I’d like to report it like this.
Android ChatGPT app - attachments become unavailable after model-limit transition.
After the recent GPT-5.6 Luna/model-limit changes, when the current model reaches its message allowance, ChatGPT appears to enter a state where file/photo attachments become unavailable instead of properly falling back to another model because it can’t.
Previously, reaching the model limit would switch the conversation to a lower/fallback model, and attachments continued working. Now the model-limit transition appears to just leave the conversation’s attachment capability disabled .
This happens even when I have not actually used my file/photo upload allowance . Starting a new conversation doesn’t restore the capability.
Plan: [ Free ]
Date/time (timezone): Aug 22, 2026, 7:40am EST
Model involved: [GPT-5.6 Luna]
Auto-switch setting: [Off]
Steps to reproduce:
1. Just use chatgpt text casually
2. Hit model message limit / see limit banner.
3.Get a warning that says “attachments are unavailable until usage resets.Upgrade for expanded access and advanced intelligence.”
4. Attempt to attach a photo/file and it won’t work although you’ve never used any of those options just texting.
5. Only way to not get this bug is to use the image/file allowance attachments before you start texting chatgpt and the model doesn’t limit it.
I seem to be having the same exact issue, at least I think so. When my usage resets, I can only send five messages in text-only chats before I get the same notification about those features being restricted, even though I have not used them at all in any chat. If I want to generate an image or upload a picture, I have to wait for my usage to reset and do that first before trying to continue a normal chat.
Greetings and welcome.
Looks like the new low tier system will confuse a lot of people eventually. Based on my recent system testing and overall system knowledge, GPT-5.6 Luna is the main instance doing the heavy lifting in the free tier now. Except for voice interactions, that is a whole other intricate story.
But in terms of basic interactions, I can’t confirm that the new system still will rely on other smaller models as a fallback, as it used to. What I do can confirm is, things are getting handled differently now thanks to the new infrastructure. With the new text-only mode an extra mini GPT is not really technically necessary. Luna already is the smallest instance.
I just have explained the new system in another bug question thread. This might clear up some of the confusion. Resource usage has new rules now and other aspects are important too. So you might wanna check it out.
https://community.openai.com/t/unexpected-message-limits-in-conversations-that-previously-contained-images-or-files/1391529/9
