X experienced a major outage on February 16, 2026, disrupting access for users across the United States and several other countries. The social media platform, formerly known as Twitter, failed to load posts and refresh feeds for thousands of users during peak morning hours.
Data from Downdetector showed that complaints in the United States surged to more than 41,000 around 8:40 a.m. Eastern Time. Users reported problems with both the mobile app and the website. The spike marked a sharp increase from earlier reports that began with only a small number of complaints before escalating rapidly.
Surge in User Reports Signals Widespread X Service Disruption
Downdetector recorded 41,612 reports in the United States at the height of the outage. The figure stood far above the normal baseline for the platform. Reports rose quickly within minutes, showing a sudden and broad service interruption.
Downdetector recorded more than 41,000 outage reports in the United States at the peak of the disruption. [TechRadar]
By 9:09 a.m. ET, the number of complaints dropped to approximately 28,673. The decline continued through the morning. Reports fell to 17,360 by 9:19 a.m. ET and later declined to about 1,245 by 9:49 a.m. ET. Despite the improvement, many users still experienced slow loading times and difficulty posting content.
Global Countries Affected by the X Platform Crash
The outage extended beyond the United States. Downdetector recorded more than 11,500 reports in the United Kingdom during the disruption. Canada logged over 4,700 complaints, while France recorded 4,874 reports.
India saw a sharp rise in disruptions, with complaints increasing from 1,679 at 6:57 p.m. IST to 3,301 at 7:12 p.m. IST. Turkey reported 3,397 cases, Italy recorded 2,006, and Argentina logged 1,426. Malaysia and Bangladesh also reported service issues, though at lower levels. The data indicated a broad international impact rather than a localized incident.
Cloudflare Confirms Technical Issue Amid Internet Service Problems
Cloudflare, an internet infrastructure provider that supports website security and traffic management, confirmed it experienced technical problems on February 16. The company stated that it identified an issue around 7 a.m. Eastern Time and began implementing a fix.
Cloudflare reported technical issues on February 16 but did not confirm direct links to the X outage. [Technical.Ly]
According to a notice on its website, some customers using Cloudflare’s Data Loss Prevention suite experienced intermittent errors within a specific data centre. Cloudflare did not confirm whether its issue directly caused the X outage. However, users also reported disruptions affecting other services during the same period.
Cloudflare plays a major role in internet traffic management. It helps websites block malicious attacks and deliver content efficiently. Many smaller sites use its free services, while larger platforms purchase expanded support.
Connectivity Monitors Rule Out Government-Level Internet Restrictions
Internet monitoring group Netblocks reported that the breakdown at X did not stem from country-level filtering or internet restrictions. The organisation stated that the outage appeared technical in nature rather than linked to government interference.
Users in several countries reported that X failed to display new posts. Some users could not refresh their timelines, while others struggled to load the website entirely. Journalists in countries such as France and Thailand also confirmed access issues during the disruption.
The monitoring data suggested that the outage affected core platform functions. It disrupted user engagement across time zones and regions.
History of Recent X Outages and Service Interruptions
The February 16 outage marked the latest in a series of disruptions affecting X. The platform reported a major service interruption on January 16 and another incident on January 13. Both events triggered thousands of user complaints across multiple regions.
In November 2025, a Cloudflare network outage affected a range of online services, including X. Earlier in 2025, the platform faced temporary service interruptions linked to infrastructure problems. In May, a fire at a data centre in Oregon disrupted operations for several hours.
Since Elon Musk acquired the platform in 2022, X has experienced periodic technical issues. In March 2025, Musk attributed one series of outages to a “massive cyberattack.” A group known as Dark Storm later claimed responsibility through online messaging channels. Officials did not publicly confirm those claims.
Broader Pattern of Global Tech Infrastructure Failures
The X outage occurred amid a broader pattern of connectivity disruptions across major technology providers. In October, Amazon Web Services experienced technical problems that affected a wide range of online platforms. Microsoft’s Azure cloud system also faced an outage days later.
During the summer of 2024, a cybersecurity incident involving CrowdStrike disrupted airlines, hospitals, and other services worldwide. These events highlighted how a limited number of infrastructure providers support large portions of the global internet.
Cloudflare itself experienced a significant outage in November after a software system failure disrupted services. Because many major platforms rely on similar infrastructure providers, technical faults can spread quickly across digital ecosystems.
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Ongoing Monitoring as X Services Stabilise
As of late morning on February 16, Downdetector data showed a steady decline in outage reports. Many users regained access to their accounts, though some continued to report intermittent errors and slower performance.
X did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the cause of the outage. The company also did not confirm whether the incident directly linked to Cloudflare’s reported technical issue.
The disruption followed several recent developments involving Elon Musk’s companies. In March 2025, his artificial intelligence firm xAI acquired X. Earlier in February 2026, xAI merged with SpaceX, forming a combined technology group valued at more than $1 trillion, according to company statements.
The February outage underscores how dependent global communication networks remain on stable digital infrastructure. Service interruptions on major platforms like X can affect millions of users within minutes. Industry analysts continue to monitor infrastructure resilience as online services expand worldwide.
FAQs
- Is X (formerly Twitter) down?
Ans. Yes. X experienced a widespread outage on February 16, 2026. Tens of thousands of users reported issues accessing the app and website, according to Downdetector data
- When did the X outage start and how long did it last?
Ans. Reports began increasing early in the morning on February 16. Complaints peaked around 8:40 a.m. Eastern Time before declining steadily. Most services stabilised within roughly one hour, although some users continued to report intermittent issues later.
- How many users were affected by the X outage?
Ans. More than 41,000 disruption reports were logged in the United States at the height of the outage. Additional complaints came from users in the United Kingdom, Canada, France, India, and other countries.
- Which countries experienced X service disruptions?
Ans. The outage affected users in several regions, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, Turkey, India, Italy, Argentina, and Malaysia. Major cities recorded the highest concentration of complaints.
- What caused the February 16 X outage?
Ans. The exact cause has not been officially confirmed. Cloudflare reported technical issues affecting some of its services on the same date. However, it remains unclear whether the platform disruption directly resulted from that incident.
- Was the X outage linked to a cyberattack?
Ans. There is no confirmed evidence of a cyberattack behind the disruption. Netblocks stated that the outage did not relate to country-level internet filtering or government-imposed restrictions.
- Has X experienced similar outages before?
Ans. Yes. X has recorded several service interruptions in recent months, including disruptions in January 2026 and November 2025. Past incidents involved infrastructure failures and third-party service issues.
