You open ChatGPT and get a loading spinner, a 503 error, or an endless "ChatGPT is at capacity right now" message. Before you close the tab and assume it is broken, it is worth knowing whether the problem is OpenAI's servers, your account, or your connection.
Step 1: Confirm it is actually down
Run a server-side check at WebsiteDown.com/is-chatgpt-down. This sends a probe directly to OpenAI's infrastructure from an external server, bypassing your browser, your network, and any local issues.
If the check shows ChatGPT is down, the problem is on OpenAI's end and there is nothing to fix locally. If it shows up, try a different browser or clear your cookies — the issue may be specific to your session or local cache.
Step 2: Check the official status page
OpenAI maintains a real-time status page at status.openai.com. It breaks down the status of ChatGPT, the API, and DALL-E separately — they can have independent issues. If you see an active incident listed there, that is a confirmed outage with an engineer team working on it.
For faster updates, follow @OpenAI or @OpenAI_Status on X/Twitter. Major incidents usually get acknowledged there within the first 15 minutes.
Working alternatives while ChatGPT is down
Several capable alternatives are available without registration or are free to use:
Claude (claude.ai) by Anthropic — strong at analysis, writing, and long-context tasks. Often available when ChatGPT is at capacity.
Gemini (gemini.google.com) by Google — integrated with Google Search and Workspace, good for research tasks.
Copilot (copilot.microsoft.com) by Microsoft — powered by GPT-4 in some modes, with web search built in.
If you are using the ChatGPT API, check if the issue is with the API tier specifically or the chat interface — they sometimes have independent availability, and your API key may still work even when chatgpt.com is degraded.
The capacity problem vs. a real outage
OpenAI distinguishes between two different states that look similar from the outside. A capacity issue means their servers are running but overloaded — new sessions are being throttled or rejected. A real outage means part of the infrastructure is actually failing.
The fix for capacity issues is simply waiting a few minutes and retrying, or switching to a lower-traffic time. ChatGPT Plus subscribers get priority access during capacity constraints, which is the main practical benefit of the paid tier beyond GPT-4 access.
Check WebsiteDown's AI intelligence layer for real-time social signals — when ChatGPT is down, hundreds of users report it simultaneously, and that pattern is distinguishable from the normal "at capacity" complaints.