# An Action fails or the Chirp doesn't use it > Find out why an Action fails its tests, why its calls fail in chats, or why the Chirp doesn't use it at all, and fix it. Source: https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/troubleshooting/action-fails Plans: Essentials, Creator, Business, Academy Last checked: 2026-10-28 When you're done, your Chirp uses its [Action](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#action) in chats, or you know why it can't yet. **Who this is for:** the account owner, and [workspace admins](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#workspace-admin) and editors who set up Actions. Only the account owner and workspace admins add [API keys](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/start-here/glossary#api-key), and editors publish only if the owner lets them. ## What you see **Visitors never see an Action's technical error.** When it can't run or fails, the Chirp says it couldn't check or do that right now. A confirmation card can also say a change didn't go through (see below). When it runs out of lookups, visitors may see "I looked this up but couldn't put an answer together this time. Please ask again, maybe a little more specifically." **In the editor, under 7. Actions:** - A red banner at the top: **"This AI model can't use tools, so the Chirp can't run its Actions. Under Model, pick one that can: those show the "Web search" badge."**, **"Visitors still get an AI model that can't use tools, so Actions don't run in their chats. Save, then click Publish changes to give them the model you picked."** or **"Actions are paused across Chirp Builder for maintenance. Your settings are kept."** ![Section 7, Actions, of Garden Helper after Perplexity: Sonar was chosen under Model and not saved: the outlined red banner This AI model can't use tools, so the Chirp can't run its Actions. Under Model, pick one that can: those show the "Web search" badge., then the Actions on switch and the first of its Actions.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/troubleshooting/action-fails/SS-FIX-080-01__model-no-tools__essentials__detail__v01.webp?v=ca5dfd5460) - A status next to an Action other than **Ready**: **Needs an API key**, **Needs sign-in settings**, **Needs visitor sign-in (coming soon)**, **Check the notes**, **Last test failed** or **Not supported yet**. A **Not published yet** tag means visitors don't have it. - **"Calls are failing: 4 of 4 in the last 24 hours"** under an Action's name. - A test result other than **Worked**: **API error**, **Bad values**, **Blocked**, **Timed out** or **Couldn't connect**. **Recent calls** shows the same results, and also **Too many calls**. **By email,** to the account owner: **"Your Chirp "Garden Helper": the Action "Plant shop" keeps failing"**. **On a confirmation card in the chat:** **"This request expired. Nothing was sent."**, **"This request was already answered, here or in another tab. Nothing new was sent."** or **"Confirmed, but it didn't go through. See the reply below."** ## Find the cause quickly 1. Open the Chirp in the editor and go to **7. Actions**. Read any red banner first: it affects every Action. 2. Look at the status next to each Action, then click the Action to open it. 3. Open **Recent calls** near the bottom. It lists calls from visitors, your preview and tests, with their results. 4. Click **Test** under an operation and run it. The result says what the service answered. 5. Ask the preview what a visitor would ask. The preview uses your latest Actions; visitors get the published ones. ## The AI model can't use tools Actions only run with an AI model that can use tools. In the model list, those have the **Web search** badge. - **"This AI model can't use tools, so the Chirp can't run its Actions."** This follows the model chosen under **5. Model** in the editor. Pick one with the **Web search** badge, click **Save**, test in the preview, then click **Publish changes**. - **"Visitors still get an AI model that can't use tools, so Actions don't run in their chats."** You've picked a model that can, but visitors still have the old one. Click **Save**, then **Publish changes**. Visitors get it at once. Now and then a model's provider turns tools down in a chat. The Chirp then answers without its Actions and says it can't check that right now. If that keeps happening, choose another model. See [Choose your Chirp's AI model](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/openrouter/choose-a-model). ## Actions are paused across Chirp Builder **"Actions are paused across Chirp Builder for maintenance. Your settings are kept."** We've paused every Chirp's Actions for a while. There's nothing to fix on your side: they work again as soon as we switch them back on. Tests still run meanwhile. A change a visitor confirms during the pause isn't sent, and the card says "Confirmed, but it didn't go through. See the reply below." ## The API key is missing or refused - **Needs an API key:** the Action signs in with an API key, and none is added. The key box says "No key yet. Until one is added, the Chirp can't use this Action." A test says "The Action "Plant shop" needs an API key. Add it in the Chirp builder (Actions) first." - **The key is refused:** a test shows **API error (HTTP 401)** or **API error (HTTP 403)**, and **Recent calls** and the "Last test" line show **API error (401)** or **API error (403)**. After a few such calls from visitors or your preview (tests don't count), the Action shows "Calls are failing" and "The API refused the sign-in for recent calls. Check the key or sign-in settings below, then test an operation." ![The Plant shop Action with Calls are failing: 4 of 4 in the last 24 hours outlined, and a red note that the API refused the sign-in for recent calls.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/actions/recent-calls/SS-ACT-060-02__failing-warning__essentials__desktop__v01.webp?v=7175b55eb4) To fix it: 1. Open the Action. Under **Authentication**, check that **API key** is chosen and that **Sent as** matches what the service asks for, such as a **Custom header** named X-API-Key. If you changed anything, click **Save authentication**. 2. Paste the key in **API key** and click **Save key**: "Key saved. It's stored encrypted." A key works at once, also for visitors. 3. Test an operation. If you changed **Authentication**, click **Publish changes** so visitors get it. Editors see "The account owner or a workspace admin adds the key." See [Add the API key an Action needs](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/api-key). ## The Action needs a sign-in that can't be set up - **Needs sign-in settings:** the schema says some operations need a sign-in, but **Authentication** is on **None**. If the service takes an API key, choose **API key**, click **Save authentication** and add the key. - **Needs visitor sign-in (coming soon):** the service signs each visitor in to their own account (OAuth). Chirp Builder doesn't offer that yet, so those operations can't run. The Action's **From the import** notes say so. If the service also takes an API key, choose **API key** under **Authentication** and add the key. If it only offers sign-in for each visitor, those operations can't run until that arrives. ## The test failed **Last test failed** means the latest test of a switched-on operation didn't work. The test result, and the line "Last test: …" under the operation, say why: | Result | What it means | What to do | |---|---|---| | API error (401) or (403) | The service turned down the sign-in. | Check the key: see above. | | API error (400), (404) or (422) | The service didn't accept the values or the address. | Check the values you typed, and the address in the schema. | | API error (500) or higher | The service had a problem. | Try again later. | | Bad values | A value didn't match the schema, such as "The call wasn't made: Missing the required value "point". Fix the arguments and try again." | Fill in every value marked with a *, in the form the box shows. | | Blocked | The address isn't allowed: it isn't a public https address, or the service redirected elsewhere. | Check the **servers** address in the schema. | | Timed out | "The API didn't answer within 20 seconds." | Try again. If it keeps happening, the service is slow or down. | | Couldn't connect | "The API couldn't be reached.", "The API's address (…) couldn't be found." or "The API redirected too many times." | Check the address in the schema. | A change that timed out says "It may or may not have received the request, so don't send it again without checking." Check at the service before you try again. **Last test failed** goes once a new test of that operation works, you switch that operation off, or you replace the schema. See [Test an Action](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/test). ## The schema didn't import, or operations can't run - **A red message when you click Import:** the schema couldn't be read, for example "This is a Swagger 2.0 schema. Convert it to OpenAPI 3 (for example with the converter at converter.swagger.io), then paste it again." Every message and its fix are in [Add an Action from an OpenAPI schema](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/add-from-schema#if-it-doesnt-work). - **Check the notes:** open the Action. **From the import** lists what was left out, and the list of operations that can't run yet gives a reason for each, such as "The schema has no servers entry. Add servers with the API's full https address." This status also shows when every operation is switched off. - **Not supported yet:** none of its operations can run, for example because they move money ("It moves money (payments, charges, transfers or refunds), which Actions don't do."). See [What Actions can't do yet](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/limits). To fix a schema, correct it, click **Replace schema** on the Action, paste it and click **Replace**. Switches and the key stay. Then click **Publish changes**. ## The Chirp doesn't call the Action There's no error: the Chirp answers without it. Check these in order: 1. **Actions on** is switched on, at the top of **7. Actions**. It applies at once, also for visitors. 2. The operation's switch is on, and the Action's status is **Ready**. 3. Visitors have your changes. **Not published yet** next to an Action, or the bar "Visitors still see the published version." listing "Actions", means they don't. Click **Publish changes**. The public page uses the published Actions, even for you. 4. The AI can tell when to use it. It decides from each operation's summary and description in the schema (for a webhook, from **What it does** and **When to use it (optional)**). Make them say plainly what the operation does, in your visitors' words: correct the schema and use **Replace schema**, or remove the webhook and add it again with clearer wording. Then click **Publish changes**. You can also add a line to the instructions, such as "When someone asks about frost, check US weather and frost alerts." 5. The model is good with tools. Some call tools more readily than others: try another one with the **Web search** badge. Course tutors in the Academy never use Actions. ## Limits that stop calls - **20 seconds per call.** After that, the call shows **Timed out**. - **10 calls per reply.** After that, the Chirp answers with what it has. - **100 Action calls an hour on each Chirp from one visitor's internet connection,** all its Actions together, counted per clock hour. People on the same network share them. You and your team aren't limited when signed in. Past the limit, the Chirp tells the visitor to try again later, and **Recent calls** shows **Too many calls** (once an hour for each connection). These don't count toward "Calls are failing" or the email. - **60 tests an hour per person,** including tests your AI app runs: "You've run 60 tests this hour. Try again at the start of the next hour." See [What Actions can't do yet](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/limits#limits). ## A visitor's confirmation didn't go through Changes ask the visitor first, on a card in the chat: - **"This request expired. Nothing was sent."** Nobody answered within 10 minutes. The visitor can ask again, and the Chirp prepares a new card. - **"This request was already answered, here or in another tab. Nothing new was sent."** The card was answered twice, for example with a double click or in two tabs. The first answer counts. - **"Cancelled. Nothing was sent."** The visitor said no. - **"Confirmed, but it didn't go through. See the reply below."** The service said no, didn't answer in time or couldn't be reached. Or, while the card waited, **Actions on** was switched off, the key was removed, Actions were paused, or the operation was switched off and that was published. **Recent calls** shows every answer under "Changes visitors were asked to confirm": **Waiting**, **Confirmed**, **Confirmed, sent**, **Confirmed, failed**, **Cancelled** or **Expired**. ![Recent calls opened: two changes visitors were asked to confirm (one confirmed and sent, one cancelled), then calls with when, the operation, from Visitor or Your preview, the result (Worked, or API error with HTTP 401) and the time each took.](https://mjmtbasmrtksluvlnema.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/help-media/web-optimized/actions/recent-calls/SS-ACT-060-01__recent-calls__essentials__detail__v01.webp?v=2761623910) See [What visitors see when a Chirp wants to make a change](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/confirmation-card). ## Calls keep failing When half or more of an Action's calls in the last 24 hours failed (at least 3), it shows "Calls are failing: … of … in the last 24 hours", with a note on what to check. Your preview's calls count; tests and **Too many calls** don't. When the last 5 calls of an Action all failed, the account owner gets an email, at most once a day for each Action. It says the calls came "from visitors or your preview", and whether the API refused the sign-in or may be down. Fix the cause (most often the key, or the service is down), then test an operation. While you work on it, you can switch **Actions on** off: "Turning Actions off applies right away, for visitors too. Your settings are kept." See [Recent calls and failing-call alerts](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/actions/recent-calls). ## Good to know - **Visitors get the published version.** A new or replaced schema, operation switches, **Visitors confirm first**, **Authentication** and removing an Action wait for **Publish changes**. API keys and the **Actions on** switch apply at once. - **Tests use your latest, unpublished settings,** and run even with Actions off. A test that works doesn't mean visitors have the change yet. - **Without a plan,** your Chirps don't answer at all, so no Actions run. Adding, changing or testing Actions says "Actions need a Chirp Builder plan. The Billing page says how to get one." Plans can't be bought online yet: see [What you can do without a plan](https://www.chirpbuilder.com/help/account-billing/no-plan#get-a-plan). - **Editors who can't publish** see "Your role doesn't include publishing. Ask the account owner to publish it, or to let you publish." - **Actions where each visitor signs in to their own account** are coming soon. Until then, Actions use your key or no sign-in.