# Is Character.AI down? How to check, and what to use meanwhile

How to tell whether Character.AI is down for everyone or just you, the usual fixes, and a backup chat you can use right now with your own characters.

## Short answer

First find out whether it is down for everyone: open character.ai in a private window on another network, and check whether other people are reporting it on X or Reddit right now. If it is down for everyone, you can only wait. If it works elsewhere, the problem is usually your session, app version or network. Meanwhile you can continue a character here: paste its description into [Unrestricted AI](/chat) (50 free messages a day).




## Fixes when it is only you



- Log out and back in; expired sessions are the most common cause of endless loading.
- Update the app, or try the website in a private window to rule out extensions and cache.
- Switch network (Wi-Fi to mobile data). Some school and work networks block chat sites.
- If one chat fails but others work, that chat may be too long; start a new chat with the same character.


## Keep a backup of your characters

Copy each character’s definition and the key facts of your story somewhere safe. Character.AI filed for Chapter 11 on 12 Oct 2026; see our [Character.AI alternative](/character-ai-alternative) guide for how to move.




## FAQ

**Why does Character.AI say "something went wrong"?**

Usually a server-side incident (other users will be reporting it too) or an expired session (log out and back in).

**Do I need to be 18?**

Yes. Our [terms](/terms) require users to be at least 18.

**Can I use my own characters?**

Yes. Paste a character description into the chat, or use our API as the backend for SillyTavern or JanitorAI and keep your existing character cards. See [SillyTavern setup](/learn/sillytavern-custom-openai-endpoint) and [JanitorAI proxy setup](/learn/janitorai-proxy-setup).

## Sources

- [Character.AI (checked 9 Nov 2026)](https://character.ai/)

Canonical: https://tryunrestrictedai.com/character-ai-down