Many people are using AI assistance to help them complete tasks with less effort and more accuracy. Let’s not forget ChatGPT when talking about AI. It is among the finest achievements in the field.
This amazing AI service has solved major problems for many office workers, web developers, writers, researchers, and more. However, it’s frustrating when you ask ChatGPT to help you with a specific task, and it comes up with the error “ChatGPT is at capacity.”
This is due to many users accessing it simultaneously. Fortunately, you can overcome this problem and complete your tasks on time. This guide will help you through.
It contains some of the simplest and most effective ways to remove ChatGPT server errors. So let’s dive into the depth of the topic and discuss these methods in detail.
“ChatGPT is at Capacity” – Quick Guide
Below are the easiest and most effective methods to bypass the “ChatGPT busy time” error:
- Use a VPN: Sometimes, the capacity error is because many users access the ChatGPT from the same region. You can bypass this error by changing your region virtually using a top-notch VPN like ExtremeVPN.
- Check the ChatGPT Server Status: ChatGPT often shows the same capacity error when its servers are under maintenance. You can verify the cause behind this error by visiting DownDetector.
- Try Another OpenAI Account: If you shared your OpenAI account with someone, you should log in with a different account. The other person may be using the service with the same account. That’s why you see the error.
- Log Into Your Account Through a Different Part of the Website: Try to use another website page to log in. Sometimes it works to bypass the “chatbot is at capacity” error. For example, visit https://beta.openai.com/playground (a page of the OpenAI website), and enter the login credentials. Then click the “Try it now” button to access the chatbot.
- Clear Your Browser Cache: Clearing your browser caches help users to solve this problem.
- Switch to Incognito Mode: Incognito mode doesn’t keep your data and any other website caches. Therefore, using it can help you to access ChatGPT in no time.
- Use ChatGPT During Off-Peak Hours: Many users use ChatGPT during peak hours. This could be the reason why there’s not enough space left for incoming users. Try to use it during off-peak hours, like at night or on weekends.
- Try a Different Browser: Use a different browser. Sometimes the browsers might be the problem. Some secure browsers include DuckDuckGo, Tor, Edge, and more.
- Disable Browser Extensions: Some browser extensions cause problems while using ChatGPT. Disable all the browser extensions individually and remove the problematic extension after finding it.
- Report the Issue to the OpenAI Team: After using all these methods, if it’s still not working. Contact the OpenAI team and report the issue. They will notify you when it’s got solved.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is like a highly enhanced version of a chatbot. This service is an AI language model developed by OpenAI, which created other AI services such as Dalle-E-2 and Whisper.
The chatbot has access to all data till September 2021 and aims to help users by giving human-like answers. You can have a human conversation with it. In addition, you can utilize it for your assistance, such as answering questions, generating codes, comprehensive information, and more.
There are two current releases of this service, GPT-3.5 and GPT-4.
You can use GPT-3.5 free of charge. But access to ChatGPT Plus or ChatGPT-4 requires a paid subscription.
Why is ChatGPT at Capacity?
Everybody feels sad when encountering the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error. Some people don’t know the reason behind this error. The error is because many users have started accessing it, and now no more servers are available for incoming users.
According to the stats of April 2023, around 60 million people use ChatGPT daily. The chatbot has limited user capacity. Therefore, when all the servers get saturated, it shows the error that the chatbot is busy handling the users.
ChatGPT Always at Capacity
Imagine how a user will feel when his task is pending and he needs ChatGPT’s assistance to complete it. And it shows the “Chatbot is at capacity right now” error. ChatGPT Plus users have faced the same issues initially, but comparatively less than the freemium plan users.
Many users and memers made memes on ChatGPT’s capacity error. Even the AI service itself feels the frustration of the situation.
ChatGPT is at Capacity? Here’s How to Fix It
After discussing the reasons behind this error, let’s discuss how to solve this problem. The simplest solution is to wait a few minutes. Then, refresh the tab. Maybe there would be enough space to join and complete your tasks after waiting a few minutes.
On the other hand, not everybody has enough time to wait. So, here are a few other methods that you can utilize to bypass the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error.
1. Use a VPN
Sometimes, the capacity error is because many users access the ChatGPT from the same region. You can bypass this error by changing your region virtually using a top-notch VPN like ExtremeVPN.
The VPN masks your IP address and shows you’re in a different location. Therefore, use a VPN with ChatGPT and save time.
Best VPN for ChatGPT in 2024
Considering the security, privacy, and other benefits, ExtremeVPN stands tall above all. It helps users to access ChatGPT by hiding their IP addresses. Below are some major benefits of ExtremeVPN:
- More than 6500+ servers across 96+ locations in over 78 countries.
- Provides robust encryption and security.
- The VPN is user-friendly and intuitive; even a non-tech person can easily use it.
- Live chat support.
How to Use a VPN to Bypass Chatbot is at Capacity Error?
Follow these steps to access ChatGPT with a VPN:
- Subscribe to a high-end VPN like ExtremeVPN.
- Download and install the VPN app on your device.
- Connect your device to a server.
- Reopen the ChatGPT tab and complete your tasks after accessing it.
Note: If you still face the ChatGPT at capacity error after using a VPN. Change the VPN server and access it again.
2. Check the ChatGPT Server Status
Sometimes, ChatGPT shows the same capacity error when its servers are under maintenance. You can check if that’s the reason behind the error by following these steps:
- Visit DownDetector.
- Click on the search bar and type OpenAI.
- If the result shows too many reported errors, servers’ maintenance is the reason.
The only choice is to wait until the servers get repaired.
3. Try Another OpenAI Account
OpenAI allows you to make unlimited accounts. Try to access ChatGPT with another account. If you have shared your OpenAI account with someone, you must change your account to bypass the error. Maybe the other is using it.
4. Log Into Your Account Through a Different Part of the OpenAI Website
Use a different method to log into the OpenAI website to access ChatGPT instead of logging in through the main page. For example, visit https://beta.openai.com/playground (a page of the OpenAI website), and enter the login credentials. Then click the “Try it now” button to access the chatbot.
This method sometimes helps users to bypass the chatbot’s busy error quickly.
5. Clear Your Browser Cache
Clearing browser caches can overcome the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error. Follow these steps to remove them:
- Go to Chrome and click the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select the settings options from the menu.
- Choose the security and privacy option from the sidebar.
- Click on the clear browsing data and check cookies, other site data, files, and images box.
- Now, press the “clear data” option.
- Restart Google Chrome and visit ChatGPT to check if the issue has been resolved.
6. Switch to Incognito Mode
Almost all popular browsers offer incognito mode. However, they come with different names. For example, Incognito mode in Chrome, InPrivate mode in Microsoft Edge, Private mode in Firefox, and Private Browsing in Safari.
Incognito mode on browsers means a temporary browsing session isolated from your data. It doesn’t have access to your data, but it doesn’t mean it is safe. This technique removes the “ChatGPT is busy” error quickly.
We suggest you use it with a high-quality VPN like ExtremeVPN to ensure your security and privacy.
To open incognito mode on Chrome and Edge, press Ctrl+Shift+N and Ctrl+Shift+P to access it on Firefox.
7. Use ChatGPT During Off-Peak Hours
This is the most effective way to remove the “Chatbot is busy” error. Try to use it during off-peak hours because most ChatGPT users are office workers, developers, and researchers. Almost all of them work in the daytime.
Therefore, use it during nighttime or weekends because there will be a lower server load than usual.
8. Try a Different Browser
Suppose you have tried the above methods and still can’t access ChatGPT. Use a different browser. Sometimes, the browsers might be the problem. Therefore, use other secure browsers like DuckDuckGo, Tor, Safari, Microsoft Edge, and more.
9. Disable Browser Extensions
Many browser extensions enhance your productivity. However, a few disrupt your browser’s functioning, causing interruptions while browsing and using ChatGPT.
So, turning off all extensions is the only solution to this error if they interfere with ChatGPT’s performance. Follow these steps to turn off your browser extensions and add-ons:
- Open the extension tab on your browser.
- Turn off all the extensions.
- Turn them on individually and check ChatGPT after turning on each extension.
- Once you find the problematic extension, please remove it.
10. Report the Issue to the OpenAI Team
After using all methods, if you still encounter the same “ChatGPT is at capacity” error, contact ChatGPT or OpenAI’s customer support. Tell them about your problem. They will be your guide to the solution.
However, if their side causes the problem, they will notify you by e-mail as soon as the problem gets solved. To contact OpenAI customer support, please follow the steps below:
- Visit the OpenAI help center.
- Press the Chat icon at the lower right corner of the site.
- Select messages from templates or click on Send us a Message.
- Tell them your problem, and you will get a reply soon.
What Are ChatGPT Alternatives?
After the release of ChatGPT, a few other companies stepped into this industry to compete with OpenAI. Tech giants launched similar chatbots; a few are more advanced than ChatGPT. However, people are still using ChatGPT more than other chatbots. These chatbots can become great competitors of this chatbot’s king in the future.
1. Bard By Google
Bard is an AI chatbot made by Google. It was initially released on March 21, 2023, and stably released on May 15, 2023. Google made this chatbot to compete with ChatGPT.
Google is still working on Bard to make it more efficient, safe to use, adding real-world information, and designed to cater to many users. However, it made a few blunders on the release day, and people are not satisfied with using it.
2. Ernie By Baidu
Ernie’s abbreviation is Enhanced Representation through Knowledge Integration. It is an AI chatbot made by the Chinese company Baidu. The product has been under development since 2019 and was finally released on March 16, 2023.
There are a few days’ gaps between the release of Ernie and Bard. This chatbot claims that it offers more services than ChatGPT and other chatbots. It will be publicly available in a few months.
3. Galactica by Meta
Galactica is another AI chatbot service developed by Meta. It was initially released on November 15, 2023. This AI service is designed to assist scientists and researchers.
It was launched two weeks earlier than ChatGPT. However, the public’s response wasn’t good. They criticized it for inaccuracies and called it a wrong information-spreading chatbot.
According to the pundits, the actual issue with this product was its quality. After much criticism and technical issues, the company suspended this service for public use. Hopefully, it will launch soon.
4. Claude By Anthropic
Claude is an LLM developed by former OpenAI researchers. Anthropic made this chatbot perform tasks similar to ChatGPT but offers safety and other features.
The service is only available to a specific group of people on the work chat service Slack.
5. Sparrow By DeepMind
Deepmind is a daughter company of Google, which made an AI chatbot named Sparrow. This chatbot is developed to give comprehensive answers to the questions. It learns from the input of the human participant.
The beta version of this service will be available to a specific group of users in 2023. However, there’s no exact date set for its public release.
6. Character
Two former Google researchers made this AI chatbot. It lets you pretend to talk to someone. It generates human-like text and provides comprehensive answers.
Character was officially launched on September 16, 2022. It is a great chatbot for conversation.
7. Bing ChatGPT
Bing ChatGPT is actually not a chatGPT alternative, but it’s worth mentioning. Microsoft invested in OpenAI’s ChatGPT and launched a Bing version of it.
The Bing ChatGPT was publically launched on May 4, 2023. Every Bing user can access it now. However, you might face the “chatbot is busy” error.
“ChatGPT is at Capacity Right Now” Error Fixed. Is That All?
As discussed above, the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error is due to too many users using ChatGPT simultaneously. The easiest option to access this chatbot after this error is to use it during off-peak hours or use a top-notch VPN for ChatGPT like ExtremeVPN.
Contact the OpenAI or ChatGPT support team and tell them your problem. They will notify you when the error gets solved. You just have to click the “Get notified when we are back” option.
Chatbot is busy is not the only error you will encounter when using it. Let’s discuss other problems while accessing ChatGPT.
ChatGPT Error Code 1020
This code appears when a website uses Cloudflare. It is a popular network that provides privacy and security. For a layman, this error means “Access Denied.” This error occurs because of the privacy and security concerns.
For example, ChatGPT shows this error when it detects suspicious or malicious activity from an IP address. It blocks that IP address and shows error code 1020. Let’s find out how to bypass this error:
Clear ChatGPT’s Data
This process is similar to clearing data and browser caches. Follow these simple steps to clear ChatGPT’s data quickly:
- Open your browser and go to settings.
- From the sidebar, select Privacy and Security.
- Click on “Cookies and other site data.”
- Scroll down, and you will encounter “See all site data permissions.”
- Click on it, and look for OpenAI.
- By selecting the “delete” option, you can remove the data.
Get a New IP Address
Accessing ChatGPT using a new IP address will let it consider you a new user. Therefore, it won’t show the error 1020. You can virtually change your IP address by using the best VPN for ChatGPT.
We recommend using ExtremeVPN to access ChatGPT. It offers over 6500 servers in 78+ countries. These servers are enough for anyone to bypass the error 1020.
Reset Your IP Address and DNS Server
To reset your IP address, follow these steps:
- Search Command Prompt on your computer’s search bar by typing CMD.
- After finding it, run CMD as an admin.
- Type three codes one by one, and press enter after each code – Ipconfig/flushdns, then netsh winsock reset, and netsh int ip reset.
You can also change your DNS servers by following these steps:
- Type “Control Panel” into your computer’s search bar to open it.
- Click on Network & Internet and then on Network and Sharing Center.
- After selecting your internet connection, press on properties.
- Choose Internet Protocol version 4 and Properties.
- Set 8.8.8.8 as a preferred DNS server.
- Set 8.8.4.4 as an alternate DNS server. Both servers belong to Google.
- Press OK, and your DNS server has changed.
ChatGPT Network Error Fix
ChatGPT gives you a network error when there’s an internet connection problem. Sometimes, it shows this error when you ask for a lengthy response. This error has several reasons, including a bad internet connection, an issue with your browser, IP address blockage, and more.
You can use a premium VPN like ExtremeVPN to solve your IP address blockage and slow internet problems. Otherwise, use the previous methods discussed above to bypass this error.
Conclusion
ChatGPT has become a daily use tool for many users. Due to its amazing comprehensive answers and code-generating abilities, many people now rely on it to complete their tasks quickly. However, the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error is a big problem for such users.
You can bypass this error by using a VPN, another OpenAI account, logging into a different part of the website, clearing your browser caches, switching to incognito mode, disabling all browser extensions, using a different browser, and the last you can do is reporting the issue to OpenAI support team.
To overcome network and access errors, use a premium VPN like ExtremeVPN. It offers top-notch security, 6500+ across 78+ countries, unlimited data, and over 10 simultaneous connections.
After reading this guide, you can hopefully bypass the “ChatGPT is at capacity” error. However, if you are still experiencing problems, leave a comment below, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.