Kimi API timed out:

Error: Request timed out after 60 seconds

Here is how to fix it.

Fix 1: Increase timeout

import openai

client = openai.OpenAI(
    base_url="https://api.moonshot.cn",
    api_key="your-key",
    timeout=120.0  # 2 minutes
)

Fix 2: Check server status

# Check Kimi API status
curl -s https://status.moonshot.cn

# Or check their status page
open https://status.moonshot.cn

Fix 3: Reduce request size

Large prompts cause timeouts:

# Truncate long prompts
if len(prompt) > 50000:
    prompt = prompt[:50000] + "\n... (truncated)"

Fix 4: Use streaming

stream = client.chat.completions.create(
    model="moonshot-v1-8k",
    messages=[{"role": "user", "content": "prompt"}],
    stream=True
)

for chunk in stream:
    if chunk.choices[0].delta.content:
        print(chunk.choices[0].delta.content, end="")

Fix 5: Switch to faster model

# Slower but more capable
model = "moonshot-v1-128k"

# Faster
model = "moonshot-v1-8k"
model = "moonshot-v1-32k"

Fix 6: Retry with backoff

import time
import random

def call_with_retry(prompt, max_retries=3):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            return call_api(prompt)
        except TimeoutError:
            wait = (2 ** attempt) + random.uniform(0, 1)
            time.sleep(wait)

Still not working?

1. Check Kimi status — Server may be overloaded
2. Try different region — Some regions are faster
3. Use OpenRouter — Alternative endpoint
4. Contact support — api@moonshot.cn

FAQ

Why is Kimi API so slow?

Kimi API can be slow during peak hours or when processing large prompts. The most common causes are: server overload (retry with backoff), large context length (use 8K model instead of 128K), or network issues (try a different region).

How do I know if Kimi is down?

Check https://status.moonshot.cn for current status. You can also ping api.moonshot.cn to test connectivity. If the status page shows issues, wait and retry later.

Should I use 8K, 32K, or 128K model?

Use 8K for speed, 128K for large context. The 8K model is fastest and cheapest. The 128K model is slower but can handle longer documents. Choose based on your needs.

Related: Kimi K3 Complete Guide · Kimi Context Length Fix · Best Chinese AI Models 2026 · AI API Pricing Compared 2026