ChatGPT FAQ: Unable to Send Messages, Models Unavailable, and Frequent CAPTCHA Prompts

When using ChatGPT, what most affects the experience is often not the features, but “messages won’t send,” “the model can’t be used,” and “it keeps asking for verification.” This article breaks down common symptoms by scenario and provides a troubleshooting order you can follow immediately to avoid detours as much as possible.

1. ChatGPT can’t send messages or shows a request error

First check whether it’s a temporary glitch: refresh the page, log out and back into ChatGPT, then retry the same message. If it keeps showing errors like “Something went wrong,” prioritize switching network environments or switching to mobile data to rule out local network blocking or instability.

Next, check the browser: disable ad blockers and script-related extensions, then open ChatGPT in an incognito/private window. If it still doesn’t work, clear the site cache and cookies (only for ChatGPT-related sites is enough). Many cases of “can’t send messages” are actually due to an expired old session token.

2. ChatGPT models unavailable, empty dropdown list, or switching fails

Model list issues are usually caused by account status or incomplete loading of page resources. First confirm whether ChatGPT can normally load the sidebar and chat history; if page elements are missing, try a hard refresh (Windows: Ctrl+F5 / Mac: Cmd+Shift+R).

If the interface is visible but model switching keeps failing, try starting a new conversation instead of repeatedly switching within an old one. When a conversation context is large, ChatGPT is more likely to get stuck during model switching and context restoration.

3. Frequent CAPTCHA prompts / repeated verification during login—what to do

Frequent CAPTCHAs on ChatGPT are commonly caused by too many changes in the login environment: switching back and forth across multiple devices in a short time, frequently changing networks, or overly strict browser privacy settings. Try to stick to one commonly used browser and network and allow necessary cookies; otherwise, ChatGPT may treat you as a “constantly changing login device.”

If you use a proxy, privacy network, or corporate gateway, avoid repeatedly switching nodes in a short period. Node changes significantly increase the likelihood that ChatGPT will trigger verification. You can also log in once using the official app and then return to the web version; verification usually becomes much more stable.

4. Chats not showing, history disappearing, or endless loading spinner

First confirm it’s not a local display issue: log out and then log back into ChatGPT to see whether the history returns. If only one or two chats won’t open, that chat may have failed to load; try copying the chat link and opening it in a new window, or recover key content from “Export data” backups.

If the sidebar is completely blank but starting a new chat works, it’s often a sync delay. In this case, don’t keep refreshing and making things worse—wait a few minutes and try again. Also check whether the browser is blocking third-party scripts or has overly aggressive tracking protection, which can block the requests for ChatGPT’s history list.