Is X (formerly Twitter) Down...Or Is It Just You?

When any major web outage occurs, people tweet about it on X. But if X is down and inaccessible, you can't tweet. Sometimes, it's not X's fault. Here's how to troubleshoot X to figure out whether the problem is with X, your internet connection, your device, your browser, your app, or your X account.

How to Fix it When You Can't Access X

When you can't tweet, determine where the problem is occurring. Follow these troubleshooting tips:

1. Check the X status. Check the X status page to see if something happened with the social media platform. If you see a message such as "service disruptions" with a recent time, there's a problem with X.

   An "All System Operational" message may indicate the problem lies elsewhere, or X hasn't yet recognized there's a problem.

2. Access X on a different platform. Typically, most people access X from an app or from a web browser. If one of these methods doesn't work, try a different one.

   • Access X from a browser: Go to https://www.twitter.com. On Windows and macOS devices, this displays the full X website. On Android and iOS devices, you're redirected to a mobile version of the site.
   • Access the mobile version of X: If you still can't access X, open the mobile version of X at https://mobile.twitter.com. This version is also called Twitter Lite since it uses less data and supports X access on a slow or intermittent network connection.
   • Official X app: Install and sign in to the official X app for your device. X offers apps for Android, iOS, and Windows 10 systems. The official X app gives you access to X without some of the limitations occasionally found in third-party X apps.

   You also may receive and send tweets via SMS from a mobile phone. To do this, look up your carrier's shortcode, then text the word START to the shortcode. In the United States, for example, this is 40404. You would text START to 40404.

3. Restart your device. If you still can't access X, turn your device off then back on. A restart sometimes fixes connection and application problems.

4. Check for filtering. Several tools block access to social media sites. There are a few ways to check if that's the case with your situation.

   • Try another social media site like Facebook or Instagram: If you can access most websites, but not social media sites, from a browser, the problem may not be with X. Instead, a restriction might prevent access to social media sites from your device or IP.
   • Content blocker settings: If you use a content blocker in your browser, like AdBlock Plus, Disconnect, or Ghostery, review and change the settings to allow access to Twitter.com.
   • Firewall and Wi-Fi settings: Social media sites may be blocked by a network device configuration, such as a Wi-Fi access point or firewall. Sign in to your Wi-Fi access point, router, or firewall to review the filtering settings. Different routers have different controls. Look for either filtering options or parental controls settings for your device.

5. Check your network connections. Check to see if you're connected to a network by opening a browser to another major site, such as Google. If you can't connect to other sites, the issue may be your home network.

   • Wi-Fi Status: Check the status of your Wi-Fi access point, router, or modem. Most network devices have lights indicating a device is on and connected. A red light or the lack of a light may indicate a problem.
   • Reset: As with many devices, a restart may help. Turn the devices off. If you can't find a power switch, unplug the power cable, then turn the devices back on or plug the power back in. Wait a few minutes for the devices to reconnect to your internet provider, then connect to X.
   • Try a different network: You might switch to a different network, then connect to X. For example, on an Android phone or iPhone, turn off Wi-Fi on your device, then connect to X. Or, if you turned Wi-Fi off, turn Wi-Fi on, connect to a nearby access point, then access X.

6. Change the DNS server settings. If most of your internet access and connections work, but not X, change your device's DNS settings. Sometimes incomplete, inaccurate, or blocked DNS settings prevent access to specific sites.

   In most cases, your internet service provider handles DNS by default, but you may have configured the device or router to use an alternative DNS provider. For example, Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, and Quad9 offer free DNS services.

7. Check for account issues. If you can connect to X, but can't sign in, you have a few options.

   These solutions imply that you can access the X site or app, but certain features are inoperable.

   • Reset your password: Go to the X sign-in page in a browser or on the X mobile app for Android or iOS and select Forgot password. To complete the password reset process, you may need access to the email account associated with your X account. For additional password reset assistance, go to the X Help Center to find information on how to reset a lost or forgotten password.
   • Locked account: If you, or someone else, unsuccessfully signed in a few times, X might lock your account. After this happens, wait about an hour before attempting to sign in again. During the lockout, X doesn't allow you to sign in even if you enter the correct password.
   • Suspended account: X may suspend accounts because of abusive tweets, spammy behavior, or a potential security problem. In some cases, X may allow you to unsuspend your account. If X permits it, you'll see instructions or a request for additional information after you sign in. Otherwise, you may need to attempt to unlock your account or file an appeal of your suspension with X.