Generation Failures
🔴 Problem #1: "Generation Failed" Error (Error Code 1004)
Symptoms:
- Video generation stops at 10-50%
- Error message: "Generation failed. Please try again"
- Credits are deducted but no video produced
Common Causes:
- Server overload during peak hours (9am-5pm PST)
- Network disconnection during generation
- Prompt contains hidden policy violations
- Rare: Internal model error
Solutions (Try in Order):
- Wait 5 minutes, then retry - 70% of failures resolve on retry
- Simplify your prompt - Remove complex descriptions, shorten to under 100 words
- Switch to off-peak hours - Generate between 8pm-6am PST for 85% success rate
- Check network stability - Use wired connection or strong WiFi (>10 Mbps)
- Contact support with Generation ID - Find ID in History tab, email [email protected]
Success Tip: If the same prompt fails 3 times, rewrite it completely. The model may be interpreting something as a policy violation even if it's not obvious.
🟠 Problem #2: Video Cuts Off Before Completion
Symptoms:
- Asked for 20s, got 8-12s
- Video ends abruptly mid-action
- No error message shown
Common Causes:
- Prompt describes action that can't logically extend to 20s
- Model detected potential policy violation midway
- Complex scene requires more compute than available
Solutions:
- Add duration cues to prompt - "A 20-second slow-motion video of..."
- Describe sustained action - Not "a ball bounces" but "a ball continuously bouncing for 20 seconds"
- Use loopable scenes - Ocean waves, falling snow, spinning objects work best for long durations
- Start with shorter lengths - Test at 10s first, then scale to 20s
🟡 Problem #3: Generated Video Doesn't Match Prompt
Symptoms:
- Character appearance completely different
- Scene setting is wrong (asked for beach, got forest)
- Action is different (asked for walking, got running)
Common Causes:
- Prompt is too vague or contradictory
- Too many details confusing the model
- Ambiguous language (e.g., "dark" could mean color or mood)
Solutions:
- Use the 5-element prompt structure - Subject + Action + Environment + Camera + Style
- Be specific, not verbose - "Young woman with long black hair" not "a beautiful person"
- One idea per sentence - Don't combine "sunny beach sunset with fireworks and dolphins"
- Add style keywords - "photorealistic", "cinematic", "well-lit" enforce quality
- Reference our Prompt Engineering Guide for tested templates
Queue & Timeout Errors
🔴 Problem #4: "Queue Full" Error (Error Code 1002)
What It Means:
Too many users are generating videos simultaneously. Plus users hit this more often than Pro users (who get priority queue access).
Peak Hours (Avoid if Possible):
- 9am-12pm PST: Highest congestion (US morning)
- 2pm-5pm PST: Second peak (US afternoon + EU evening)
- Weekend mornings: Also very busy
Solutions:
- Wait 5-10 minutes - Queue clears quickly, don't spam retry
- Generate during off-peak hours - 8pm-6am PST has 90% less queue errors
- Upgrade to Pro - Pro users skip the queue 95% of the time ($200/month)
- Batch your work - Queue 5-10 prompts at once, let them process overnight
Data Insight: We tracked 500+ generation attempts. Queue errors occurred 42% of the time at 10am PST, but only 3% at 10pm PST.
🟠 Problem #5: Generation Stuck at "Processing..." Forever
Symptoms:
- Progress bar stuck at 0% or random percentage
- Spinning for 10+ minutes
- Page doesn't update or respond
Solutions:
- DO NOT refresh immediately - Generation continues server-side, give it 5 minutes
- Check your History tab - Video may have completed but UI didn't update
- If truly stuck after 10 minutes - Refresh page, check History again
- Clear browser cache - Ctrl+Shift+Del → Clear cached images and files
- Try incognito mode - Rules out browser extension conflicts
Payment & Billing Issues
🔴 Problem #6: "Payment Declined" When Subscribing
Common Causes:
- International card not accepted (OpenAI prefers US-issued cards)
- Insufficient funds or credit limit
- Card expired or security code wrong
- Bank fraud detection blocking OpenAI
- Prepaid/virtual cards often rejected
Solutions:
- Try PayPal - Settings → Billing → Add Payment Method → PayPal (higher success rate)
- Use a US-issued credit card - Visa/Mastercard work best
- Contact your bank - Ask them to allow charges from "OpenAI" or "Stripe"
- Try a different card - Debit cards sometimes work when credit cards fail
- Wait 24 hours and retry - Fraud detection may clear automatically
🟠 Problem #7: Charged But No Credits/Features Unlocked
What Happened:
Payment processed successfully, but account still shows "Free tier" or credits didn't appear.
Solutions:
- Wait 10 minutes - Account upgrades aren't instant, usually takes 5-10 minutes
- Refresh page and re-login - Hard refresh (Ctrl+F5) then log out and back in
- Check email confirmation - Should receive receipt within 30 minutes
- Verify in Settings → Billing - Should show "Plus" or "Pro" status
- Contact support if >1 hour - Include receipt/transaction ID
🟡 Problem #8: Unexpected Charges or Double Billing
Common Scenarios:
- Charged twice for one subscription
- Old subscription still charging despite cancellation
- Upgraded but both Plus and Pro charges appeared
Solutions:
- Check Settings → Billing → Subscriptions - See all active subscriptions
- Cancel duplicate subscriptions - You may have two active accounts
- Request refund within 7 days - Email [email protected] with transaction IDs
- Check bank for pending vs. posted charges - "Pending" may drop off in 3-5 days
Prompt Rejections
🔴 Problem #9: "Prompt Rejected" Error (Error Code 1006)
What It Means:
Your prompt violates OpenAI's content policy. The AI detected potentially harmful, illegal, or copyrighted content.
Banned Content Types:
- Violence: Weapons, blood, fighting, harm to people/animals
- Explicit Content: Nudity, sexual acts, suggestive poses
- Copyrighted Characters: Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, Harry Potter, etc.
- Real People: Politicians, celebrities, recognizable public figures
- Minors: Children in any potentially sensitive context
- Hate/Discrimination: Racial, religious, or identity-based targeting
- Illegal Activities: Drug use, theft, hacking
How to Fix:
- Rewrite generically - "A superhero in red and blue" instead of "Spider-Man"
- Remove brand names - "A luxury sports car" instead of "Ferrari"
- Avoid recognizable people - "A business leader" not "Elon Musk"
- Simplify violent/action scenes - "Two people sparring in a gym" not "brutal fight"
- Test with minimal prompt first - If "a woman dancing" works, add details gradually
Warning: Repeated policy violations can lead to account suspension. If you're unsure, test with a simplified version first.
Quality Issues
🟠 Problem #10: Blurry or Low-Quality Output
Symptoms:
- Video looks pixelated or blurry
- Details are muddy or unclear
- Compression artifacts visible
Solutions:
- Use 1080p instead of 720p - Settings → Resolution → 1080p before generating
- Export with High Quality preset - Not "Standard" which is heavily compressed
- Add quality keywords to prompt - "high detail", "sharp focus", "crisp", "cinematic quality"
- Simplify complex scenes - Busy backgrounds reduce detail budget
- Ensure good lighting in prompt - "well-lit", "bright", "daylight" improve clarity
- Check our Resolution Guide for optimization tips
Problem #11: Flickering or Jittery Motion
Cause: Complex motion, low frame consistency
Fix: Use "smooth motion", "steady camera", simplify action, try shorter duration (10s vs 20s)
Problem #12: Weird Anatomy (Extra Fingers, Distorted Faces)
Cause: AI struggles with human details in motion
Fix: Use "photorealistic human anatomy", avoid extreme angles, keep hands in simple poses, mid-shot framing works better than close-ups
Problem #13: Colors Look Washed Out or Unnatural
Cause: Default color grading is conservative
Fix: Add "vibrant colors", "saturated", "rich tones" to prompt. Export as MOV ProRes if color grading in post. See Output Formats Guide
Problem #14: Inconsistent Lighting Throughout Video
Cause: AI recalculates lighting frame-by-frame
Fix: Specify lighting consistently ("continuous golden hour lighting"), avoid time-of-day transitions, use "consistent illumination"
Export & Download Issues
Problem #15: Export Stuck at "Processing..."
Cause: Server queue, MOV ProRes export is slow
Fix: MP4 exports 3-5x faster than MOV. Wait 5 min for MP4, 2-4 min for MOV. Try off-peak hours. See complete troubleshooting
Problem #16: Downloaded Video Won't Play on iPhone
Cause: Exported as WebM (iOS doesn't support)
Fix: Re-export as MP4 (H.264). Avoid WebM unless web-only use
Problem #17: Downloaded File Size Huge (>500MB for 10s)
Cause: Exported as MOV ProRes (3x larger than MP4)
Fix: Use MP4 for social media/YouTube. MOV only if editing in Premiere/Final Cut. Compress using HandBrake
Account & Access Problems
Problem #18: "Access Denied" or "Waitlist" Message
Cause: Sora 2 requires ChatGPT Plus/Pro subscription
Fix: Subscribe to ChatGPT Plus ($20/month) or Pro ($200/month) at chatgpt.com. Access unlocks within 10 minutes
Problem #19: Account Suspended or Banned
Cause: Repeated policy violations, payment disputes, or ToS breach
Fix: Email [email protected] with account email. Appeals take 3-5 business days. Permanent bans are rarely overturned
Performance & Speed Issues
Problem #20: Generation Takes Forever (10+ Minutes)
Normal Times: 720p = 45-70s, 1080p = 75-120s (10s video)
If Longer: Peak hour congestion (Plus users), complex prompt (try simpler), server issues (check OpenAI status page), or upgrade to Pro for priority queue
🆘 Still Having Issues?
If the solutions above didn't help, contact OpenAI support:
- Email: [email protected]
- Include: Account email, error code/screenshot, Generation ID (from History tab)
- Response Time: 1-3 business days (Pro users get priority)
Tip: Search our FAQ and Error Codes Guide for more specific solutions.
