Last updated: April 20, 2025 (Real-time verified status)
Current OpenAI Image Generation Status
As of April 20, 2025, OpenAI’s image generation services show the following availability metrics:
- DALL-E API: 99.90% uptime (minor disruptions reported on April 19)
- GPT-4o Image Generation: 99.96% uptime (stable for all users)
- New User Registration: Some delays for new users accessing video generation

Recent Changes to OpenAI’s Image Generation
On March 25, 2025, OpenAI launched 4o Image Generation, introducing significant improvements:
- Native multimodal capabilities replacing traditional DALL-E in some applications
- Free tier users now access image generation through GPT-4o (previously restricted)
- Enhanced precision and photorealism compared to DALL-E 3
While DALL-E remains available as a standalone service, GPT-4o has become the default image generator in ChatGPT interfaces.

Reported Issues (April 2025)
Multiple users have reported these issues over the past 14 days:
1. Silent Failures in DALL-E Integration
Since April 14, image generation attempts via image_gen (integrated DALL-E module) have failed silently with no error messages. Affected users receive no generated image and no explanation.
2. Processing Delays for New Users
New accounts experience extended processing times when using image generation features. OpenAI has acknowledged this issue and is applying mitigations (ongoing for 2 weeks).
3. ChatGPT Vision Limitations
On April 5, users experienced issues with ChatGPT vision features. While officially resolved, some users continue reporting intermittent problems when analyzing complex images.

How to Check DALL-E Status in Real-time
To monitor DALL-E and other OpenAI services availability:
- Visit the OpenAI Status page
- Check the “APIs” section which includes DALL-E API status
- Review the “History” tab for recent incidents and their resolution status
- Monitor the OpenAI Developer Community for user-reported issues
Pro Tip:
When experiencing image generation issues, check both the API status and the model-specific status. Sometimes only specific models within the DALL-E family experience disruptions.
Troubleshooting DALL-E Image Generation Issues
If you’re experiencing problems with DALL-E image generation:
Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
---|---|---|
No images generated (silent failure) | API service disruption or quota limits | Verify API status; check usage quotas; implement retry logic with exponential backoff |
Slow response times | System overload or new user restrictions | Implement longer timeouts; retry during off-peak hours; use alternative endpoints |
Poor quality results | Prompt engineering issues | Refine prompts with more detail; specify artistic styles; use negative prompts |
Error 429 (Too Many Requests) | Rate limit exceeded | Implement request throttling; distribute requests over time; upgrade subscription tier |

Alternative Solutions for Reliable Image Generation
To ensure consistent access to AI image generation capabilities during DALL-E outages, consider these alternatives:
Option 1: Use Third-Party API Management Services
Services like laozhang.ai provide consistent access to multiple AI image generation models through a single unified API:
- Access to multiple models including GPT-4o, DALL-E, and others
- Built-in failover mechanisms when primary services experience downtime
- Cost-effective pricing with free registration credits
- Simplified API integration with consistent response formats
curl https://api.laozhang.ai/v1/chat/completions \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer $API_KEY" \
-d '{
"model": "gpt-4o-all",
"stream": false,
"messages": [
{"role": "system", "content": "You are a helpful assistant."},
{"role": "user", "content": "Generate an image of a futuristic city."}
]
}'

Option 2: Implement Multi-Provider Strategy
For mission-critical applications, implement a fallback strategy using multiple image generation providers:
- Try primary service (e.g., DALL-E API)
- If failure occurs, automatically retry with alternative service
- Log failures and automatically adjust routing based on service health
Important:
When implementing fallback strategies, ensure your prompts are compatible across different providers. Each service may have slightly different prompt engineering requirements.
Conclusion: Ensuring Reliable Image Generation
While OpenAI’s DALL-E and GPT-4o image generation services maintain high availability (99.90%+ uptime), occasional disruptions do occur. By implementing proper monitoring, troubleshooting procedures, and fallback strategies, you can maintain consistent access to AI image generation capabilities even during service disruptions.
For the most reliable experience, consider using API management services like laozhang.ai that provide access to multiple AI models through a single consistent interface.
For personalized assistance with API integration, contact: WeChat: ghj930213