If you are a regular ChatGPT user, chances are you've encountered the error code 1020 at one time or another. What is this code, and what does it mean? For starters, the error code 1020 is often triggered - by a website you're trying to access - in response to irregular browsing behaviors.
Getting this error message mid-way through work is frustrating and stalls your work. We know and can relate! Another thing we also know is how to fix it. We will address the different ways to fix ChatGPT error code 1020 and an alternative you can try if these measures don't work. But before then, let's get more insights into what error code 1020 is about and what causes it.
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What Does the Error Code 1020 on ChatGPT Really Mean?
The error code 1020 access denied is an HTTP error code that pops up when a website you are trying to access identifies your IP address as malicious. ChatGPT is a popular service among businesses, students, and working professionals. Thus, its servers get overwhelmed sometimes. The service experiences downtime when this happens. Unfortunately, some of these slowdowns are not triggered by legitimate users but by malicious actors in coordinated denial-of-service (DOS) attacks.
ChatGPT tries to protect itself from these attacks using a firewall that checks your IP address and browser to confirm you're a legitimate user. This happens in the background when you see the message "Please stand by, we're checking your browser." If your browsing sessions seem normal, you should be granted access. However, if there have been multiple requests from your IP address within a short period, the firewall might mistake you for a bot. This is when you get the "Error 1020: Access denied" error message.
What causes ChatGPT Error Code 1020?
These are some of the most common reasons why you might get an error code 1020 when using ChatGPT.
IP Address block
This is the most common cause of the chat.openai.com access denied. It happens when the service blocks your address due to excessive use in a single day or suspicion of malicious activity from the address.
VPN-related issues
ChatGPT might block your IP address if you try to access the service using a VPN. This may happen if the VPN is popular among cyber attackers or famous for malicious activities.
Proxy server issues
This is another popular reason behind this error. The error could be triggered if you are using a proxy server and the server has some issues.
Bad requests
Sometimes, the error is a result of bad requests. Bad requests occur when there are missing required parameters or incorrect API calls on your browser, grossly affecting the way requests are being formed and sent to the server.
How to Fix the ChatGPT Access Denied 1020 Error?
There are multiple ways of resolving this error message depending on the cause of the problem in the first place.
Enable or disable your VPN
You can check if your IP address has been blacklisted using online tools like IPvoid.com or WhatIsMyIPAddress.com. A reasonable thing to do, supposing your IP address was blocked, is change it.
With a VPN, you can create a faux address. This way, you appear to the service to be accessing the service from a different location. Using a VPN is one of the easiest ways to bypass IP-related restrictions.
If you were using a VPN and got the error code, there's a chance that your VPN's IP address has been blocked. In this case, we recommend turning off the VPN and refreshing the website.
Disable browser extensions
Your browser extensions or add-ins can interfere with your ChatGPT functionalities. You can check if this is the case by opening the ChatGPT service in an incognito window in your browser. An extension on your browser is the likely culprit if ChatGPT opens in the incognito window.
If so, disable all extensions in your browser. Then, begin enabling the extensions one after the other to identify the problematic one. Once identified, remove it from your browser, and the issue should be resolved.
Clear browser cookies
Saved cookies on your browser may be causing the issue. If so, clearing the cookies should resolve the error message. Cookies are small blocks of data a web server creates when browsing to uniquely identify your device to a network, in this case, ChatGPT.
You can clear your browser cookies using the following steps. We will be using Google Chrome for this illustration.
Go to your browser settings and click the privacy and security tab. On the right panel, you will find "Cookies and other site data." Click it, and you will be redirected to a new page. Search out chat.openai.com. You will see its data and a delete button by the side. Hit it, and your ChatGPT cache is cleared.
Use a different web browser
Try using another browser on your computer if the issue still persists. You can also try using a different phone if you access the site via mobile. If it goes through using another browser, you can be sure your previous browser had a problem. Reset the browser to fix the problem.
Use another internet connection
Your internet connection may be the culprit, and the only way to figure this out is to switch to a different internet connection to see if the error goes away. Establish another internet connection by connecting your PC to a different Wi-Fi network.
Check for ChatGPT downtime
Even though this is rarely the case, we cannot completely rule it out. ChatGPT, like every other service out there, may experience some outages. It is possible you are not the only one seeing a downtime problem. You can take a look at OpenAI’s server status or check their social media page to see if there are any disclaimers regarding the error.
Give it some time
Sometimes, you must wait it out and concentrate on other things you need to get done. As we have discussed, the problem might be that the service has gotten too many requests from you within a short period. You can move on to other things on your work schedule and return to it later. This is the simplest fix.
ChatGPT is great at what it does, but the error 1020 and other reported associated errors can be off-putting. We recommend using an alternative like HIX Chat if you do not want to struggle with these errors.
HIX Chat: The Best ChatGPT Alternative
If you are looking for faster, simpler, and more stable AI chatting services, consider HIX Chat, one of the best ChatGPT alternatives out there. Let’s take a look at how HIX Chat should be your next AI companion.
Always Stable Services/No Error 1020 Issues
HIX Chat has a very stable service, and you should expect zero 1020 errors at all times. This is not because the service doesn't use a traditional firewall. Rather, the adaptive security measure allows it to clearly distinguish between a bot and regular human activities. Also, the service can handle high-volume requests simultaneously.
Accessible via Web App & Browser extension
HIX Chat can be accessed via the web or integrated into your browser via extensions available for both Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome browsers. When integrated into your browser, you can access HIX Chat from the extension’s convenient sidebar to make queries and interact with it like you would with ChatGPT.
Web Access
ChatGPT, as you probably already know, only provides answers based on training data from before September 2021. HIX Chat, on the other hand, has access to real-time internet search data. Thus, it can answer your queries based on current articles, research papers, news, and happenings. Its resource base comprises billions of reliable and authoritative sources so that you can expect accurate replies to your questions.
File Reading & File-based Conversation
HIX Chat has a read-file feature. This is how it works. You can upload a PDF or Doc file, ask the chatbot to read and understand it, and then ask questions about its contents. You may also ask it to summarize the content within the document. Trials have shown it does a great job of picking out key points that highlight the essence of the content.
YouTube Video Summary
HIX Chat can also summarize a YouTube video once you supply its URL. This can save you hours of video watching just to bring out a line or two of information. This is also useful if you need to quickly brush through a video to know if it has what you need.
Fetch Web Content
HIX Chat can also summarize text content from any web page. Just give HIX Chat a URL, it will read, understand, and provide a summary of the page. You can also ask it to draw certain excerpts from the page, relate it to another content, or discuss a section of the page with it.
