Last updated: March 6, 2026
ChatGPT problems come in several distinct flavors. Maybe the page loads but you see "Something went wrong" every time you send a message. Maybe responses start generating and then abruptly cut off mid-sentence. Maybe the chat window loads but the send button does nothing. Or maybe ChatGPT just refuses to load at all, sitting on a spinning indicator indefinitely. Each of these has a different cause and a different fix.
Before diving into fixes, it helps to know that ChatGPT's problems divide into two camps: problems with OpenAI's servers (which you can't fix — you can only wait or work around them), and problems with your browser, app, or account (which you absolutely can fix). The quick diagnosis below helps you figure out which category you're in within 30 seconds.
ChatGPT not working for everyone → Server/outage issue. Check status.openai.com first. Nothing you can do but wait.
ChatGPT works in Incognito but not your normal browser → Browser extension or cookie issue. See Fix 2.
ChatGPT works on mobile app but not in browser (or vice versa) → Browser-specific issue or app-specific bug. See Fix 3 or Fix 4.
"Something went wrong" appears after login → Session/cookie issue. See Fix 2.
Responses get cut off → Connection timeout. See Fix 5.
"You've reached your limit" message → Free tier rate limit hit. See Fix 7.
Can't log in at all → Account issue. See Fix 6.
Why this works: OpenAI's servers experience outages, slowdowns, and maintenance windows. Spending 20 minutes troubleshooting your browser when ChatGPT is down site-wide is wasted effort. The status page takes 5 seconds to check and immediately tells you if the problem is on their end.
If there's an active incident: your fix is to wait. OpenAI typically resolves issues within 30 minutes to a few hours. If the status page shows everything operational, your problem is local — continue to the next fixes.
Why this works: ChatGPT uses browser cookies to maintain your login session and store UI state. If these cookies become corrupted — from a browser update, an OpenAI session change, or just normal browser database corruption — you might be stuck in a broken authenticated state: ChatGPT thinks you're logged in but with an invalid session, causing "Something went wrong" on every request.
Faster method: Open chat.openai.com, press F12 to open Developer Tools → Application tab → Cookies → right-click openai.com → Clear. Then refresh and log in.
Also try opening ChatGPT in an Incognito or Private browser window — if it works there, a cookie or extension issue is confirmed.
Why this works: Some browser extensions interfere with ChatGPT's JavaScript, particularly extensions that modify page content or block network requests. Ad blockers like uBlock Origin, privacy extensions like Privacy Badger, and some password managers have been known to break ChatGPT's interface or prevent requests from reaching OpenAI's API.
Why this works: ChatGPT uses modern web APIs including WebSockets for real-time streaming. Outdated browsers may not support these correctly. Specific browser bugs can also affect ChatGPT — Chrome sometimes handles streaming responses differently than Firefox or Edge.
If you're using Chrome, try Firefox or Microsoft Edge. If you're on Safari, try Chrome. A working alternative browser immediately confirms your primary browser is the issue.
To update Chrome: click the three-dot menu → Help → About Google Chrome — it'll update automatically and prompt you to relaunch. For Safari on iPhone: go to Settings → General → Software Update to update iOS, which updates Safari.
Why this works: ChatGPT streams responses in real-time using a persistent HTTP connection. Any interruption in your internet connection — even a brief dropout of less than a second — can break the stream and end the response abruptly. This is different from the response being "censored" or hitting a content limit; those look different.
First, try to continue the response by typing "please continue" or "finish your previous response." If ChatGPT can see the partial response in context, it will complete it.
To prevent future cutoffs:
Why this works: ChatGPT login issues are often caused by signing in the wrong way — using email/password when you originally signed up with Google, or vice versa.
Why this works: Free ChatGPT users have usage limits. When you hit them, you see a message like "You've sent too many messages. Please wait until [time] to send a message." This isn't a bug — it's an intentional limit on the free tier.
Free tier limits: GPT-4o has a usage cap that refreshes every few hours. When reached, ChatGPT falls back to GPT-4o mini or GPT-3.5 automatically — you'll see a notice at the top of the chat window when this happens.
Options when you hit the limit:
Why this works: The ChatGPT mobile app (iOS and Android) and the web version don't always experience issues simultaneously. The app communicates directly with OpenAI's API, bypassing browser caching, cookies, and extensions entirely. When the web version is having problems, the app often works fine.
Download on iPhone: Open the App Store and search "ChatGPT" — install the official app by OpenAI, Inc. (the developer name, not just "OpenAI").
Download on Android: Open Google Play Store and search "ChatGPT" — install the app from OpenAI. Be careful of copycat apps; the official publisher is "OpenAI."
Once installed, log in with the same account you use on the web. Your conversation history syncs automatically between the app and web versions.
Q: Why does ChatGPT say "Something went wrong" every time I send a message?
A: This error typically means one of three things: OpenAI's servers are under high load (check status.openai.com), your browser session has expired or become corrupted (clear cookies for openai.com and log back in), or a browser extension is interfering with ChatGPT's JavaScript. Try loading ChatGPT in an Incognito window with extensions disabled — if it works there, an extension is the culprit.
Q: Why are ChatGPT responses getting cut off mid-sentence?
A: Responses cut off mid-generation usually mean a connection timeout due to an unstable internet connection, or the conversation hit a very long context. Type "please continue" to resume. If cutoffs happen frequently, check your connection stability — ChatGPT streams responses in real-time, and even a brief dropout stops the stream. Switching to a wired connection or trying the mobile app often resolves this.
Q: ChatGPT is extremely slow to respond — what's wrong?
A: Slow ChatGPT responses are almost always a server load issue on OpenAI's side, not your device or connection. This is especially common during peak usage hours in the afternoon and evening in North America. ChatGPT Plus subscribers get priority access during high-traffic periods, meaning significantly faster responses. If you use ChatGPT for work, the Plus tier is worth considering.
Q: Why can't I log into ChatGPT even though my password is correct?
A: The most common cause is using the wrong login method. If you originally signed up with Google or Apple, you must use "Continue with Google" or "Continue with Apple" — there's no email/password for those accounts. If you signed up with email, use the email/password flow. If that still fails, clear your browser cookies for openai.com and try again, or use the Forgot Password link.
Q: Why does ChatGPT work in the app but not in my browser?
A: Browser extensions, corrupted cookies, or an outdated browser version are the most common causes of browser-specific ChatGPT failures. Try opening ChatGPT in an Incognito window (extensions are disabled by default). If it works in Incognito, an extension is interfering. If it works in a different browser entirely, your primary browser needs its cookies cleared or an update.
If ChatGPT still isn't working after trying all these fixes, and OpenAI's status page shows everything is operational, your account may have a specific issue. Contact OpenAI's support team at help.openai.com. Plus and Team plan subscribers have priority support queues. You can also check the OpenAI Community Forum for reports of issues affecting specific accounts or regions.