OpenAI announced it will restore a five-hour usage limit for Codex and ChatGPT Work on ChatGPT Plus starting August 25, 2026, after temporarily lifting the restriction for several weeks. The decision reflects the company's effort to manage computing resources while maintaining a generous weekly allowance for its most popular subscription tier.

Why Is OpenAI Bringing Back Usage Limits?

For the past few weeks, ChatGPT Plus users faced only a weekly usage cap on Codex and ChatGPT Work, with no daily or hourly restrictions. OpenAI removed the five-hour limit to test how users would behave without it. However, the company discovered that the unrestricted approach created problems for both its infrastructure and user experience.

Thibault "Tibo" Sottiaux, OpenAI's engineering lead for Codex and ChatGPT, explained the reasoning behind the reinstatement. "The 5h limit allows us to smoothen the load on our compute, allowing to keep the plan generous in terms of weekly usage," Sottiaux stated. He also noted that Plus users tend to be "relatively casual and new users," and without the hourly cap, some would "accidentally eat through their whole weeks usage and then are confused, making it not a great experience".

"Tomorrow we will bring back the 5h limit for Plus accounts across ChatGPT Work and Codex. This is necessary as the 5h limit allows us to smoothen the load on our compute, allowing to keep the plan generous in terms of weekly usage," stated Thibault Sottiaux.

Thibault Sottiaux, Engineering Lead for Codex and ChatGPT at OpenAI

How to Manage Your ChatGPT Plus Usage After the Limit Returns

• Monitor Your Five-Hour Window: Track your Codex and ChatGPT Work usage within each five-hour period to avoid hitting the cap unexpectedly during your workflow.
• Purchase Additional Credits When Needed: If you exhaust your five-hour limit before the reset cycle, you can buy additional credits to continue using the tools without waiting.
• Earn Free Resets Through Promotions: OpenAI occasionally resets usage limits for free during milestone celebrations and offers banked resets through referral programs and special promotions.
• Plan Around Weekly Caps: Remember that the five-hour limit works alongside a weekly usage cap, so budget your usage across both timeframes to maximize your access.

What About Other Subscription Tiers?

The five-hour limit applies specifically to ChatGPT Plus subscribers. Notably, OpenAI is keeping the restriction disabled for its higher-tier Pro subscriptions, which cost $100 and $200 monthly. Sottiaux indicated that the company plans to maintain this approach "for the upcoming months," meaning power users on premium plans will continue to enjoy unrestricted access to Codex and ChatGPT Work.

Sottiaux

Enterprise and Education accounts operate under a separate credit-based system and are not affected by these changes. This tiered approach allows OpenAI to serve different user segments with different needs: casual Plus users get a manageable experience with guardrails, while professional and institutional users maintain the flexibility they require.

The reinstatement reflects a broader challenge facing AI companies in 2026: balancing generous service offerings with the computational costs of running large language models at scale. By reintroducing the five-hour limit, OpenAI is making a calculated trade-off, prioritizing infrastructure stability and user satisfaction over unlimited access for its most affordable paid tier.