Android Beta Bug Report — “Thinking…” Missing, False “Searching…

ChatGPT Bugs
1

📱 Android Beta Bug Report — “Thinking…” Missing, False “Searching…”

Status: Reproducible on every Plus-only reasoning model (o3, o4-mini, o4-high, etc.)

App build: 1.2025.161 (0) (current up to date) · 13 Jun 2025 — check via Open ChatGPT Android App → Profile → About → ChatGPT for Android → See the Version that is written

Account: ChatGPT Plus

🌎 Environment
Item Details
Devices tested Galaxy S23 Ultra — Android 15 / One UI 7
Galaxy S22 — Android 14 / One UI 6.1
Galaxy Note 10 + — Android 12 / One UI 4.1
Network Wi-Fi, 5 G & 4 G — identical behaviour
Web app Works perfectly on the same phones via Chrome/Edge
Subscription ChatGPT Plus
📝 Steps to Reproduce
  1. Open the 1.2025.161 (0) build of the Android app.
  2. Start a new chat and select any reasoning model (o3, o4-mini, o4-high, …).
  3. Send any prompt (e.g. “Think for ten seconds”).

Expected flow
Thinking… ➜ (if applicable) Searching… ➜ Assistant reply.

Actual flow
The UI immediately shows Searching… — even when no external search is being performed — and then jumps straight to the final answer. The Thinking… stage never appears.

🔍 Troubleshooting Already Attempted
  • Force-stop & clear cache/data
  • Clean reinstall of the beta build
  • Sign-out / sign-in
  • Tried on multiple network types
  • (Did not yet leave the beta channel to test the public build)

:thinking: Why This Matters

  • UX clarity – Without the Thinking… cue it’s impossible to tell if the model is reasoning or stuck.
  • False status – Searching… appears even when no search tool is invoked, misleading users about what the model is doing.

:hammer_and_wrench: Suspected Cause

The beta client seems to hide the event that should trigger the Thinking… animation, while still defaulting to the Searching… indicator.

:light_bulb: Suggested Fix

Fix and restore the visible Thinking… stage so the Android beta matches the web experience and reflects the model’s actual workflow.

📎 Attachments

Screenshot – Searching instead of thinking
Screenshot – Searching instead of thinking1440×3040 135 KB

I can’t even see the thought in my ChatGPT Android app, while it works perfectly in the browser. Nevertheless, The final message appears.


Happy to supply any further details if needed — thanks for investigating!
2

✅ [RESOLVED] Android Beta — “Thinking…” Now Showing Correctly

:+1:Good news! A fresh Play-Store beta update landed today (14 Jun 2025) and it fixes the missing Thinking… bug.

Version: 1.2025.161 (10) (current up to date) — viewable via Open ChatGPT Android App → Profile → About → ChatGPT for Android → See the Version that is written.

Just update from Google Play and you’re set. :grinning_face:

:counterclockwise_arrows_button: What changed

  • The Thinking… animation once again appears before any Searching… status on all reasoning models (o3, o4-mini, o4-high, etc.).
  • No more false Searching… flash when no external tool call is happening.
  • Tested on the same three devices (S23 Ultra, S22, Note 10+) over Wi-Fi & 5 G—works perfectly.

:rocket: How to get the fix

  1. Open Google Play :play_button:︎ Manage apps & device :play_button:︎ Updates available.
  2. Tap “Update” on ChatGPT (Beta).
  3. Relaunch the app—no cache wipe or reinstall required.

Searching bug fixed :)
Searching bug fixed :)1440×3040 138 KB

🎉 Everything is back to normal—thanks, dev team!

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