Character AI has been pretty stable lately. Response times usually land between 12-42ms, and when outages do happen, they tend to last 30-60 minutes. Login problems typically fix themselves within about 4 minutes. So if you’re staring at a loading screen right now, the odds are decent it’ll resolve on its own — but here’s how to check and what else you can try.
Is Character AI actually down right now?
Before you start troubleshooting on your end, check whether the problem is on their side. A few sites track this in real time:
- StatusGator — tracks individual service components and posts incident reports
- IncidentHub — lets you set up alerts so you get notified when something breaks
- IsItDownRightNow — quick check from multiple server locations worldwide
- Down For Everyone Or Just Me — does exactly what the name says
If those sites show everything as operational and you still can’t connect, the problem is probably on your end.
Fixes to try on your end
Server-side issues usually come from one of three things: scheduled maintenance, traffic spikes, or regional outages. But if the status pages look fine, try these steps:
1. Clear your browser cache and cookies. This fixes the problem more often than you’d expect. Corrupted cached data can prevent the site from loading properly.
2. Open an incognito/private window. This rules out browser extensions causing conflicts. If Character AI works in incognito but not normally, one of your extensions is the culprit.
3. Test your internet connection. Try loading a few other sites. If everything else is slow too, the issue isn’t Character AI.
4. Switch devices or networks. Try your phone’s cellular data instead of Wi-Fi, or vice versa. This helps identify whether it’s a network-specific block.
About the content filter rumors
There have been recurring rumors that Character AI removed or relaxed its NSFW filter. That’s not accurate — the platform still filters explicit content. The moderation system is active and hasn’t been rolled back, according to Quantum IT Innovation’s investigation.
Alternatives while you wait
If Character AI is genuinely down and you need something similar in the meantime, a few options exist: NovelAI focuses more on creative writing. Pygmalion is open-source and community-driven. Janitor AI offers more character customization. None of them are identical to Character AI, but they can fill the gap during an outage.