Guide
How to Check if a Website Is Down (5 Simple Ways)
6 min read · Updated July 22, 2026
A website won't load, and you're not sure if it's the site's fault or your own connection. Before you waste time restarting your router, here are five quick ways to find out whether a website is really down — and whether it's down for everyone or just you.
1. Use an instant website status checker
The fastest method is a checker that tests the site from outside your network. Enter the URL and it tells you in seconds whether the server is responding. Because the check runs from a different vantage point than your own browser, an "up" result means the problem is on your end, and a "down" result means the outage is real. Try it now with WebsitePulseCheck, or jump straight to a popular service status page.
2. Try it on another device or network
Open the site on your phone using mobile data instead of Wi-Fi. If it loads on cellular but not on your home connection, the issue is your network or router, not the website. This two-minute test rules out a huge share of "is it down" false alarms.
3. Check the site's official status page or social media
Most large services run a status page (often at status.example.com) and post outage updates on their social accounts. If they've acknowledged an incident, you have your answer — and an estimated fix time.
4. Ping the server or flush your DNS
On your computer, open a terminal and run ping example.com. Replies mean the server is reachable; timeouts suggest a network or server problem. If the site resolves for others but not you, a stale DNS cache is a common culprit — flush it with ipconfig /flushdns on Windows or sudo dscacheutil -flushcache on macOS.
5. Clear your cache or try a VPN
A corrupted browser cache or a regional block can make a perfectly healthy site look down. Try an incognito window, clear your browser cache, or connect through a VPN to rule out an ISP issue or geo-restriction. If the site suddenly works through a VPN, the block was on your side of the connection.
Down for everyone, or just you?
The quickest way to settle that question is an external check. If a status checker confirms the site is up but you still can't reach it, work through the local fixes above. If it's down for everyone, there's nothing to do but wait for the site's team to resolve it. Either way, you'll know in under a minute — start with the free checker.