# OpenAI: Image generation unavailable in ChatGPT

- Impact (vendor’s label): major
- Status: resolved
- Started: 2026-07-21 10:36 UTC · Resolved: 2026-07-27 19:04 UTC · Duration: 6 d
- Updates: 15 · Affected components: Images, Image Generation, Image Generation, Image Generation
- [Vendor status page: https://status.openai.com/incidents/01KY23YCPJ9M5BFFT6ZHKQE9MP](https://status.openai.com/incidents/01KY23YCPJ9M5BFFT6ZHKQE9MP)
- [Company: OpenAI](https://rewindex.com/company/openai.md)

## Summary

ChatGPT image generation was unavailable with elevated errors in a major-impact incident starting 2026-07-21 10:36 UTC and resolved at 2026-07-27 19:04 UTC (recorded duration: 6 days 8 h). OpenAI applied a mitigation and reported recovery, followed by renewed errors before final recovery. _(machine-written, sol)_
## Timeline of updates

- **identified** 2026-07-21 10:36 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **monitoring** 2026-07-21 11:29 UTC: We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovery.
- **investigating** 2026-07-21 12:20 UTC: We are investigating the issue for the listed services.
- **investigating** 2026-07-21 12:22 UTC: We are investigating the issue for the listed services.
- **investigating** 2026-07-21 12:25 UTC: We are investigating the issue for the listed services.
- **investigating** 2026-07-21 12:57 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **investigating** 2026-07-21 13:31 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **identified** 2026-07-21 13:38 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **identified** 2026-07-21 14:04 UTC: We are still implementing the mitigation.
- **monitoring** 2026-07-21 14:37 UTC: We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovery.
- **monitoring** 2026-07-21 15:15 UTC: We have applied the mitigation and are monitoring the recovery.
- **resolved** 2026-07-22 02:50 UTC: All impacted services have now fully recovered.
- **investigating** 2026-07-27 14:04 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **investigating** 2026-07-27 16:52 UTC: We have identified that users are experiencing elevated errors for the impacted services. We are working on implementing a mitigation.
- **resolved** 2026-07-27 19:04 UTC: All impacted services have now fully recovered.

## Rewindex changes for this incident

- 2026-07-21 10:36 UTC: [Major incident: Image generation unavailable in ChatGPT](https://rewindex.com/change/ic764f8dd6020bd.md)


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Canonical: https://rewindex.com/company/openai/incidents/01KY23YCPJ9M5BFFT6ZHKQE9MP · Markdown: https://rewindex.com/company/openai/incidents/01KY23YCPJ9M5BFFT6ZHKQE9MP.md · JSON: https://rewindex.com/api/v1/companies/openai/incidents/01KY23YCPJ9M5BFFT6ZHKQE9MP · Generated 2026-10-18T10:46:34.211Z