Bing Chat is an exciting new AI chatbot from Microsoft. However, many users have reported seeing the error “attempting to reconnect” when trying to access Bing Chat.
This error is frustrating, but there are several ways you can try to fix it and get Bing Chat working again.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the main reasons why you may be seeing the “attempting to reconnect” error, along with detailed troubleshooting steps to try.
How to Fix Bing Chat “Attempting to Reconnect” Error
There are a few key reasons why Bing Chat may show the “attempting to reconnect” error:
Bing Servers Are Down or Overloaded
The most common reason is that the Bing servers are temporarily down or overloaded with too many requests. Microsoft mentioned they are “updating the system” which likely involves maintenance and updates.
When the servers are down, Bing Chat won’t be accessible. All you can do is wait until Microsoft finishes the maintenance.
Connection Issues on Your End
Less commonly, you might see the error due to internet connectivity problems on your end. For example, if you have a poor Wi-Fi signal, VPN issues, firewall problems, etc.
Troubleshooting your network connection is worthwhile to see if that fixes things.
Access Restrictions
As Bing Chat is still in preview, Microsoft is slowly allowing more users to access it over time. So even if you’re registered, you may need to wait a bit longer. Check your region’s rollout plan.
Now let’s go through detailed troubleshooting steps you can take to fix the “attempting to reconnect” error.
Troubleshooting Steps to Fix “Attempting to Reconnect”
Follow these troubleshooting steps:
1. Check if Bing Chat is Having Server Issues
First, check the @Bing Twitter account to see if they have posted any updates about Bing Chat server maintenance or issues.
If yes, you won’t be able to access Bing Chat until they are done. All you can do is wait and check their updates.
2. Check Your Internet Connection
If Bing hasn’t mentioned any issues, the problem could be on your end.
Open your web browser and go to fast.com. This speed test site will measure your internet download and upload speeds. Aim for at least 5 Mbps download speed.
If your speed test results are low, try these fixes:
- Restart your modem and router – Turn them off, wait 30 seconds, then turn them back on
- Move closer to your Wi-Fi router – If using Wi-Fi, get closer, or connect using an Ethernet cable instead which is faster and more reliable
- Disable VPN connections – VPNs can negatively impact connectivity. Temporarily disconnect and retest speeds over your direct internet connection.
Retest on fast.com after trying fixes to see if connectivity improves. Reliable internet access is required for Bing Chat.
Confirm You Are Logged Into Your Microsoft Account
It’s possible connectivity issues with Bing Chat could be related to problems with your Microsoft account credentials and login status.
To confirm, re-open your web browser and go to the Bing Chat page. Look for your account profile icon in the top right. This may show your email address or an avatar icon.
- If shown, you are already correctly logged in to your Microsoft account
- If NOT shown, select “Sign In” and enter your Microsoft account email and password combinaton to login
Once signed in with your personal Microsoft account, try reloading Bing Chat to see if being properly authenticated fixes connectivity issues.
Being logged into your Microsoft account ensures Bing Chat can connect all features and services to you correctly. Re-checking login status is an easy thing to validate when troubleshooting “attempting to reconnect” problems.
My experience on this:
I tried many times to use Bing Chat on desktop without logging in but kept seeing “attempting to reconnect” anytime I tried.
However, upon logging into my Microsoft, the Bing Chat worked fine without any issues.
This is not to say that Bing Chat works only when you’re logged in. However, it worked for me to fix the error message.
3. Try an Incognito/Private Window
If you have browser extensions installed, they could be interfering. Open an incognito or private browsing window, then attempt accessing Bing Chat:
- Chrome: Ctrl + Shift + N (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + Shift + N (Mac)
- Firefox: Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) or ⌘ + Shift + P (Mac)
This uses a fresh, extension-free browser session. If Bing Chat works here, an extension is likely causing problems in your normal browser session. You’d have to test disabling extensions one-by-one to identify the problematic one.
4. Try Other Devices & Browsers
To better diagnose issues accessing Bing Chat, you can try getting online using different devices – like moving from your desktop computer to a smartphone, or accessing from a friend’s laptop.
Similarly, loading the site using alternate web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Edge can help determine if the problem only happens with one specific hardware device or browser program combination.
If Bing Chat works normally when using a different physical device or web browsing software, then the issue is isolated and unique to your original computer or browser setup.
Focused troubleshooting can be done updating network drivers, reinstalling browsers, or cleaning browser data for that problematic device/software causing the “attempting to reconnect” message.
If Bing Chat works fine on other devices and browsers, the issue is isolated to one device or browser. You could need to repair or reinstall that application.
5. Clear Browsing Data
In addition to hardware and software checks, wiping your browser data can also get Bing Chat working again.
Over time, stored browser data like cookies, cached images, temporary site files or browsing history can become corrupted on your devices preventing websites and apps from connecting correctly.
Completely clearing this browser data gives a fresh start:
To clear the cache on Chrome, follow these steps:
- Open Chrome on your computer.
- Click on the three dots at the top right corner of the screen.
- Select More tools and then Clear browsing data.
- Choose the time range for which you want to clear the cache. If you want to delete everything, select All time.
- Check the boxes next to Cached images and files.
- Click Clear data.
To clear the cache in Firefox, follow these steps:
- Click the menu button in the top right corner and select “Settings.”
- Go to the “Privacy & Security” panel.
- In the “Cookies and Site Data” section, click “Clear Data.”
- Uncheck “Cookies and Site Data,” ensure “Cached Web Content” is checked, then click “Clear.”
Alternatively, you can clear the cache by clicking the menu button, selecting “History,” and choosing “Clear Recent History.” Then, select “Cache” and click “Clear Now.”
Emptying old browsing data forces websites like Bing Chat start new connections as if visiting for the first time. Often this quickly resolves loading issues without complex troubleshooting of network or computers.
6. Contact Microsoft Support
If you still see Bing Chat reconnect errors after trying all troubleshooting steps, you’ll need specialized technical support from Microsoft’s customer service teams.
They can access internal logs and diagnostics beyond what typical users can see to potentially spot issues happening behind the scenes – like network infrastructure problems between your internet provider and Bing’s servers that regular folks cannot troubleshoot alone.
To get support, you can post in Microsoft’s online community tech forums, or submit an official support ticket to start an investigation.
Be detailed explaining what’s happening, what troubleshooting you did, providing screenshot images of any error messages. The support teams will be able to dive deeper into correcting reconnect problems using insider resources.
The goal with the update
When Will Bing Chat Be Back Up?
If Bing Chat is down for maintenance, Microsoft’s updates on Twitter are the best way to stay updated on when the service will be restored.
Initially, they said it would be down for “updating systems based on user feedback”. Usually, short maintenance windows are between 1-3 hours.
But significant issues could have the service offline for 12-24 hours, or in rare cases, a couple of days.
All you can do is patiently await official updates from the Bing team. With an exciting new product like Bing Chat, bugs and growing pains are expected initially. The situation will improve after tweaks to usage limits and infrastructure.
Summary of Fixes
Here’s a quick summary of troubleshooting steps for when you see the Bing Chat “attempting to reconnect” error:
- Wait if Bing servers are down for maintenance
- Check your internet connection speed and reliability
- Try an incognito / private browser window
- Test different devices and browsers
- Clear browsing data and update browser
- Contact Microsoft Support for further help
- Follow Bing’s Twitter updates for service status
I hope this guide gives you a better understanding of why you might be facing issues with accessing Bing Chat, as well as detailed troubleshooting steps.
The problem is likely temporary server disruptions as Microsoft rolls out new updates. Or connectivity problems on your device. Take the steps outlined above to get Bing Chat running smoothly again soon!