On April 12, 2025, WhatsApp experienced a significant outage affecting thousands of users worldwide, as reported by Downdetector. The platform saw nearly 600 outage reports by 5:30 p.m. (IST), with many users unable to send messages or access the app. Approximately 88% reported messaging issues, 10% had problems with the app, and 2% faced login difficulties. Users took to social media platforms, sharing screenshots of undelivered messages and confirming they were not alone in their troubles. This outage followed earlier issues with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in India, affecting online transactions. The cause of the disruptions remains unknown.
On Saturday evening, WhatsApp, the social media behemoth owned by Meta, experienced outages affecting thousands of users worldwide, according to Downdetector, a website that tracks outages, on April 12, 2025.
The outage tracking platform reported nearly 600 incidents of downtime from users by 5:30 p.m. (IST), with an additional 173 complaints noted around 7:30 p.m. (IST), as per data from Downdetector.
According to the data, approximately 88 percent of user reports indicated difficulties in sending messages through the platform, whereas 10 percent of complaints were related to problems with the app itself.
Additionally, 2 percent of individuals reported issues logging into WhatsApp on Saturday evening.
Users in India, the United States, and various regions around the globe reported challenges with the app and sending messages. Many took to different social media platforms to share screenshots illustrating failed message deliveries.
The cause of the unexpected WhatsApp outage has not yet been identified.
Netizens React
Many users on social media reported their inability to post status updates or message one another. By sharing screenshots as evidence, they sought to understand the reason behind the outage.
“Is WhatsApp down? I’ve been attempting to upload my status but it’s not working,” asked a user named Kumar Subham, who was trying to share some stories on the messaging platform.
“Hey @WhatsApp, is the app down? I’m having issues sending messages – they just won’t go through. Is anyone else experiencing this?” questioned another user on social media X, named Abdul Khalique.
Some users cautioned others against repeatedly restarting their phones, assuring them that the problem stemmed from the application itself rather than being a phone-related issue.
“Stop restarting your phone. It’s not your fault. WhatsApp is down. So are Facebook and Instagram,” commented one social media user.
Others quickly turned to platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to verify whether they were the only ones facing this issue.
“I just hopped onto Twitter to check if WhatsApp is down for you all as well,” shared a user by the name of @relatablevijay.
UPI Down
This incident followed an earlier issue in India when users encountered problems with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) while attempting their daily online transactions.
People trying to use Paytm, PhonePe, and Google Pay found themselves unable to complete transactions due to a “technical error,” which was later clarified by the payments interface operator on April 12.
“NPCI is currently experiencing intermittent technical issues causing partial declines in UPI transactions. We are working diligently to resolve the matter and will keep you informed,” said NPCI in a social media post on X.