again in the new browser.
- You can also try using the same browser but opening an incognito or private browsing window.
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Empty your browser cache. Sometimes a cluttered browser cache can cause capacity errors to keep showing up even after the heavy traffic dies down. If you keep seeing the error no matter how long you wait, emptying your cache may do the trick.
- For most desktop browsers, you can quickly clear the cache by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac).
EXPERT TIP
Tyrone Showers
Technologist
Tyrone Showers is a Technologist and the Co-owner of Taliferro Group, an IT consulting company based in Seattle, Washington. With over 35 years of professional experience, he specializes in API Design, e-Commerce, Operational Efficiency, and website development. He has a B.S. in Computer Science from DeVry Institute of Technology.
Tyrone Showers
Technologist
You may encounter errors when using large language models like ChatGPT. AI models are still being developed, which means they may fail or produce odd outputs. Reasons for this could be a server issue, a browser glitch, or even your prompt. Try refreshing the page or rewriting a shorter, clearer prompt.
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Try a VPN. If ChatGPT is refusing requests from your current location, you might be able to get around it with a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. The VPN will route your traffic through a separate server so it looks like you’re accessing ChatGPT from a different location.
- If you’d rather not pay for a VPN, there are several free options available. Some popular free VPNs include Hotspot Shield, PrivadoVPN, and Atlas VPN.
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Use an alternative chat AI. While ChatGPT is currently one of the best-known chat AIs, it’s not the only option. If ChatGPT is too busy, try hopping on one of the alternatives, such as:
- Bard, the AI chatbot from google. You’ll need to be over 18 and have a Google account to use it. Just visit https://bard.google.com/ in your browser and log in with your Google account.
- Chatsonic, a chatbot powered by GPT-4 technology. You can sign up for Chatsonic for free, but you’ll have to pay for full access. Get started at https://writesonic.com/chat.
- Bing Chat, a new version of the Bing search engine with ChatGPT capabilities built in. Just visit https://www.bing.com/ in the Microsoft Edge browser and click the blue Chat with the new Bing button to get started.