FAQ

ChatGPT

Still on Free after a top-up, region messages, repeated sign-in prompts, network errors, app downloads and missing chat history.

Still on Free after the top-up

Make sure you’re signed in to the account you submitted for the top-up, with the same sign-in method. If you used Apple’s Hide My Email or switched sign-in methods, you may be in a different account.
Sign out and sign in again. If you’re signed in on several devices, sign in again on each one.
Wait a few minutes, then refresh.
If it still doesn’t work, contact support with your account email and the time of the top-up.

Unsupported country, region, or territory

This is OpenAI’s regional restriction: OpenAI has determined that your current network location is outside the regions it supports. OpenAI only provides its service in the countries and territories it supports (list). According to OpenAI, using it in other regions may get your account restricted or deactivated.

If you really are in a supported region but still see this message, OpenAI recommends clearing your cache and cookies, then trying again in another browser or a private window. If that doesn’t help, contact OpenAI support.

Allow cookies and JavaScript for chatgpt.com and openai.com. Clear the cache and cookies for both sites, then try again.
Ad blockers and cookie managers can stop the sign-in button from working. Turn them off and try again.
Use a private window, or switch to another browser.
Make sure you’re using the sign-in method you registered with.
If you’ve failed many times in a short period, wait a while (up to about an hour) and try again.

A suspicious activity alert, or a request to verify again

Signing in from many places at the same time, switching networks often, or several people sharing one account can all trigger security checks. We recommend that you:

Change your password once. Your devices are signed out one after another. Then sign in again.
Turn on two-step verification under Security in settings.
Don’t share your account with others. It breaks OpenAI’s terms of use, and it’s the most likely way to run into problems.

Can’t find Codex in the desktop app

Since July 2026, Codex has been part of the new ChatGPT desktop app. Open the new ChatGPT and choose Codex from the dropdown menu in the top-left corner. If what you opened is ChatGPT Classic, that’s the old version and doesn’t have Codex. Install the new version as described in Download and sign in.

The Microsoft Store download fails

Press Win+R and run wsreset to clear the Store cache, then download again.
If that doesn’t help, install it with a command in PowerShell:
Terminal window
```
winget install --id 9PLM9XGG6VKS -s msstore
```

Don’t download installers from cloud drives or third-party sites.

Something went wrong / A network error occurred

Refresh the page, or start a new conversation.
Check status.openai.com to see whether OpenAI is having an outage.
Clear the cache and cookies, or use a private window.
Turn off browser extensions. Proxies, VPNs and secure DNS settings can also cause this error.
Try another network, browser or device.

Human verification keeps appearing

Refresh the page, clear cookies and turn off browser extensions, then try again. If your network’s outgoing IP address changes often, you’re more likely to get verification checks again and again.

ChatGPT doesn’t show up in the App Store

The ChatGPT iOS app isn’t available in the App Store in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau. Only download it from the official App Store page. The developer is OpenAI OpCo, LLC. Many apps with similar names are fakes.

Can’t install or open the app on Android

The ChatGPT Android app is only available on Google Play. It needs Android 7.1 or later and Google Play services. If it says Google Play needs an update, first update Google Play services to the latest version. Don’t download APKs from third-party sites.

The email verification code doesn’t arrive

Request a new one, and only use the most recent code you received.
Check your spam folder.
Add sender addresses ending in openai.com to your email allowlist.

No email after clicking Forgot password

Accounts registered with Google, Microsoft or Apple may not have a password. Keep signing in the way you did originally.

Your usage has run out

Once your Work and Codex usage runs out, you have to wait for the reset. The reset time is shown on the usage page. On Plus and Pro, you can also buy extra credits to keep going. See Plus and Pro for details.

Chat history is missing in the desktop app

Click the filter icon next to Chats in the sidebar and choose Chronological to show all conversations in time order.
If you still can’t find it, check Archived chats in settings.
To see conversations you started on the web or on your phone, look in ChatGPT in the desktop app. When you switch to Codex, only Codex conversations are shown.