The first thing you should do when checking if WhatsApp is down is head over to Downdetector. This is an online platform that provides real-time updates about the status of popular apps, services, and websites. If WhatsApp is down, there’s a good chance thousands of users have reported the outage to Downdetector. The website uses graphs and live maps to provide information about the extent of the reported issue, whatever it may be.
There’s also Down for Everyone or Just Me, a service very similar to Downdetector. So, if you want to double-check if WhatsApp (or any other popular app, for that matter) is having issues, pay the website a visit and see what people around the world are experiencing. Typically, you’ll see user reports pertaining to various functionalities — some might have issues logging in, while others might report problems with their WhatsApp messages not sending.
The Meta Status page can also be useful. Though the status page primarily concerns Meta’s business-oriented products, it’s still a good idea to check it out if you’re experiencing issues with the WhatsApp application on your smartphone or computer.