How to Fix ChatGPT Not Working: ChatGPT Down, Error 1020, Internal Server Error, & More

Mar. 24, 2023



In this article, we have explained all the ChatGPT errors and their fixes. If ChatGPT is not working on your device, expand the table below and get started with the well-tested solutions.

Common ChatGPT Errors and What They Mean

Common ChatGPT Errors and What They Mean

ChatGPT returns Error 429 when you make too many requests to the server in a short period of time. If you are using the OpenAI API to use ChatGPT, this error means you haveexceeded the maximum numberof requests in a given time. To ensure fair usage, ChatGPT throws Error 429.

As the name suggests, network error means you may have connectivity issues while accessing ChatGPT. Basically, your device is unable to connect to ChatGPT properly, hence, the error. It might be due toserver, internet, or firewall issueson your device. At times, it also displays a “Network error on long responses” error, meaning the connection is timing out while trying to receive a response from ChatGPT.

If you are getting a login error on ChatGPT, it may occur due to incorrect credentials orexpired cookiesstored in the browser. So make sure to enter the correct username and password to fix the login error on ChatGPT. Continue reading below to read our guide on how to clear cookies and fix the issue.

If you encounter an “Error in body stream” message on ChatGPT, it means that the request you made or the data sent to the server is eithercorrupt or invalid. It generally happens when the connection between the user device and server is not established properly for, and that could be for a number of reasons, including bad internet connectivity.

This error, along with the something went wrong error, crops up when ChatGPT is unable to complete the user request. It may be due to a variety of factors, including server-side load, internet connectivity issues, or invalid user data. That said, these errors usually occurs due to atemporary glitch. So simply refreshing the page or sending a new request should fix the ChatGPT ‘error generating a response’

When trying to access the service, if you face a “ChatGPT is at capacity right now” error, it means the server isunable to handle more requestsfrom users. Due to the high traffic volume, the system throws this error to reduce server load. Again, if you encounter this error, you don’t need to fix anything on your device. You simply need to wait for some time and then try accessing ChatGPT later on. There’s also another fix, which we have shared below.

If ChatGPT throws an internal server error, that means OpenAI is having issues with ChatGPT’s servers. Thisindicates a server-side error, meaning your device or network is not at fault. Once the company fixes the problem, ChatGPT should be up and running. So if you get an internal server error on ChatGPT, wait for some time and then try again.

If ChatGPT displays a “chat.openai.com is down” error, it means that the service is currently overloaded due toextremely high demandor the server has been taken down for maintenance. And for that reason, ChatGPT has become inaccessible. To resolve this issue, you can wait for some time and then try accessing ChatGPT.

Before anything, go ahead and check if ChatGPT is down or not. Due to the high surge, especially after the launch of GPT-4, the service is frequently going down and ChatGPT is not working seamlessly. You can visit thestatus.openai.comwebsite to check thecurrent status of ChatGPT. Scroll down to the chat.openai.com section and check if the status is “Operational.” That means the service is running fine. Apart from that, you can also check ChatGPT’s current status on downdetector.com (visit).

However, if you find that ChatGPT has a “Major Outage,” it means the service is under tremendous load, and ChatGPT will not work. In that case, you should wait for some time and check the status later. To get instant notification on ChatGPT outages and service status, you can click on “Subscribe to Updates” and enroll your phone number and email.

If the service is down for hours, check out thebest ChatGPT alternatives, which includeBing AI(based on GPT-4),Google Bard, Chatsonic, and more. These services are quite promising and arecomparable to ChatGPTin terms of capability and feature set. We have comparedGoogle Bard vs ChatGPTand even pitted it against Microsoft’s new Bing AI search engine, so go check out if Google has managed to beat its fierce competitors in the AI chatbot space.

Moreover, the status page above should tell you that theOpenAI Playground website is usually operationaleven when ChatGPT is facing an outage. So you can head to thePlayground websiteand continue using the GPT-3, GPT3.5, or GPT-4 models (if you have access to the API) in the meantime.

  1. Openchat.openai.comand then click on the padlock icon in the address bar. Now, open “Site settings” here. The steps are similar for all Chromium-based browsers.

  2. After that, click on “Clear data” next to “cookies”.

  3. This will not just delete the cookies but also cached data associated with ChatGPT. Click on “Clear” to confirm the action.

  4. OnAndroid and iOS, tap on the padlock icon and open “Cookies and site data” and then tap the “Delete” icon.

  5. On Windows, open Command Prompt with administrator privilege from the Start Menu. If you are using other operating systems, follow our detailed tutorial on how toflush DNS on macOS,Linux, andAndroid.

  6. After that, run the below command, and it willreset the DNSright away. Next, restart your PC.

  7. Now, try logging into ChatGPT, and it should start working without any downtime or issues.

  8. On Windows, openWindows Settingsand move to Network and Internet -> Hardware properties. For detailed instructions, follow our guide on how tochange the DNS server on Windows 11. If you are using an Android device, here is theguideto follow.

  9. Next, Click on “Edit” next to “DNS server assignment”. After that, change the DNS settings to “Manual” and add the below address (Google DNS). Now, click on “Save” and you are done.

3.Restart your computerand now check if ChatGPT is working or not.

  1. OpenCommand Promptfrom the Start Menu with administrator privilege.

  2. Next, run the below commands one by one. This willreset the IP addressand renew it automatically.

  3. Now,restart your computerand check if ChatGPT is running fine.

  4. In your browser, click the “Extensions” icon in the top-right corner and open “Manage extensions“.

  5. Here, go through all the extensions and remove the ones you don’t remember installing. Especially, look forVPN-related extensionsand remove them right away.

  6. Now,open ChatGPTin the browser, and it should work fine. Press “Ctrl + Shift + R” to hard-reload the page. We also suggest checking if you have enabled/ disabledVPN appsinstalled on your device.

If ChatGPT is still not working after following all the steps, try changing the browser and see if that fixes the problems. You canmove to Microsoft Edge, Firefox, or Braveor find a suitable one from our list of thebest desktop browsers. After that, log in to ChatGPT and try to use the AI chatbot.

If ChatGPT is still not opening, use it on another device on a new network. If it works there, I think the issue might be with your router. You should reset the router and change the DNS server to the one we have mentioned above. This should fix all kinds of network errors you are facing on ChatGPT.

So these are the steps you need to follow to fix ChatGPT errors or ChatGPT down issues. If the ChatGPT website is at capacity or it’s facing an internal server error or it’s simply down, you can try other ChatGPT alternatives, which are quite capable. Anyway, that is all from us. If you want to learnhow to use ChatGPT on Android and iOS, follow our linked guide. And toset up and use ChatGPT in Linux Terminal, we have a handy tutorial ready for you. Finally, if you have any questions, let us know in the comment section below.

Passionate about Windows, ChromeOS, Android, security and privacy issues. Have a penchant to solve everyday computing problems.