The “unusual activity” message on ChatGPT: causes, affected users, and practical strategies to avoid it

A warning that signals atypical or risky behaviors and limits access to advanced features.

The “Unusual Activity Detected” message is among the most dreaded notifications for advanced ChatGPT users, especially when working in shared environments, using VPNs, or during intensive work sessions.

This is a security measure triggered by the system whenever it detects anomalous or potentially suspicious usage, which can lead to a temporary block of advanced features, a downgrade of the model, or even the request for additional verification before continuing to use the platform. Analyzing the most common causes, the most exposed user profiles, and the actions useful for resolving and preventing the warning helps optimize the user experience, avoiding interruptions and unexpected slowdowns.

The most affected user profiles are those who use the platform in advanced ways or via non-standard networks.

VPNs, public networks, and automations are much more likely to trigger the “unusual activity” warning.

The occurrence of this message is significantly higher among users who access via VPN, proxy, or anonymization systems such as iCloud Private Relay. While these tools guarantee more privacy, they generate frequent IP address changes or use IPs already associated with suspicious activities by other users, leading the system to detect traffic that does not match “normal” human usage.

Those connecting from public, university, or corporate networks may also encounter the warning more often: the reason is that dozens or even hundreds of users operate from the same IP address, giving the impression of “coordinated automation.”Other at-risk categories include developers who use macros, scraping tools, or automations for testing or data collection: a high number of closely spaced requests is often interpreted as botting and triggers security barriers. Reports also occur among users who simultaneously log in to the same account from multiple devices or different countries: this inconsistency in login patterns is seen by the system as an attempt at anomalous access or unauthorized account sharing.

User category	Reason for exposure to the warning
VPN, proxy, iCloud Private Relay	Frequent IP changes, flagged IPs
Public or corporate networks	Many users on the same IP
Developers (macros, scraping, bots)	Bursts of automated requests
Shared or multi-device accounts	Logins from different locations/devices
Users frequently changing country/IP	Inconsistent access patterns
Browsers with aggressive extensions	Scripts simulating anomalous traffic

The technical causes come from security and real-time monitoring parameters.

The system blocks activities that deviate from a “human” and regular usage scenario.

ChatGPT constantly monitors traffic flows, request frequency, and the consistency of user sessions. One of the main causes leading to the appearance of the warning is exceeding the rate limit, meaning too many prompts or refreshes in a short time. This behavior is typical of bots, macros, or automated scripts but can also happen to those who repeatedly refresh the page during slowdowns or temporary crashes.

Another triggering factor is the use of IP addresses on anti-abuse or blacklist lists: many VPN nodes, public proxies, and university gateways end up on these lists because they were used for spam, scraping, or brute-force attacks in the past.Problems with matching cookies and credentials (for example, after clearing the cache or logging in from different browsers) can desynchronize the session and trigger the automatic protection.Finally, spikes in anomalous traffic (caused by extensions, aggressive auto-reload, or repeated attempts to bypass filters) are interpreted as a potential risk and lead to the preventive suspension of the session.

Collateral symptoms help identify the nature and severity of the intervention.

Temporary blocks, model downgrades, or verification requests are common associated signals.

When “unusual activity” is detected, the system may implement a series of countermeasures proportional to the perceived risk level. In some cases, access to advanced models (like GPT‑4o) is temporarily disabled, limiting the user to GPT‑3.5 until the problem is resolved. In more severe risk situations, a password change request or activation of two-factor authentication may appear, ensuring that no identity theft attempt is in progress.

Forced logouts from all devices associated with the account are also common: a measure that interrupts the session to prevent potentially harmful activities. Some users also report the temporary loss of access to functions like file upload, image generation, or API management, symptoms indicating the activation of “Operator” defensive policies.

Collateral symptom	What it indicates
Temporary block of advanced models	Violation or insecure traffic, downgrade to GPT‑3.5
Password or 2FA request	Account takeover risk
Forced logout on all devices	Advanced protection activated
Temporary block of extra features	Security policies activated

Resolution strategies are often simple and involve network, browser, and access habits.

Disabling anonymization tools, waiting, clearing sessions, and changing device resolve the issue in most cases.

In most situations, the “unusual activity” warning can be resolved with a series of practical and easy-to-apply actions. Temporarily disabling VPN, proxy, or tools like iCloud Private Relay and reconnecting from your home or mobile network is the first recommended step. Waiting a few minutes (usually 10 to 15) allows the system to reset any limits triggered by excess requests or sudden traffic.

Clearing the browser cache and cookies or using a private/incognito window can restore the correct association between session, credentials, and device. Switching networks or moving from Wi-Fi to mobile data helps get a new, unflagged IP address, reducing the likelihood of being considered “suspicious.”Finally, it is useful to temporarily disable any extensions or plugins that might generate automatic background traffic, such as advanced ad-blockers, auto-reloaders, or automation scripts. If the problem persists, the definitive solution is to contact technical support, providing details on activity, times, and IPs used so the security team can check and unblock the situation.

Probable cause	Typical trigger	Quick remedy
VPN / Proxy	Shared or blacklisted IP	Disable and reconnect
Burst of requests	Macros, scraping, refresh loop	Wait and reduce frequency
Simultaneous logins	Account on multiple devices	Log out from other devices
Invasive extensions	Auto-reload, modified ad-blockers	Disable plugins
Policy or security flag	Critical prompts or takeover	Contact support

Preventing the block requires awareness of access habits and the tools being used.

Managing logins, avoiding aggressive automations, and keeping sessions clean drastically reduces the occurrence of the warning.

Once the workings of ChatGPT’s security checks are understood, preventing the appearance of the “unusual activity” warning becomes a matter of good practices. Limiting the use of VPN or proxies to only the most necessary cases, preferring reliable networks and stable connections, and not sharing accounts among multiple people or devices drastically reduces the likelihood of triggering checks.

Careful management of browser extensions, avoiding overly aggressive automation scripts or scraping tools, helps maintain a “human” and consistent usage pattern. Finally, getting used to regularly logging out and cleaning sessions prevents mismatches between cookies and credentials, which are often the root cause of warnings.

In corporate or large-scale contexts, the best choice remains to manage accounts and logins through centralized authentication systems, documenting any anomalies, and quickly liaising with support in case of a block.

Recommended prevention	Practical action
Avoid massive use of VPN/proxy	Connect from reliable, private networks
Don’t share accounts/devices	One device per user
Limit automations and scraping	Prefer manual use and moderate scripts
Properly manage logout/sessions	Clear cache and close old sessions
Update browsers and devices	Keep systems always up to date

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