How to use it
- Read the live status above. It tests WhatsApp from outside your network.
- Open the official WhatsApp: Can't connect to WhatsApp page for confirmed incidents.
- If WhatsApp is up, work through the fixes below, cheapest first.
- Press the report button if it still fails, so other visitors see it.
Is WhatsApp down for everyone or only for you?
WhatsApp works through your phone's connection, and linked devices and WhatsApp Web depend on the phone's account too. That is why a message can arrive on your phone but sit in Waiting for this message on a linked device. Calls and media use the same connection but have their own help pages.
We could not find a public WhatsApp status page. Our check requests the WhatsApp site and WhatsApp Web from outside your network. If both answer, the likeliest cause is your phone's connection, a captive Wi-Fi login, an old app version or an interrupted linked device.
The live check on this page requests www.whatsapp.com and web.whatsapp.com from our servers every few minutes. A normal answer from those addresses means the service is reachable from outside your network. It does not prove that every feature inside WhatsApp works, which is why the problem reports and the fixes below matter.
What usually breaks with WhatsApp
Sending and receiving
Messages stay unsent, or a clock icon stays. The Help Center's Can't send or receive messages article starts with the internet connection.
Waiting for network
The app says it is waiting for a network. It points to the phone's connection.
Waiting for this message
A linked device shows Waiting for this message. Check your phone. WhatsApp ties this to encryption setup, a recent reinstall or an old version.
Wi-Fi networks
One Wi-Fi network fails while others work. It may be a captive hotspot that needs a login.
Registration and backup
You cannot finish registration, or a chat backup will not restore. WhatsApp has separate articles for these.
How to fix WhatsApp when it only fails for you
Start at the top. The first steps are the cheapest and fix most cases that are not a real outage.
- Check the connection. Make sure Wi-Fi or mobile data works, switch airplane mode on and off, then restart the phone.
- Turn on data for WhatsApp. On iPhone open Settings, WhatsApp, and allow Mobile Data. On Android open Settings, Apps, WhatsApp, and allow mobile data and background data.
- Update WhatsApp. Install the latest version from the App Store or Google Play. WhatsApp also recommends this for Waiting for this message.
- Check other apps. If other apps also fail, the problem is the network, not WhatsApp.
- Log in to captive Wi-Fi. If the network needs a login page, sign in there or switch to mobile data.
- Open WhatsApp on your phone. For a linked device, open WhatsApp on the main phone and ask the sender to open theirs and update.
- Link the device again. On the phone open Linked devices, remove the device and link it again by QR code.
- Use the Help Center. Open faq.whatsapp.com for the Can't connect to WhatsApp article for your platform.
If none of this helps and the live check above shows the service as up, read our guide on why a website is not loading, or see how to flush DNS.
Common WhatsApp error messages
| Message or code | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Waiting for this message. Check your phone. | WhatsApp says the sender's device must come online to encrypt the message for you. It can also appear when either person runs an old version of WhatsApp. | Open WhatsApp on the phone, update both apps and ask the sender to open WhatsApp. |
| Waiting for network | The phone has no working connection for WhatsApp. | Test other apps, toggle airplane mode and restart the phone. |
| Clock icon on a message | WhatsApp says the message has not been sent yet, usually because the phone is not connected to the internet. | Check the internet connection, then wait for it to send. |
Official WhatsApp status and support
The company itself has the final word on outages. Check WhatsApp: Can't connect to WhatsApp for confirmed incidents and use WhatsApp Help Center if your account has a problem that is not an outage. We are not affiliated with WhatsApp.
Facts and menu names on this page were checked against the official sources below on October 28, 2026. Apps change their menus, so a setting may sit in a slightly different place in your version.
- faq.whatsapp.com/5155925751185676
- faq.whatsapp.com/835452491239734
- faq.whatsapp.com/617505350173381
- faq.whatsapp.com/2448118811981474/?locale=en_US
- faq.whatsapp.com/general/troubleshooting/problems-sending-or-receiving-messages/?lang=en
Other services people check
Frequently asked questions
Is there a WhatsApp status page?
We could not confirm a public one. Use the Help Center and our live check.
Why does WhatsApp work on my phone but not on WhatsApp Web?
The web client relies on your phone's link. Check the phone's internet and relink the device if needed.
Why do I see Waiting for this message?
WhatsApp says it can come from encryption, a recent reinstall or an older version. Open the app on the phone and update.
Is WhatsApp down when only one chat fails?
Probably not. Check whether the other person is online and has the latest version.
Where do I get help?
Use the WhatsApp Help Center at faq.whatsapp.com.