ChatGPT web image generation ignores thinking mode, wasting a usage per attempt

TheSynthian · reddit · 2026-09-10

A Reddit user reports a week-long bug on ChatGPT web: when generating images with thinking enabled, the first generation never actually uses reasoning. Thinking is only offered as a redo option after the initial image, and the user says the difference in results is noticeable even without checking.

The Mac app doesn't have this issue. On web, each attempt wastes a usage credit on an inferior image that will be redone. The poster is asking for workarounds.

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