Codex service at capacity: widespread 'Selected model is at capacity' errors and hours-long unusability (multiple user reports, Sep 8 2026)

What issue are you seeing?

Summary

Since the Sep 8, 2026 DevDay / GPT-6 Astra launch, there is a large wave of user reports that Codex is effectively unusable due to capacity / server overload errors. The most common error:

Selected model is at capacity. Please try a different model.

Observed patterns across reports:

• Repeated "Selected model is at capacity" errors on any model selection, blocking normal use for hours
• Complete unusability for 5+ hours in some reports
• Paying Pro users (~$200/mo) unable to use the service at all; some requesting refunds
• Quota burn on Astra makes downtime worse (one user: a single ~2h Astra Medium task consumed ~80% of a Pro 5x weekly limit)
• Multiple reports that the capacity problems also affect the older Sol models

This appears service-side rather than client-side, and is not specific to one surface (CLI, IDE extension, and web users all report it).

User reports (X/Twitter)

Capacity errors:

• @AlexAndJust — repeats the capacity error, asks OpenAI to fix this first (20 likes)
• @xzfisher — begging for a fix for the capacity error (11 likes)
• @Kziii71 — same error, cannot do anything (4 likes)
• @mjwhhh — "selected model is capacity... please fix this" (2 likes)
• @Night_RevengeQ — same error (1 like)
• @Airsaid1024 — asks why this issue is not being responded to (1 like)
• @Dazui0225 — "so many capacity errors that I can't use Codex normally" (also reports overload)

Unusable / downtime:

• @avndp — "Codex is borderline unusable right now"; the most-agreed complaint in the thread (~55 likes)
• @BenoBilo61874 — capacity problems also affecting Sol, which was previously stable (5 likes)
• @eb_cryptodev — paid $200, cannot use it, requesting a refund

Usage-limit burn (compounding factor):

• @MaaSonder — top reply under the launch post (140+ likes), 5-hour limit frustration
• @SynKavish — one ~2h Astra Medium task burned ~80% of a Pro 5x weekly limit (6 likes)
• @iamMarketWiz — asking for Astra limits to match Sol (4 likes)
• @AskGodForWisdom — ~15 min of coding then ~4h45m blocked, repeating for days (3 likes)
• @Nishendigital — usage ran out after ~40 min of work (2 likes)
• @pierizvi — Plus quota "vanishes in a min" on Astra

Source: the replies under @thsottiaux's launch post (~400 replies, dominated by these complaints).

What steps can reproduce the bug?

1. Since ~Sep 8, 2026 (post-DevDay), open Codex on any surface (CLI, IDE extension, or web).
2. Start a task with any available model.
3. Frequently fails with: Selected model at capacity. Please try a different model.
4. Switching models and retrying often hits the same error; degraded windows last for hours.

Not a client bug — filing as a service capacity / observability report.

What is the expected behavior?

• Selected models should be usable during launch windows, or users should get a clear queue/status message instead of an error loop
• Quota should not be consumed by failed attempts caused by capacity errors
• Paying users should receive acknowledgment (status page / compensation) for extended downtime

Additional information

Report compiled from public X and GitHub reports. Happy to add more user reports as they come in.

The report names no repository file, test, or code entry point; start by determining whether the service-side capacity problem is addressed in this repository or externally. Use the cross-surface reproduction details and expected behavior to establish a concrete in-repository scope before starting; done should include a defined change and a way to verify capacity errors and quota handling.