Don’t panic if you see the “Unusual activity has been detected from your device. Try again later” message on your ChatGPT screen. At first glance, the wording might mislead you into thinking there is a problem with your device. However, after investigating, we found that this is actually a security measure implemented by OpenAI to protect against abuse, often triggered by suspicious network activities (like automated bots). In most cases, the message disappears within 5 to 10 minutes without any action required on your part. If you are unable to chat and persistently see the message, here are the reasons why the error appears and the most effective ways to fix it.
Why Does This Error Appear?
The error can occur whether you use the web interface, mobile app, or desktop app, as it primarily arises due to suspicious network activities. If OpenAI’s servers detect unusual behavior, access may be temporarily restricted, and the message will appear with an error code as shown in the below picture:
Here are some common reasons for the error:
- Using a VPN or proxy server.
- Sending too many requests in a short period (possibly through automated scripts or browser tools).
- Multiple users sharing the same public IP address.
- Browser extensions interfering with requests.
- Suspicious network traffic originating from your internet connection.
Fortunately, most of these issues are easy to resolve.
1. Disable Your VPN or Proxy
VPNs are one of the most common causes of this error (and is also the problem in our case). Unless you have a dedicated IP, you share the same server IP address used by thousands of other users. If that IP has been flagged due to excessive traffic, ChatGPT may temporarily block it.
- Disconnect your VPN or turn off any proxy service. Close the ChatGPT app (or log out of the browser window) and try connecting directly through your normal internet connection.
- If you must use a VPN, try switching to a different server.
2. Sign Out and Sign Back In
If the error message is persistent and does not go away, try signing out of your account and closing the browser or ChatGPT app. Relaunch the browser or app and sign in again. This refreshes your authentication session and may resolve temporary chat glitches.
3. Restart Your Router
If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) assigns dynamic IP addresses, restarting your modem or router may give you a new public IP address.
- Turn off your router and wait for about one minute.
- Turn it back on and reconnect to the internet.
- Open ChatGPT again.
This often resolves issues caused by a temporarily blocked IP.
4. Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
If the problem occurs in your browser, corrupted cookies or cached data may interfere with authentication, even after you have waited a while. Open an Incognito or Private window and visit ChatGPT. If it works there, the issue is likely related to browser cookies, cached data, or an installed extension.
To delete your browser’s cached data:
- Press Control + Shift + Delete (Windows) or Command + Shift + Delete (Mac) to open the browsing data pop-up in most popular browsers like Chrome and Edge.
- Select cached files and cookies and delete them.
- Close and relaunch the browser, then sign in.
You don’t necessarily need to clear all browsing data. Removing data specific to ChatGPT is often enough. To do this, go to your browser’s settings page and only delete the stored items for ChatGPT/OpenAI.
5. Check Your Browser Extensions and Settings
If clearing cached data does not work, the problem might originate from your browser.
- Update your browser to the latest version and restart it before trying again.
- Temporarily disable extensions such as ad blockers, privacy tools, script blockers, user-agent switchers, or any other automation extensions, as these can sometimes modify web requests. Retry ChatGPT after disabling them.
- Sometimes the problem is browser-specific. To confirm this, try accessing ChatGPT in another browser. If it works there, the issue is likely related to your original browser’s settings. You can reset the browser and try again.
Note: Resetting your browser will delete all your customizations and settings. Only try that if you understand the consequences. Learn more on how to reset Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari on Mac.
6. Check Whether ChatGPT is Experiencing Service Issues
Although the message shows a device error, sometimes the problem isn’t on your end. If ChatGPT is experiencing heavy traffic or a service disruption, temporary security messages may appear. Check the official OpenAI status page to see if there are any ongoing incidents affecting the service. If yes, wait for the issue to be resolved by OpenAI.
7. Change Your Network
Your current network may have a blocked or rate-limited IP address.
- Try switching to mobile data, another Wi-Fi network, or a different internet provider.
- If ChatGPT works on another connection, your original network is likely the cause.
- You may need to contact your ISP to fix the issue (they might assign a different IP range for you).
8. Avoid Sending Too Many Requests
Rapidly refreshing pages or submitting prompts continuously can trigger temporary rate limits. 429 – Too Many Requests is the standard HTTP status code you will see in such scenarios. However, ChatGPT may show the generic “Unusual activity has been detected…” message instead.
- On the browser, avoid refreshing ChatGPT repeatedly and opening too many ChatGPT tabs.
- Stop sending prompts every few seconds and avoid using automated tools that interact with ChatGPT.
- Wait a while before trying again.
9. Scan Your Device for Malware
Although uncommon, malware can generate suspicious network traffic. Run a scan using your antivirus software and remove any detected threats. Keeping your operating system and browser updated also improves overall security.
10. Contact OpenAI Support
If none of the above solutions work and the error continues, note down the error code that appears alongside the message and contact OpenAI support. You can reach them through chat or WhatsApp and include the following when reporting the issue:
- The exact error message with the error code.
- Your browser name and version (or the app version).
- Your operating system.
- Whether you are using a VPN.
- The approximate time the issue started.
Providing these details can help their team identify the cause more quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In most cases, this is a temporary security restriction rather than an account ban.
It varies. Many users regain access within a few minutes, while some restrictions may remain for several hours depending on the detected activity.
Restarting your computer alone usually doesn’t resolve the issue, but restarting your router or changing networks can help if the problem is related to your IP address.
Yes. Shared VPN servers are one of the most common causes because many users access ChatGPT through the same IP address.
Usually not. If the restriction is based on your IP address or network, creating another account is unlikely to solve the issue.
Final Thoughts
The “Unusual activity has been detected from your device. Try again later.” message is similar to the CAPTCHA verifications you might see elsewhere on the internet. In most cases, disabling a VPN or switching to another network resolves the problem quickly. If those don’t work, work through the other suggestions listed above. If the issue persists for an extended period despite trying these solutions, contacting OpenAI Support is the best next step.
