Troubleshooting: Empty Responses

Sometimes AI models return empty or incomplete responses. This guide helps you diagnose and fix these common issues.

Common Causes of Empty Responses

1. API Key Issues

Symptoms: No response, authentication errors

Solutions:

• Verify your API key is correct and active
• Check if the key has expired or been revoked
• Ensure you're using the right key for the provider
• Try generating a new API key

2. Rate Limiting

Symptoms: Intermittent empty responses, 429 errors

Solutions:

• Wait a few minutes before trying again
• Check your API usage limits
• Upgrade your API plan if needed
• Implement request throttling

3. Model Configuration

Symptoms: Responses cut off, incomplete content

Solutions:

• Increase max_tokens parameter
• Check temperature settings (try 0.7-0.9)
• Verify model availability
• Try a different model

4. Prompt Issues

Symptoms: No response, model confusion

Solutions:

• Simplify your prompt
• Be more specific about what you want
• Add examples or context
• Break complex requests into smaller parts

Debugging Steps

Step 1: Check the Console

Open your browser's developer console (F12) and look for error messages:

• Network errors - Check your internet connection
• CORS errors - Try a different browser or disable CORS protection
• API errors - Check the error message for specific issues

Step 2: Test with Simple Prompts

Try these basic prompts to test your setup:

• "Hello, can you respond?"
• "Generate a simple list of 3 items"
• "Write a short sentence about games"

Step 3: Verify Your Configuration

Check these settings in the Dashboard:

• API Key - Make sure it's correctly entered
• Provider - Verify you've selected the right provider
• Model - Ensure the model is available and supported
• Base URL - For custom providers, check the endpoint URL

Step 4: Test Different Models

If one model isn't working, try:

• Different model from same provider
• Different provider entirely
• Check provider status pages for outages

Advanced Troubleshooting

Network Issues

If you're experiencing network-related problems:

1. Check your firewall - Ensure API calls aren't being blocked
2. Try a different network - Test from a different internet connection
3. Disable VPN - Some VPNs can interfere with API calls
4. Check proxy settings - Corporate networks may have restrictions

Provider-Specific Issues

OpenAI

• Check OpenAI Status{:target="_blank"}
• Verify your account has sufficient credits
• Ensure your API key has the right permissions

DeepSeek

• Check DeepSeek Status{:target="_blank"}
• Verify your account is active
• Check if you've hit usage limits

Anthropic

• Check Anthropic Status{:target="_blank"}
• Verify your API key is valid
• Check your usage limits

Prevention Tips

Best Practices

1. Start with simple prompts - Build complexity gradually
2. Use clear, specific language - Avoid ambiguous requests
3. Provide context - Give the AI enough information to work with
4. Test regularly - Don't wait until you need it to test your setup
5. Keep backups - Save working configurations

Monitoring Your Usage

• Track API calls - Monitor your usage to avoid hitting limits
• Set up alerts - Get notified when approaching limits
• Budget management - Set spending limits if available
• Regular testing - Test your setup periodically

Getting Additional Help

If you're still experiencing issues:

1. Check our other help articles - Browse the help center for related topics
2. Contact support - Reach out to our support team
3. Community forums - Ask questions in our community
4. Documentation - Check provider-specific documentation

Quick Reference

Common Error Messages

Emergency Checklist

• ✅ API key is correct and active
• ✅ Provider is online and accessible
• ✅ Model is supported and available
• ✅ Network connection is stable
• ✅ Prompt is clear and specific
• ✅ No rate limiting or usage limits hit

For more help, see our other troubleshooting guides or contact support.