Is Chat GPT showing this error message, “Access denied. Error code 1020”?
ChatGPT is an AI developed by OpenAI that interacts in a conversational manner.
It’s able to answer follow-up questions, deny inappropriate requests, and make assumptions.
It’s a company that develops and promotes advanced AI technology.
The goal of OpenAI is to create safe AI that helps humanity and to advance AI research.
It was founded by Elon Musk and Sam Altman in 2015 in San Francisco, California.
In this guide, you’ll learn why does ChatGPT say access denied and how to fix error code 1020 (by Cloudflare).
Why does ChatGPT say access denied?

ChatGPT says access denied because your country is restricted from accessing the service.
Restricted countries include China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and others.
In some cases, a VPN might cause the “Access denied” error.
Disconnecting from your VPN can fix the issue if ChatGPT is available in your country.
Here are some of the users’ comments, “I managed to log in by disconnecting my VPN”.
“When I turned off my VPN, I was able to access ChatGPT again”.
How to fix ChatGPT error code 1020
To fix ChatGPT error code 1020, you can try connecting to a VPN.
If you’re already connected to a VPN but you’re still facing the error, try disconnecting your VPN instead.
Otherwise, you can try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies.
A Chrome extension can also cause ChatGPT to not work, so you need to remove unwanted or suspicious extensions.
Fix 1: Connect to a VPN / disconnect your VPN

Connect to a VPN:
- For mobile devices: Install a free VPN app like VPN – Proxy Unlimited Shield and connect to another country’s VPN.
- For a PC: Install a free VPN app like Proton VPN and connect to another country’s VPN.
Disconnect your VPN:
- In some cases, a VPN might cause the “Access denied” error.
- If you’re already connected to a VPN but you’re still getting the 1020 error code, disconnect your VPN instead and try to log in to ChatGPT again.
Fix 2: Clear your browser’s cache and cookies

- Chrome: Chrome > Three Dots > More Tools > Clear browsing data > Cookies and other site data + Cached images and files > Clear data.
- Edge: Edge > Three Dots > Settings > Privacy & services > Choose what to clear > Cached images and files + Cookies and other site data > Clear.
- Firefox: Firebox > Menu > Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data > Clear.
Fix 3: Remove your Chrome extensions
- Open Chrome and click on the three dots (on the right of the URL field).
- Select “More Tools” and select “Extensions”.
- Select “Remove” next to unwanted or suspicious extensions.
Note: Some Chrome extensions can cause ChatGPT to not work, so you need to remove them.
Further reading
How to Fix “An error occurred” on ChatGPT
How to Fix “We’re experiencing exceptionally high demand” in ChatGPT