WhatsApp has become increasingly popular in the last decade, even to the extent that it has replaced the traditional text messages we all send through our mobile phones.
The dependence on WhatsApp has increased; people use it to interact with their loved ones, call their vendors for businesses or share the happening throughout their days using the “status” option of the application.
So a question that recently hit Google was, “Is WhatsApp down right now.”
Recently WhatsApp was down, making users unable to communicate with friends, family, and business vendors. However, the issue was fixed within one hour after it hit the platform. The outage appeared to be hitting the website as well as the application for users across the globe.
This blog will discuss the effects of this WhatsApp outage and your options when WhatsApp is down. We have also discussed alternative applications you can use when WhatsApp is down.
Table of Contents
Is WhatsApp Down and Not Working?
There can be two scenarios if your WhatsApp is down. Either an outage has hit WhatsApp, leading to the application and website malfunctioning, or there are problems with the functioning of your device.
If WhatsApp is down due to an outage, there’s nothing much you can do about it. Your best option in this scenario is to report the issue to WhatsApp messenger support.
To report WhatsApp outage, open the app on your phone > Settings > Help > Contact Us. Brief them about the problem, and they’ll take action to resolve the issue.
If WhatsApp is down because of your device, try closing & reopening the app, look for any available updates, restart your phone, check the internet connection, clear app caches, allow all permissions, enable background data, and ensure your device has sufficient storage.
Reopen WhatsApp & Look for Any Updates
First, you should close the application from your device’s taskbar and reopen it. You should also look for any available updates for WhatsApp on the app store or google play store since they are essential for proper application functioning.
Check your Internet
Your internet connection may be problematic, causing problems with sending or receiving WhatsApp messages. To ensure your internet works, try using another application to make calls or send text messages. It indicates that your internet connection is working properly if it functions properly.
Clear WhatsApp Cache
If your internet is fine, but WhatsApp is still down, try clearing the app cache and allowing all permissions to the application. To clear WhatsApp cache, open the settings app on your phone and tap on apps. You will see a complete list of apps installed on your phone. Find WhatsApp and tap it. Tap on storage, & cache; you will see a button clear the cache. Tap on it to clear the cache for your device.
Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Storage & cache > Clear Cache.
Restart your Phone
If none of the above methods work, try restarting your device. This reboots the device and continues every functionality, giving a fresh start to every application.
Once the device restarts, go to data settings and enable background data so WhatsApp can continue its functionalities even when you are not using it. For example, if the background data isn’t enabled, you might not receive the messages if the app isn’t open on your device.
Taking these measures will allow you to stay connected without any interruptions caused when WhatsApp is down.
UK also Experienced WhatsApp Downtime
WhatsApp isn’t currently down in the United Kingdom. There have been multiple occasions when WhatsApp was down due to technical problems. The last detected outage was on July 19th, lasting 1-2 hours.
The WhatsApp outage problems didn’t last long because the professional team always looked for technical issues and took immediate action for any reported discrepancies.
Apart from the outage, people also faced other issues with the application. For example, some users reported the problem of keyboard flickering on iPhone 14 or lower models. In contrast, others reported not receiving the verification code when signing into a new WhatsApp account on their devices.
There have been reported incidents of users being unable to reply from the notification bar. If you are amongst the users facing these troubles, you should report them to the WhatsApp team.
Did WhatsApp’s Outage Affect the World or Only Certain Countries?
The current WhatsApp outage was global, affecting almost all countries. The outage was due to a technical problem, says a Meta spokesperson. The best part about the outage is that the technical team took immediate action to resolve the problem, and they’ve been successful at it.
Apart from this outage, there are 5 five different countries that have permanently banned WhatsApp. These countries include China, North Korea, Syria, Qatar, and UAE.
These countries have banned WhatsApp for security and political reasons. Some want to promote their indigenous telecommunication applications, Chinese WeChat, for example.
To overcome this, you may use a VPN (Virtual private network) to use WhatsApp for calls and texts. The VPN changes your country location, allowing you to access app functionalities without interruptions.
How Long Did WhatsApp Outage Last?
The recent WhatsApp outage lasted for approximately two hours. When WhatsApp went down for two hours, millions of users across the globe could not send or receive individual and group messages.
WhatsApp Web, a web app used by many users on their desktops and laptops, was also hit by the most recent outage.
The outage detection website also confirmed that WhatsApp was recently down across multiple regions of the globe.
During the outage, users who logged onto WhatsApp using the web or mobile application met connectivity errors. The messages and multimedia were neither delivered nor received during this outage leading to frustration among WhatsApp users.
What Are the Reasons Behind WhatsApp Outages?
According to the spokesperson of Meta, WhatsApp went down due to technical errors, which have been resolved. This was the first major outage since the larger meta outage of October 5th that took down WhatsApp and Facebook, affecting millions of users for several hours.
There has been no further clarification on what technical errors caused the WhatsApp outage. However, some technical errors that might have affected WhatsApp include server issues, network problems, software maintenance, capacity overload, or glitches.
How to Stay Connected when WhatsApp is down?
There are multiple alternatives you can use when WhatsApp is down. These alternatives include Talk Home App, Skype, Viber, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat. These alternatives help you stay connected with friends and family even when WhatsApp isn’t working.
Talk Home App ranks top among these WhatsApp alternatives due to its amazing utility, features, and continued customer support. Talk Home App allows you to make international calls to 250+ destinations.
Why Talk Home App?
Making international calls has never been this easy. With 25+ years of experience in the calling industry, Talk Home App has sufficient infrastructure to provide you with the best calling experience regarding rates and the quality of calls.
The international calls on Talk Home App are connected using local lines, ensuring sustainable connectivity even without an internet connection. Calling rates on Talk Home App are affordable compared to any other application. Call any number worldwide, even if the destination doesn’t have an internet connection starting for as low as 1p/min.
With Talk Home App, you are not bound to any contracts, unfair charges, or hidden commitments. You’ve complete flexibility and control over all your actions, including international Top-ups, calling bundles, and any activities within the application.
The App has been carefully designed, making it ideal for most users. The great-packed functionalities and features ensure complete control over the calls and actions.
The application has been designed with modern technology standards to protect users’ personal data and payments. So, if you’ve downloaded the app, you don’t need to worry about data protection and privacy.
A significant advantage of WhatsApp is its wide compatibility across different operating systems and devices. A strong alternative like Talk Home App also offers cross-platform support, enabling users to communicate seamlessly regardless of whether they use Android, iOS, or other devices.
Talk Home App provides international calling at competitive rates; therefore, it is an attractive alternative for users who frequently make overseas calls.
A user-friendly and intuitive interface can make the transition from WhatsApp to Talk Home App smoother for users. This includes easy contact syncing, message organization, and simple navigation. Talk Home App has responsive customer support to assist users with any issues they might encounter during setup or usage.
Also read: Top 21 Wi-Fi Calling Apps in 2023 for Free International Calls
Bottom Line
WhatsApp recently experienced an outage, leading to disruptions in communication for millions of users worldwide. This blog explored the recent WhatsApp downtime, duration, and the affected regions.
While WhatsApp’s downtime might be temporary, it’s essential to have alternatives ready. Talk Home App is a reliable alternative to WhatsApp, offering users dedicated Local Access Numbers for offline connectivity with loved ones.
Embracing the alternatives and being proactive in staying informed will ensure uninterrupted connections with friends and family, even during WhatsApp’s downtime.
