Error messages in the chat

Big-AGI retries most transport failures on its own. When an operation stops anyway - an overloaded server, a network drop, a protocol change - the chat message carries the reason.

Errors arrive at three points: connecting, when servers are overloaded; streaming, on an abrupt disconnection; and decoding, when an AI service changes its protocol. The index below maps the exact string to its fix.

Identify the issue class

The message starts with	What failed
[<Vendor> issue]:	The AI service answered and refused the call.
[<Vendor> network issue]: Could not connect:	Nothing answered - the Big-AGI server could not reach that address.
Missing <Vendor> API Key	No credential reached the request: yours, or the one your deployment supplies.
**network error**	Your own browser connection.
**connection terminated**	The server in front of Big-AGI cut a live stream.
**upstream dropped**	The AI service closed the socket mid-answer.
**Request too large**	A size limit in front of the app, before any AI service saw it.
**Network issue**: The network returned an HTML page	Something between you and the app: a Wi-Fi sign-in page, a proxy, an extension.
Sync not available · Storage quota exceeded · Unknown feature status	Your Big-AGI account, never the AI service.

Then fix it: refresh the model list (Ctrl + Shift + M -> Models), retry the model, or switch to another model - at the same vendor, or a different one.

Key and access issues

What you see	What it means	Fix
[OpenAI issue] Unauthorized: Incorrect API key.	The AI service rejected the credential - any OpenAI-compatible service can emit this exact string	Key & access
Upstream responded with HTTP 401 Unauthorized	The key arrived and was refused	Key & access
Upstream responded with HTTP 403 Forbidden	The key is accepted; this account may not do this	Key & access
Gemini: Check API key restrictions in Google Cloud Console	A referrer restriction on the key, not a bad key	Key & access
Missing <Vendor> API Key. Add it on the UI or server side (your deployment).	No credential reached the request - one string per vendor, one cause	Key & access
An error occurred. Please check your API Key. · An error occurred. Please check your server.	The setup panel's fallback when the service's own text was unusable	Key & access
A key that looks right in the field and still fails	The field checks length only; it never tests the key	Keep your key safe
Cloudflare AI Gateway API Host is not valid. · Cloudflare AI Gateway only supports OpenAI as a provider.	The gateway URL is malformed, or points at an upstream that path does not serve	Custom endpoints
Direct Connection is on and every request fails	The AI service accepts the setting and refuses the browser call	Key & access
The Direct Connection row is absent for a service	That service does not permit browser calls at all	Direct Connection
This sign-in link has already been used or has expired. and the other sign-in refusals	Your Big-AGI account, not an AI service	Account & Pro

AI service issues

What you see	What it means	Fix
429 Too Many Requests · rate_limit_exceeded	Too fast. Four automatic attempts already made; waiting works	Key & access
You exceeded your current quota · insufficient_quota	Out of money or allowance. Never retried - waiting changes nothing	Key & access
Insufficient balance or no resource package · credit balance is exhausted	A prepaid balance at zero	Key & access
Request too large for <model> ... Limit <n>, Requested <n>	One request exceeds the per-minute token limit; retrying cannot help	Key & access
rate limit of 0 input tokens per minute	Your organisation has no access to that model	Key & access
A free tier that stopped answering part-way through a session	A speed limit, not a spending cap	Key & access
Several Beam cards failing at the same moment	One rate limit hitting parallel calls	Key & access
Spend landed slightly above the cap you set	Enforcement at the AI service lags behind usage	Expected: the console usage page is the ledger
The balance keeps topping itself up	Auto top-up is on at the AI service	Switch it off in the service's billing page
Big-AGI's total disagrees with the invoice	The in-app figure is a local estimate priced from a catalogue that can lag	The invoice is authoritative
Missing tokens for pricing · Model pricing not available · Incomplete Message - Partial Cost	The cost display saying it cannot price this one	Cosmetic - the answer itself is complete

Network issues

What you see	What it means	Fix
An unexpected issue occurred: **network error**. · An issue occurred: **network error**	Your own connection dropped, mid-answer or before the request left	Stalled or cut off
An unexpected issue occurred: **connection terminated**.	The server in front of Big-AGI closed a live stream	Stalled or cut off
The AI provider interrupted mid-stream: **upstream dropped**.	The AI service closed the socket	Stalled or cut off
**Request too large**: Your message or attachments exceed the request size limit of the server.	A size limit in front of the app	Stalled or cut off
**Network issue**: The network returned an HTML page instead of expected data.	A sign-in page, proxy or extension answered instead of Big-AGI	Stalled or cut off
🧱 Token limit hit. with a Continue... button	The reply reached its output limit. Not an error	Stalled or cut off
Issue: <message> appended to a reply	The request started and then failed	Stalled or cut off
Issue: no model selected. · Issue: no history available. · Issue: no URL provided.	A precondition, not a failure	Stalled or cut off
An unexpected error occurred: <text> Please retry. · An unexpected issue occurred: <text> Please retry.	A transport or stream-processing failure with no classification	Stalled or cut off
No model selected on a Beam card · Invalid conversation history (N) · Merge Stopped	One card cannot run, or a merge was cancelled; the run survives	Stalled or cut off
The whole answer appears at once, at the end	A proxy is buffering the stream	Stalled or cut off
Replies still end early after raising Maximum Tokens	A lower limit applies	Model settings
A merge that errors immediately, or a Guided checklist that came back as prose	The merge model or the mode, not the network	Combining answers

Big-AGI issues

What you see	What it means	Fix
No models found.	The key stored and the AI service returned an empty list	Model not listed
Please complete the configuration · and refresh the models.	Nothing configured for this service yet	Model not listed
A model you expected is not in the dropdown	It is in the list and hidden	Model not listed
A model used yesterday is gone, and pinned jobs reverted to Auto	The AI service stopped returning it	Model not listed
Ollama, LM Studio or LocalAI is running and Big-AGI lists nothing	The Big-AGI server is calling your 127.0.0.1, not your browser	Model not listed
403 Forbidden from 127.0.0.1:11434	Ollama refused your browser's origin	Model not listed
Max Output Tokens: Token computations are disabled because this model does not declare the context window size.	The model works; its metadata is thin	Model not listed
Done greyed out with You have unsaved changes (Unsaved on mobile)	A key was typed and never stored	Add your key
No eye buttons on the model rows	View Hidden Models is off, or you are on a phone	Manage your model list
The dropdown choice is ignored	The active persona pinned its own model	Personas
A custom endpoint saved cleanly and listed nothing	It serves chat but not a model list	Custom endpoints
A second device, browser or profile is empty	Expected - chats live in the browser that made them	Missing chats
Signed in on the hosted app and the chats vanished	Signed-in and signed-out work are separate stores in this browser	Missing chats
Signed out and the chats are gone	What happens depends on whether you were signed in at all	Missing chats
Browser data cleared, chats gone	Where the bytes were, and whether anything is left	Missing chats
A conversation you deleted on purpose and now want back	Recoverable for 90 days on a subscribed account with the trashcan on	Missing chats
An off-the-record chat vanished on reload	Nothing was written; there is nothing to recover	Missing chats
Sync not available · Storage quota exceeded. Please upgrade your plan or free up space. · Unknown feature status	Your Big-AGI plan, not the AI service	Plans and billing
N sync errors need attention · N conflicts need resolution · Real-time Sync Disconnected	Sync reporting itself; automatic retries stop at two	Sync and devices
A restore replaced chats instead of merging them	Replace Selected Data does what it says	Back up and restore
Failed to clear device data	A partial wipe	Delete everything
Oops, we hit a snag	The app crashed; this is the one worth reporting	Report it
Update Required	Big-AGI was redeployed while this tab stayed open. Reload	Reload it
Chats from an older version of the app never appeared	A one-time storage migration that already ran	Missing chats