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OpenAI: Authentication Failed / Invalid API Key

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?

An authentication error from OpenAI means your API key, token, or login credentials were rejected. This can happen when keys expire, are misconfigured, or when OpenAI's authentication service itself is having problems.

Error Signatures

401 Unauthorized403 ForbiddenInvalid API keyAuthentication failedInvalid authenticationIncorrect API key providedinvalid_api_keypermission_deniedAPI key not foundYour account has been disabled

Common Causes

  • API key is invalid, expired, or revoked
  • Wrong API key for the organization or project
  • Environment variable not set or set incorrectly
  • Billing issue — account suspended due to payment failure
  • OpenAI's authentication servers are experiencing issues

✓ How to Fix It

  1. Verify your API key is correct — regenerate it from OpenAI's dashboard if needed
  2. Check that the key is assigned to the right organization/project
  3. Ensure the environment variable (OPENAI_API_KEY, ANTHROPIC_API_KEY, etc.) is properly set
  4. Check your billing status — overdue payments can disable keys
  5. If using OAuth/SSO, try logging out and back in
  6. Check this page — if others report auth issues, it may be a OpenAI-wide problem
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

Why is my OpenAI API key not working?
The most common cause is an expired, revoked, or misconfigured key. Regenerate your key from OpenAI's dashboard and make sure it's correctly set in your environment.
Is OpenAI authentication down?
Check the community reports below. If multiple users report 'Login Issues' at the same time, OpenAI's auth system may be having problems.
How do I fix OpenAI 401/403 errors?
Follow the step-by-step guide above. Most auth errors are fixed by regenerating your API key and checking your billing status.

Related Pages

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