An error occurred in Gemini. 6 causes and solutions 2026

Have you ever been using Google's AI chat "Gemini'' and suddenly ``An error has occurred. Please try again later'' is displayed and you can't do anything?

As of February 2026, there are many reports on X (formerly Twitter) such as ``Gemini keeps erroring'' and ``Error 5 occurs and it cannot be used.'' This article provides an easy-to-understand explanation of the six main causes of errors that occur in Gemini, as well as specific solutions for each.

What types of Gemini errors are there?

The first thing you should know is that there are several patterns of Gemini errors. Let's organize the representative ones.

“An error has occurred” — The most common generic error. There are various causes
“Error 5” “Error 13” — Numerical errors. Often a server-side problem
“500 Internal Server Error” — A sign that Google's servers are failing
Answer stops/loop — Timeout occurs while generating answer

Not every error is necessarily your fault. The problem may be caused by a server failure on Google's side, so first calm down and try the following solutions in order.

Cause 1: Google server failure (this is the most common)

The most common cause of Gemini errors is server failure on Google's side. Especially right after the release of a new model (such as Gemini 2.5 Pro), access tends to be concentrated and errors tend to occur frequently.

In February 2026, there were many reports on X of Gemini being in an error state for a long time.

How to deal with it

Check the failure information on Google Cloud status page
Check real-time failure reports on Downdetector
In case of server failure, you have no choice but to wait for recovery. Wait 10-30 minutes and try again

Cause 2: Accumulation of browser cache/cookies

Old cache and cookies accumulated in your browser may interfere with communication with Gemini. According to G Cafe's survey, there is even a report that 90% of errors can be resolved just by clearing the cache.

Workaround (for Chrome)

Select “︙” in the top right corner of Chrome → “Delete browsing history data”
Set the period to "all period"
Check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files"
Click “Delete Data”
Reopen Gemini and try again

Roughly speaking, it is an image of resetting the "old memory" of the browser.

Cause 3: Interference with browser extensions (such as ad blockers)

In some cases, ad blockers (such as uBlock Origin) or security extensions may block Gemini's communication.

How to deal with it

Try opening Gemini in Incognito mode (Ctrl+Shift+N). Extensions are disabled in incognito mode, so you can determine whether the problem is caused by an extension
If it works fine in incognito mode, disable the extensions one by one to find the culprit
It is especially recommended that you turn off your ad blocker and try it

Cause 4: Overload of the model being used

Gemini allows you to switch between multiple AI models, but high-performance models put more load on the server and tend to cause errors.

The main models available as of February 2026 are as follows (see Google official help).

Gemini 2.5 Pro — Highest performance but most demanding
Gemini 2.5 Flash — Fast and lightweight. Fewer errors
Gemini 2.0 Flash — stable version. When you want to move reliably

How to deal with it

Click the model name at the top of the chat screen to switch to another model
If an error occurs with 2.5 Pro, try changing to 2.5 Flash
For urgent matters, you can choose 2.0 Flash, which is highly stable

Cause 5: The usage limit of the free plan has been reached

What is surprisingly often overlooked is the Usage limit. Gemini can be used for free, but there are restrictions on the number of times and functions.

The upper limits for each plan as of February 2026 are as follows (Zenken AI research).

Plan	Monthly fee	Pro mode	Thinking mode
Free	0 yen	Not available	Limited (not public)
AI Plus	Approx. 1,200 yen	30 times/day	90 times/day
AI Pro	Approx. 2,900 yen	100 times/day	300 times/day
AI Ultra	Approx. 4,600 yen	500 times/day	1,500 times/day

In the case of the free plan, the specific number of times limit is not disclosed, but it is likely to be restricted during busy times. When the upper limit is reached, "An error has occurred" or response speed may decrease.

How to deal with it

Wait a while and try again (often reset when the date changes)
If you use it frequently, consider upgrading to AI Plus (approximately 1,200 yen per month)
You can check your current plan on the settings screen of Gemini app

Cause 6: Google account issue

If there is a problem with your Google account itself, you may not be able to use not only Gemini but all Google services such as Gmail and YouTube. Even with X, there was a voice that said, ``I can't use Gemini unless my Google account is restored.''

How to deal with it

Log out of your Google account and log back in
Try accessing Gemini with a different Google account
Check if other Google services (Gmail, Google Drive, etc.) are working properly
If you need to recover your account, please proceed from the Google account recovery page

Checklist if the problem persists

If the error persists even after trying all of the solutions above, please also check the following:

Try in another browser — If Chrome doesn't work, try opening in Edge or Firefox
Try with smartphone app — Even if the browser version doesn't work, the app version may work (iOS version/Android version)
Turn off your VPN — Google can block you if you use a VPN
Restart your Wi-Fi router — could be a problem with the network itself
Report to Gemini Community — Check for similar reports on Gemini Help Community and post if not

FAQ

What is the difference between Gemini's "Error 5" and "Error 13"?

Both numbers indicate internal errors on the Google server side. The things that the user can do are the same: clearing the cache, retrying after a while, and switching models are the basic countermeasures.

Does the Gemini error also occur on smartphones?

Yes, the same error occurs on smartphone browsers and Gemini apps. If you are using a smartphone, try deleting the app's cache (Settings → Apps → Gemini → Storage → Delete cache).

How can I check if I have reached the usage limit for the free plan?

As of February 2026, the function to check the specific remaining number of free plans is not provided. If errors start to occur frequently, you may have reached the upper limit, so please give it some time or consider a paid plan.