WhatsApp experienced a significant global outage on February 28, 2025, causing widespread frustration among users. Reports indicate more than 50,000 complaints were logged on outage tracking service Downdetector, as users faced difficulties sending messages and maintaining connections during what appeared to be around 9 PM UTC.
The outage struck at a time when WhatsApp had nearly three billion users around the world, with complaints flooding social media platforms, particularly X, formerly known as Twitter. Users described issues such as endless loading screens and failed message deliveries. "When I open WhatsApp it keeps loading forever," lamented one frustrated user. Another user added, "I keep failing to register device connections with my iPhone on the WhatsApp webpage and the desktop app for Mac."
Meta, the owner of WhatsApp, has yet to issue any official statement explaining the outage, leaving many users perplexed and frustrated. "Stop toggling your Airplane mode on/off. Stop refreshing your WhatsApp. It’s not your network, WhatsApp is down," advised one user sharing their frustration online. Many complaints spoke of significant connectivity failures affecting personal as well as professional communication, especially during peak usage hours.
Reports indicated London was among the hardest-hit cities, with notable disruptions also reported from Manchester and Glasgow. Other regions, including the United States, indicated widespread issues, adding to the sense of chaos as people turned to alternative platforms to vent their frustrations.
Interestingly, complaints were not limited to WhatsApp, as some users also reported minor disruptions to Facebook and Facebook Messenger. Although significantly fewer than WhatsApp, these reports suggested the technical issues could extend beyond just the messaging service.
This incident is not the first of its kind for WhatsApp or Meta, which has faced several major outages before. The most recent mass outage for Meta's platforms occurred back in December 2023, when WhatsApp and Instagram were also affected. Users recalled the last significant global disruption from Meta back in 2021, which led to nearly six hours of downtime across WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, causing disruption worldwide.
While Meta has aimed to expand its messaging services, particularly within the U.S. market, the company now faces new scrutiny as users grapple with unexpected outages. Reports show these outages happen at times when users depend heavily on WhatsApp for communication, particularly during busy hours.
WhatsApp is reportedly working on new features aimed at improving user experience. Recently spotted designs show they are developing a redesigned call menu for individual and group chats to allow greater control during calls—this would help users avoid accidental dialing. While these improvements are awaited, the current outages put the service's reliability under the spotlight.
Despite the frustrations and difficulties during this outage, no official cause has been confirmed by WhatsApp as of yet. Users continue to hope for announcements and resolutions to restore full service as quickly as possible. With millions relying on the platform daily, the importance of effective communication solutions remains more significant than ever.