How to Fix Minified React error #185 in ChatGPT

If you’re using ChatGPT in your browser and suddenly see a white screen with a scary message like, Minified React error #185…don’t panic. This is almost always a front-end loading problem in your browser, not a hack, virus, or a sign that all your chats are gone.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what this error actually means and the exact steps to fix it for ChatGPT.

What Is “Minified React error #185”?

ChatGPT’s web interface is built with React, a popular JavaScript framework.
In production, React hides full error messages to keep the site fast, and replaces them with numbers like #185. The official React docs decode error #185 as:

Maximum update depth exceeded – which means some part of the page got stuck in an infinite update loop. React

In simple words:

• The ChatGPT page tried to update itself again and again
• React detected this loop and stopped the page to prevent your browser from freezing
• You see “Minified React error #185” instead of the normal interface

On the developer side, this is a bug in the UI logic (infinite re-render).
On the user side, the fix is usually to reset or reload how ChatGPT loads in your browser.

Why Does This Error Happen in ChatGPT?

From user reports and OpenAI support replies, this error usually means something went wrong while the ChatGPT page was loading or running in your browser.

Common triggers:

• Corrupted or outdated cache / cookies for chatgpt.com
• Browser extensions that inject scripts into pages (ad blockers, AI overlays, content filters, etc.)
• Experimental browser flags or privacy features that disturb how React measures the page (seen in other apps like Steam’s UI)
• Network hiccups causing partial loading
• A temporary bug on OpenAI’s side that only a refresh or later retry can solve

The good news: for most people, clearing site data for ChatGPT fixes it.

And no, this doesn’t delete your conversations from OpenAI’s servers – it usually just logs you out locally.

Quick Fixes: Try These First

1. Refresh the ChatGPT Page

Sometimes the loop is a one-off glitch.

• On desktop: press Ctrl + R (Windows) or Cmd + R (Mac)
• On mobile browser: pull down to refresh the page

If ChatGPT reloads normally, you’re done.

2. Hard Refresh or Clear Cache for Only ChatGPT

If a normal refresh doesn’t help, do a hard reload or clear cached files just for chatgpt.com.

Chrome / Edge (Desktop)

1. Open https://chatgpt.com
2. Click the padlock icon in the address bar
3. Choose Site settings or Cookies and site data
4. Click Clear data / Delete for this site
5. Close the tab, open a new tab, and visit https://chatgpt.com again
6. Log back in and test

Users on Reddit reported that deleting the browser cache for chatgpt.com and restarting the browser removed “Minified React error #185” for them.

On Mobile (Chrome / Edge / Brave, etc.)

1. Go to chatgpt.com
2. Tap the padlock / info icon next to the URL
3. Tap Site settings
4. Tap Clear & reset / Clear data
5. Close the browser completely and reopen it
6. Open ChatGPT again and sign back in

🔒 Will this delete my chats?
No. Your conversations are stored on OpenAI’s servers, tied to your account. Clearing local site data usually just logs you out.

3. Use an Incognito / Private Window

Incognito mode runs the browser without most stored cookies and extensions (unless you manually allowed them).

• Open New incognito window / New InPrivate window
• Visit https://chatgpt.com
• Log in
• Check if the error appears

If ChatGPT works fine in incognito, the problem is almost certainly:

• A broken or old cache / cookies, or
• A browser extension causing trouble

4. Disable Browser Extensions (Especially on Desktop)

Some extensions inject code into every page. That can conflict with React and create infinite loops.

Temporarily turn off extensions like:

• Ad blockers
• Script blockers (uMatrix, NoScript, etc.)
• Cookie pop-up blockers
• “AI enhancer” / “ChatGPT side panel” / “productivity overlay” extensions

On Chrome / Edge:

1. Go to chrome://extensions/ (or edge://extensions/)
2. Toggle off everything (or start with suspect extensions)
3. Restart the browser
4. Open ChatGPT again

If the error disappears, re-enable extensions one by one until you find the culprit.

In other React-based apps (like Steam’s UI and web dashboards), people have fixed Minified React error #185 by disabling certain flags/extensions that interfere with React’s rendering.

5. Try Another Browser or Device

To check if the issue is browser-specific:

• If you’re on Chrome, try Firefox, Edge, Brave, or Safari
• If you’re on mobile, try ChatGPT on another phone, tablet, or a laptop

If only one browser shows the error, you know the problem is local to that browser’s cache/settings.

6. Restart Your Browser and Device

Sometimes memory or background processes get stuck.

1. Close all browser windows (fully quit the app)
2. On desktop, optionally reboot your computer
3. On mobile, close the browser from the app switcher and relaunch
4. Open https://chatgpt.com again

Also Read: Can ChatGPT Listen to Audio Files? Here’s the Truth

Advanced Fixes (If It Still Won’t Go Away)

If you’ve tried everything above and still see error #185, you can dig a bit deeper.

1. Clear All Browser Cache (Global)

This is more aggressive because it affects all sites, not just ChatGPT.

• In Chrome / Edge:
  • Open Settings → Privacy & security → Clear browsing data
  • Select:
    • Cached images and files
    • (Optionally) Cookies and other site data
  • Time range: All time
  • Confirm and then restart the browser

Remember: clearing cookies will log you out of other websites too.

2. Check Experimental Browser Flags (Advanced Users)

Some browsers have experimental flags that can break React-heavy apps when turned on. For example, a Steam forum user fixed error #185 by disabling a fingerprinting protection flag in a Chromium-based browser.

If you’ve been playing with chrome://flags:

1. Go to chrome://flags in the address bar
2. Click Reset all to default
3. Relaunch the browser
4. Try ChatGPT again

Only do this if you know you changed flags earlier.

3. Check Your Network Environment

Occasionally, a corporate/VPN/proxy setup can:

• Strip or rewrite JavaScript files
• Block some requests ChatGPT needs

Try:

• Turning VPN off temporarily
• Using mobile data instead of Wi-Fi (or vice versa)
• Testing ChatGPT from a different network (home vs office)

If it only breaks on one network, you might need to talk to your network admin or change VPN/proxy settings.

When It’s Not You: OpenAI Might Be Having Issues

Sometimes, everything on your side is fine and the error is caused by a:

• New front-end deploy with a bug
• Partial outage
• Regional CDN problem

If you:

• Tried another browser
• Cleared cache
• Tested another device & network

…and ChatGPT still shows Minified React error #185 everywhere, it’s probably on OpenAI’s side.

In that case:

1. Check the ChatGPT / OpenAI status page (search “OpenAI status ChatGPT”)
2. If the outage is confirmed, wait until it’s resolved
3. You can also contact OpenAI support (Help → “Report a problem”) and mention:
   • Your browser and version
   • Device (PC / Mac / Android / iOS)
   • Screenshot of the error (if possible)

Also Read: ChatGPT Blocked at Work: How to Unblock ChatGPT Access?

For Developers: What Does Error #185 Actually Mean?

If you’re a developer curious about the real meaning:

• Official React docs decode Minified React error #185 as: “Maximum update depth exceeded. This can happen when a component repeatedly calls setState … React limits the number of nested updates to prevent infinite loops.”
• Common causes include:
  • Calling setState / a state setter inside useEffect or componentDidUpdate without proper conditions
  • Circular updates between parent and child components
  • Bad dependency arrays in hooks causing infinite re-renders

But as a ChatGPT end-user, you can’t fix the React code yourself — you can only reset the environment in your browser so it loads cleanly.

FAQ

1. Will clearing cache for ChatGPT delete my chats?

No. Your chat history lives on OpenAI’s servers, attached to your account. Clearing site data usually just:

• Logs you out of ChatGPT in that browser
• Forces the front-end to reload fresh files

Users who cleared cache for chatgpt.com reported that it logged them out, but their old conversations were still there after logging back in.

2. Is “Minified React error #185” a virus or malware?

No. It’s just React’s way of reporting that the web app UI ran into an infinite update loop. It’s an application bug or bad local state, not malware.

3. Can I stop this error from ever happening again?

You can reduce the chances by:

• Keeping your browser updated
• Avoiding unstable/experimental flags or “hacky” extensions
• Clearing site data if ChatGPT starts acting weird or slow

But if OpenAI ships a buggy front-end update, the error can still appear until they fix it.

If nothing works across multiple devices and networks, it’s likely a temporary issue on OpenAI’s side and all you can do is report it and try again later.