Troubleshooting Guide

Claude Not Working? Fast Verification and Fixes

When Claude stops responding, the key is to quickly determine if it's a platform issue or local problem. This guide provides a systematic approach to get back to work fast.

Unknown

Live probe summary for Claude (updates every 60s on this page)

Latency

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HTTP

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Region

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Checked

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Fresh probeRefreshing…

Last updated: 2026-03-11

Quick verification sequence

  1. Check the live status monitor for Claude health indicators.
  2. Visit Anthropic's official status page for incident updates.
  3. Test in a private/incognito browser window.
  4. Try from a different network if possible.

Common root causes

  • Platform-side incident or degraded performance.
  • Session or authentication token issues.
  • Browser extension conflicts or cookie problems.
  • Regional network issues during peak traffic.

Quick local fixes worth trying

  1. Clear Claude site data only (not full browser cache).
  2. Disable browser extensions temporarily and retry.
  3. Sign out completely and sign back in.
  4. Switch to a different browser to isolate the issue.

Backup workflow

  • Switch to ChatGPT or Gemini for urgent tasks.
  • Save your prompts locally for easy retry later.
  • Check status every few minutes instead of constant refreshing.
  • Document which backup worked best for your use case.

FAQ

How can I tell if Claude is down for everyone?

Check independent status monitors and Anthropic's official status page. If both show incidents and you can reproduce the issue across different networks, it's likely platform-wide.

Should I keep retrying or switch immediately?

For time-sensitive work, switch to a backup immediately. For non-urgent tasks, wait 5-10 minutes to see if it's a brief disruption.

What's the best Claude alternative?

ChatGPT offers similar conversational depth. For long-context work, consider using GPT-4 or splitting tasks into smaller chunks.

Related pages

5-Minute Decision Matrix

SignalLikely MeaningAction Now
Claude unavailable for most usersPlatform incident likelySwitch critical flows to backup and communicate ETA uncertainty.
Only specific account/session affectedAuth/session issue likelyRe-authenticate once and retry in private mode.
Claude slow but not fully downDegraded performanceThrottle non-critical tasks and reroute priority tasks.

Incident Update Template (Copy/Paste)

[Incident update] Claude reliability issue

- Current impact: [blocked/degraded] workflows
- Scope: [team/service/region]
- Verification: live monitor + official status check completed
- Mitigation: switched critical tasks to backup assistant
- Next check-in: [UTC time in 5-10 minutes]

Evidence Checklist Before Escalation

  • Exact timestamp (UTC) and affected workflow.
  • Error message or symptom pattern (with screenshot if relevant).
  • Whether issue reproduces across browser/network/device.
  • Current live status signal and official status reference.
  • Temporary workaround status (backup provider: ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney).

Related Articles

Backup Workflow

Claude Down? Alternatives to Keep Work Moving

Fallback options and operating steps when Claude has degraded performance or is unavailable.

Outage Guide

Is Claude Down? How to Confirm Incident Scope Quickly

Use this checklist to confirm whether Claude is down and decide whether to wait, troubleshoot, or switch workflows.

Outage Guide

Claude Outage Playbook: Keep Critical Work Moving

Operational playbook for handling Claude outages with clear fallback and recovery steps.

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