How to use the is it Down? website down checker
- 1Enter the website address and press Check now.
- 2Read the verdict: up, refusing our request, returning an error, or not responding at all.
- 3Follow the list under the verdict: what to try if it works for us but not for you, or what to do if it's down.
- 4Press Check again after a few minutes to see whether it has come back.
Example verdicts
Results from our server for four sites (illustrative)
200 → Up: it's responding for us (the problem is likely on your side) 403 → Up, but it refused our request 503 → Down: the server returns an error DNS lookup failed → Down: the domain doesn't resolve
Down for everyone or just you?
If our server can load the site but you can't, the site is up and something between you and it is failing: your connection, DNS, browser, VPN or a block on your network or country. If our server can't load it either (no DNS answer, no response, a 5xx error), it's very likely down for everyone. One caveat: we check from a single location, so a regional outage at a CDN or ISP can look fine from here.
What the result means
| Verdict | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Up | The server answered normally (2xx or a redirect to a working page). |
| Up, but refused | 401, 403 or 429: it's running but blocks automated or unauthenticated requests. |
| Page returns 4xx | The server works but that page doesn't exist (404) or was removed (410). |
| Server error | 5xx: the site or its hosting is failing. |
| Doesn't resolve | DNS failed: expired domain, typo, or broken DNS. |
| No response / refused | Server offline, overloaded or firewalled. |
| Certificate invalid | It answers, but browsers show a security warning. |
Fixes when a site is only down for you
- Hard-refresh (Ctrl+F5, or Cmd+Shift+R on a Mac) or open a private window.
- Try another network: switch your phone between Wi-Fi and mobile data.
- Turn off VPN, proxy and ad-blocking extensions.
- Restart your router if nothing loads on your Wi-Fi.
- Check your device's date and time; a wrong clock breaks HTTPS.
DNS, cache and network checks
Your computer remembers DNS answers. If a site moved servers, your cached answer may be out of date. Flush it with ipconfig /flushdns on Windows or sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder on macOS, or switch to a public DNS resolver. The IP address lookup shows your public IP and network, which helps when a site blocks certain networks, and what is my browser gives details to send to a site's support team.
Reporting an outage
If the site is down for everyone, look for its status page (often status. plus the domain) or its social media accounts before reporting. When you contact support, include the time, what you saw (error message or code), the result from this page and your location. If it's your own site, check your hosting dashboard, the domain's expiry date and DNS records, and the server's error logs; then use the website uptime checker to confirm it's back.
What happens to the address I enter?
To check a URL, our server requests the address you enter and returns the result to you. We don't store the pages we fetch or keep a list of the addresses you check. Like any website, our hosting provider keeps short-lived technical request logs for security. See the privacy policy.