Article last updated on:
December 27, 2023

You’re probably here because:

  • ChatGPT has generated a file for you
  • And you’ve tried downloading it
  • But it doesn’t work

In this tutorial, we’re investigating this issue. Join us, and let’s find the answer.

Why ChatGPT’s code interpreter session expires

Shortly, you get this message because you’re trying to download the file too long after ChatGPT generated it.

Your screen may look like this:

Code interpreter session expired

The message “Code interpreter session expired” indicates that a code execution session in ChatGPT has timed out or ended.

This can happen for a few reasons:

  1. Time Limit: Each code execution session has a time limit. If this limit is exceeded, the session expires.
  2. Inactivity: If there’s a period of inactivity or if the conversation has moved on to other topics, the session may end to free up resources.
  3. Session Reset: Sometimes, sessions are reset to clear the state or when transitioning between different types of tasks.
  4. Technical Issues: Occasionally, technical issues or glitches might cause a session to end unexpectedly.

In case it’s reason number 4, you may try again later and find it working.

However, that doesn’t happen often.

What can I do about it?

Your best bet is to send ChatGPT the same prompt again and wait for it to generate a new file:

  1. Copy the prompt for the expired file
  2. Start a new chat
  3. Re-send that prompt
  4. Wait & Download the new document

Otherwise, there is no way to access that file. It’s almost impossible recovering the file once the download time expires.

Conclusion

This guide took you through the reasons why ChatGPT’s Advanced Data Analysis says the code interpreter session expired.

Learn how to become more productive with our guides on how to use AI.

Thank you for reading this,

Ch David and Daniel

About the author

David, the head editor at Guides.ai, has four years of experience in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Join David and the team and explore AI tools and contributing to the creation and curation of AI educational content.