If ChatGPT throws Something went wrong, the message is vague because it is supposed to be. OpenAI uses it as a broad catch-all for temporary server issues and local setup problems, which is why two people can see the exact same message for completely different reasons. The fix is not guessing harder. The fix is narrowing the category quickly.
This page is updated for April 2026 and rebuilt around OpenAI’s official troubleshooting sequence, current ChatGPT behavior, and recurring community reports where the error appears after inactivity, inside one browser only, or after a stale chat gets wedged.
The fastest fix routine that actually works
- Start a fresh chat. OpenAI explicitly recommends refreshing the page or starting a new chat for this error. In practice, the new-chat test tells you whether the thread itself got wedged.
- Check the status page. If ChatGPT has a live incident, nothing you do in your browser is going to fix the underlying problem.
- Open ChatGPT in an incognito or private window. OpenAI recommends this because extensions and stored browser state are frequent causes of weird failures. If incognito works, your browser setup is the suspect.
- Disable extensions, especially privacy and security tools. OpenAI calls out extensions directly in its troubleshooting guide.
- Turn off the VPN or proxy and retry. This is a standard OpenAI troubleshooting step for both generic failures and network-related ones.
- Shorten the prompt or remove attachments. If the same prompt fails in every fresh chat, the request may be too heavy or the current conversation state may be too fragile.
- Switch browser, device, or model. OpenAI’s slowness guide recommends testing whether the issue is model-specific or account-wide by changing models and starting a brand-new chat.
What “Something went wrong” is usually hiding
1) A stale or broken chat session
This is the most common pattern. The tab sat open too long, the prior response failed halfway, or the conversation got into a bad state. Community reports often describe the error appearing on the second question, after returning to the tab later, or only inside one ongoing chat. Refreshing or starting fresh fixes it because the problem was the session, not the account.
2) Browser extensions or corrupted site data
If ChatGPT works in an incognito window but not in your normal browser, that is almost a flashing neon sign for extension conflict or broken browser state. OpenAI recommends incognito mode, clearing cookies and cache, and disabling extensions for exactly this reason.
3) VPN or proxy interference
OpenAI’s official docs repeatedly tell users to disable VPNs and proxies when ChatGPT fails. Community threads about this specific error also include users who fixed it by turning VPNs off or by switching browsers on the same machine and network. That does not prove every failure is VPN-related, but it makes the VPN test one of the fastest high-value diagnostics you can run. Source · Community thread
4) A prompt or tool state that is too heavy for the current chat
OpenAI does not label this cause directly inside the error text, but in practice heavy prompts, multiple attachments, or failing tool calls can tip a borderline chat into a generic failure. If the exact same request fails in one bloated thread but succeeds in a clean new chat, the chat state mattered.
5) An OpenAI-side incident
Sometimes the message is simply covering a transient server problem. OpenAI’s troubleshooting guide says as much: Something went wrong may indicate a temporary server issue. That is why you should check the status page early, not after 20 minutes of random browser rituals.
What not to do
Do not keep hammering the same broken chat ten times in a row. Do not assume the message is telling you the exact cause. Do not waste half an hour on exotic DNS changes before you have tried a new chat, incognito mode, VPN-off, and the status page.
Also, do not overtrust one “magic fix” from a forum thread. The same message can come from different causes, which is why browser switching solves it for one person, VPN removal fixes it for another, and waiting out an outage fixes it for everyone else.
Useful rule of thumb
If the error happens only in one browser, suspect extensions, cookies, or browser state. If it happens everywhere on the same network, suspect VPNs, proxies, or an OpenAI incident. If it happens only in one old conversation, suspect the chat itself.
When to stop troubleshooting and come back later
If you have tried a fresh chat, incognito mode, VPN-off, another browser or device, and the issue still persists, stop. Check status again and wait 10 to 20 minutes. OpenAI incidents and partial degradations often resolve without any action from you. If the problem survives across browsers, devices, and networks, collect diagnostics before contacting support. OpenAI specifically asks for HAR files, browser-console errors, timestamps, and the conversation URL or ID for persistent cases. Source
What users report in the wild
Community reports around Something went wrong show a few practical patterns worth keeping in mind. Some users get the error after leaving the site open and coming back later, which points to stale session state. Others say it happens in one browser but not another, which points to local browser problems. And others fix it by disabling a VPN or using incognito mode, which fits OpenAI’s own troubleshooting steps.
The key point is not that every community fix is universally correct. It is that the message is broad enough that browser state, network path, and service-side issues can all legitimately sit behind the same words.
ChatGPT “Something Went Wrong” FAQ
Why does this error keep happening in the same chat?
Because that chat may be in a broken state. Start a new conversation and test the same prompt there before you do anything more complicated.
Does this mean my prompt violated moderation rules?
Not usually. OpenAI has more specific moderation and suspicious-activity messages for many of those cases. A generic Something went wrong message is more often session, browser, network, or server related.
Should I clear cache and cookies?
Yes, if incognito mode works or if the error is browser-specific. OpenAI includes clearing cache and cookies in its official troubleshooting steps for this error.
Does changing browsers help?
Often, yes as a diagnostic. If ChatGPT works in Edge but not Chrome, or in Safari but not Firefox, that tells you the issue is probably not your account and not OpenAI globally. It is likely local browser state or extensions.
When should I contact support?
After the error survives a fresh chat, incognito mode, extension-free browser test, VPN-off test, another network or device, and a status-page check. At that point, gather logs and timestamps so support has something actionable.
Related ChatGPT fixes
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- ChatGPT Network Error: What It Actually Means and How to Fix It
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- ChatGPT Is at Capacity: What to Do When the Site Is Overloaded
- Too Many Concurrent Requests ChatGPT: Causes, Fixes, and What It Actually Means
- ChatGPT Message Limit Reached: Free, Plus, and Pro Fixes
- Error in Message Stream ChatGPT: Causes, Fixes, and What It Actually Means
- ChatGPT Error in Moderation: Why It Happens and Workarounds
Last updated: April 2026.
