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OpenAI: API Error (500 / 502 / 503)

Current Status: Major Outage
Last checked: 21m ago

What We're Seeing Right Now

No recent issues reported. If you're experiencing problems with OpenAI, report below to help the community.

What is this error?

When OpenAI returns an API error (HTTP 500, 502, or 503), it typically means the servers are experiencing issues, undergoing maintenance, or handling an unexpected surge in traffic. This is usually a server-side problem, not something wrong with your code.

Error Signatures

500 Internal Server Error502 Bad Gateway503 Service UnavailableThe server had an error while processing your requestAn error occurredSomething went wrongWe're experiencing high demandService temporarily unavailableupstream connect errorgateway timeout

Common Causes

  • Server overload due to high demand or viral usage spike
  • Scheduled or unscheduled maintenance on OpenAI infrastructure
  • Bug or deployment issue on OpenAI's backend
  • Regional outage affecting specific data centers
  • Upstream dependency failure (cloud provider, database, etc.)

✓ How to Fix It

  1. Check OpenAI's official status page for known incidents
  2. Check this page for live community reports and recent incidents
  3. Wait 2-5 minutes and retry your request
  4. Implement exponential backoff in your code (wait 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s between retries)
  5. If using the API, check your SDK version is up to date
  6. Try a different model or endpoint if available
OpenAI Resources:

Live Signals

Service Components
DALL-E
Operational
Sora
Operational
OpenAI API
Operational
ChatGPT
Operational

Recent Incidents

MAJOR✓ Resolved
ChatGPT elevated error rates
Users experiencing 502 Bad Gateway errors and request timeouts for ~45 minutes
7d ago → 7d ago

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OpenAI API down right now?
Check the live status indicator at the top of this page. If it shows 'Degraded' or 'Outage', OpenAI is experiencing issues. Community reports below show what other users are seeing right now.
How long do OpenAI API errors usually last?
Most API errors resolve within 15-60 minutes. Major outages can last 1-4 hours. Check our incidents timeline for historical resolution times.
What should I do if OpenAI API keeps returning errors?
First, check if the issue is widespread using the reports on this page. If it's just you, verify your API key, check your rate limits, and ensure your request format is correct. If the issue is global, wait for OpenAI to resolve it.

Related Pages

📊 OpenAI Status Dashboard❓ Is OpenAI Down?
Other OpenAI issues:
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