Instagram users are currently facing significant challenges with direct messaging, as reports of an outage have surged since early this morning. According to Downdetector, a platform that tracks online service disruptions, the issues began around 7 AM ET, impacting users across major U.S. cities such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas, as well as in the UK, Australia, and various regions in Europe and Asia.
Scope of the Outage
The outage has not only affected Instagram but has also extended to Facebook Messenger. Meta’s service status page indicates that there are “some disruptions” with its Posting Tool. A breakdown of reported issues reveals that:
- 62% of users reported problems specifically with the Instagram app.
- 27% cited server connection issues.
- 11% experienced difficulties with sharing content.
For Facebook, the impact appears to be more pronounced on the website, with 45% of users reporting issues there, while 39% noted problems with the app, and 16% indicated server connection troubles.
User Reactions
As frustration mounted, many users took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their concerns and seek confirmation from others about the outage. One user noted, “Don’t worry it’s not just you, Instagram DMs are really down,” highlighting a collective sense of confusion and annoyance. Some users even speculated whether they had been banned from the platforms or if their accounts had been compromised.
Currently, users attempting to send direct messages on Instagram and Messenger are met with error messages, further complicating communication for the more than 375 million individuals who utilize Instagram Direct Messages each month. While the exact number of affected users remains unclear, Downdetector indicates that thousands of reports are coming in from around the globe.
As of now, Meta has yet to officially acknowledge the outage, leaving users in a state of uncertainty regarding the resolution timeline.
