ChatGPT may occasionally encounter technical issues due to factors like network configuration, browser extensions, or transient server-side problems. This guide outlines common error messages and actionable steps to troubleshoot them.
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"Something went wrong."
This is a general error that may indicate a temporary server issue or a problem with your local setup.
Refresh the page or start a new chat
Check status.openai.com for known outages
Clear your browser cache and cookies
Use an incognito or private browsing window
Disable browser extensions, especially privacy or security tools
Turn off VPNs or secure DNS tools like Web Protect
Switch to a different network if possible
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"A network error occurred."
"An error occurred while connecting to the websocket."
These errors suggest that your device is unable to establish a reliable connection to our servers.
Disable VPNs or proxy connections
Turn off Web Protect or other security filters
Try a different browser or incognito mode
Switch to a different network or device
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"We detect suspicious activity." / "Unusual Activity Detected"
This message is shown when our systems detect traffic that may resemble automated or unusual behavior.
Disable VPNs or proxies that might route your traffic through flagged IPs
Restart your browser or device
Use a private browsing window to start a fresh session
Ensure you are not sharing your ChatGPT account with other people; change your password and ensure your email is secure
If you're not using bots or automation tools, contact us to report the issue
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"There was a problem preparing your chat."
These usually occur when a browser extension or URL blocker interferes with loading the page.
Disable extensions that block scripts or modify page content
Temporarily turn off any unfamiliar or unused browser extensions
Open ChatGPT in an incognito window or a different browser
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"There was an error generating a response."
A failed response when ChatGPT is unable to produce an answer.
May be a one-time error, click "Regenerate" button.
Restart your browser or device
Disable VPNs or proxy connections
Turn off Web Protect or other security filters
Try a different browser or incognito mode
Switch to a different network or device
Stuck on "Thinking…/Generating…/Working…" or endless spinner
"ChatGPT is slow", lagging, freezing, or unresponsive
If ChatGPT is taking a long time to respond, seems stuck, or becomes unresponsive, try these steps:
Check status.openai.com for any ongoing incidents
Start a new chat if the conversation is long or has many turns
Refresh the page or restart the app
Disable browser extensions, VPNs, proxies, or secure DNS tools
Try incognito/private browsing, a different browser, device, or network
Clear browser cache and cookies if the issue continues
If ChatGPT appears to hang indefinitely without completing the response, follow this sequence of troubleshooting steps:
Wait 30–60 seconds to see if the response completes
Click "Stop generating," then click "Regenerate" to retry
Start a new chat and resend your prompt
Hard refresh the page (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R) or reload the desktop app
Sign out of ChatGPT and sign back in
Open ChatGPT in an incognito/private window with extensions disabled
Disable VPNs, proxies, or secure DNS services
Try a different browser or switch to another network or device
Check status.openai.com for any ongoing incidents
If the issue persists across browsers, devices, and networks, collect a HAR file and browser console errors with timestamps, note the model used and the conversation URL or ID, then contact Support.
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"Download failed" / "File Not Found"
An error that occurs when attempting to download files / click on file links generated by ChatGPT.
For CustomGPT, ensure that 'Code Interpreter" functionality is enabled and you updated the GPT after checking the appropriate box
Ensure that the file is recently generated, files generated by ChatGPT expire quickly
Disable VPNs or proxy connections
Ensure the file downloaded is less than the file size limit of 512 MB
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"Blank screen, frozen page, or endless loading"
If ChatGPT does not display any content, gets stuck loading, or becomes unresponsive without showing an explicit error message, try the steps below.
Hard refresh the page (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R) or force reload the desktop app
Sign out of ChatGPT and sign back in
Clear site data or cookies for chat.openai.com
Disable extensions or content blockers that may interfere with the page
Open ChatGPT in an incognito/private window, a fresh browser profile, or a different browser
Turn off VPNs, secure DNS, or other security filters
Switch to a different network or device
If the issue persists, collect browser console logs and a HAR file with timestamps and contact support.
Still need help?
If these steps don’t resolve your issue, please reach out to our support team. Please make sure to record the HAR file of you replicating an error before contacting support using the instructions in the article linked above.