Bing Chat not working? Here's how you can try to fix it

Bing Chat, based on GPT, has helped turn Microsoft’s Bing search engine from an also-ran into an AI tool people genuinely care about for getting things done, or at least some casual entertainment. But even Microsoft’s billions of dollars can’t guarantee that it’ll work 24/7 — here are the tactics you should try when the chatbot isn’t responding.

How to fix Bing Chat not working

There are, of course, a variety of potential reasons Bing Chat might be failing, and we’ll touch on those as we go. But if you run through the checklist below, you’ll almost certainly solve the situation without having to know the cause of your woes.

1. Try a browser refresh. Refreshing your browser window forces it to reload Bing assets, and that may be all it takes to get back in gear. You may have to click a bit to get back to where you were, and/or log back in with your Microsoft account.
2. Check your internet connection. This might seem too obvious to say, but it’s entirely possible that your Wi-Fi, cellular, or Ethernet connection has failed since you first loaded Bing. Try improving your signal, or switching to an alternate network if one is available.
3. Switch to Microsoft Edge. While you don’t have to use Edge, since extensions for third-party browsers are available, Bing Chat is naturally designed with Microsoft’s software in mind. Using Edge could bypass bugs or compatibility issues.
4. Check server status on X. If you suspect the problem is on Microsoft’s end, not yours, scan the official Bing account on X. While it’s usually full of marketing, you may see a public service announcement if there’s server downtime.
5. Disable any VPN you have running. While VPNs are sometimes the solution to AI problems, they can also potentially interfere, since they introduce at least one extra network hop and may have special security measures in place.
6. Clear out your browser cache and cookies. Corrupted caches and cookies can prevent some sites from working properly, Bing Chat included. We recommend clearing both at the same time to save hassle.
7. Switch to the Bing mobile app or Skype. Not too surprisingly, Microsoft offers Chat access in the mobile version of Bing. In fact, Chat is the app’s key bragging point these days. If you use Skype for audio or video calls, you can also access the chatbot that way.
8. Wait it out. It could be that the issue is as simple as servers being overloaded. We’d recommend waiting at least 5 to 15 minutes if you think that’s what’s going on, but if you’re still not having any luck, you may need to wait an hour or more. If your prompt isn’t urgent, come back later in the day.
9. Create a new Microsoft account. We’d actually recommend against this, since one way or another, it’s going to be inconvenient later on. It’s possible however that your regular account is being unintentionally blocked. If the block was on purpose and Microsoft has issued you some sort of warning, just move on — trying to circumvent a ban is going to land you in even hotter water if you’re caught. Other chatbots are available.