Claude API timeout (request timed out)
Is there an outage right now?
Claude API official status is operational. If this error persists, it is likely an implementation or environment issue on your side.
View Claude API status →What this error means
The request did not complete within the time limit. Long generations, large inputs, an unstable network, server overload, or a too-short client/proxy timeout can all cause it.
Common causes
- •Long generation that does not finish in time
- •Large input (long context / many tokens) that is slow to process
- •Unstable network between you and the API
- •Anthropic-side overload (often paired with 529)
- •Client or proxy/gateway timeout set too short
How to fix
- 1.Use streaming (stream: true) so you receive tokens as they are generated
- 2.Reduce max_tokens and trim the input/context
- 3.Increase the client and proxy timeout
- 4.Retry with exponential backoff
- 5.Check the network and any gateway/proxy sitting in front of the API
When waiting helps (and when it won't)
If overload-driven it improves over time. If it is consistent, switch to streaming and raise timeouts—non-streaming long generations commonly hit gateway limits.
Alternatives when Claude API is down
Related errors
FAQ
What is Timeout (request timed out)?
The request did not complete within the time limit. Long generations, large inputs, an unstable network, server overload, or a too-short client/proxy timeout can all cause it.
How do I fix Timeout (request timed out)?
Use streaming (stream: true) so you receive tokens as they are generated / Reduce max_tokens and trim the input/context / Increase the client and proxy timeout / Retry with exponential backoff / Check the network and any gateway/proxy sitting in front of the API