One of the biggest instant messaging apps on the planet, WhatsApp is used by around 2 billion users each month.
The global messaging app is the go-to for communication for a huge number of users around the world, so when it runs into issues people notice. Reports that the app was down for the count arose in the wee hours of Oct. 25 after several features of the app became unresponsive. Panic quickly spread among frequent users of WhatsApp, many of whom rely on it to communicate on a day-to-day basis. Questions about the app’s current state continue to flood the web hours after the outage was initially reported as people search for information about what caused the app to go down and when it will be up again.
Is WhatsApp down?
WhatsApp went down for more than two hours on Oct. 25, leaving frequent users without their preferred method of communication. Outages were reported starting at around 2 a.m. Central Time, with the majority of issues stemming from the messaging portion of the app. The website also experienced scattered issues, likely as users flooded it with questions. The app as a whole experienced issues during the stretch of time between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Scattered issues continue to plague some users, but the majority of the app’s features are up and running once again.
The outage affected users on a global scale, leaving them without use of the app for several hours. In some areas, it occured in the middle of the day. The October outage is one of the biggest the app has ever suffered, but it was dealt with promptly. By the time most Americans were up and moving Tuesday morning, things were running smoothly once again. It is currently functioning at full, or nearly full, capacity.
How to check if WhatsApp is up and running
A convenient website provides updates and reports on services like WhatsApp when concerns about outages crop up. Downdetector, a handy site that tracks dips and recoveries on a number of sites, can provide a location for users to report, track, and glean details about outages on their favorite sites.
Downdetector tracked the WhatsApp outage as it was happening in real time. It reports that around 73 percent of users experienced issues with sending and receiving messages—the most vital aspect of the app—and a much smaller percentage (23 percent) reported broad issues with the app as a whole. As noted above, issues seemed to peak at around 2 a.m. CT this morning before dipping off almost completely around 5 a.m. The app is still experiencing minor issues, but none should trip up users. Comments on the WhatsApp page indicate that the app is back up and running across the globe, with users in Lebanon, Iran, Australia, Poland, Bangladesh, and Romania all confirming that WhatsApp is working as expected in their areas.
