Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, restored service after a widespread outage affected users globally on Monday, February 16, 2026.
The disruption started around 8:00 a.m. ET (1:00 p.m. GMT). Users reported that the platform failed to load properly on both the mobile app and desktop website. Many encountered blank pages or error messages such as “Something went wrong.” Posts and timelines did not appear.
Outage tracking website Downdetector recorded a sharp increase in user complaints. Reports peaked at over 40,000 in the United States alone by around 8:45 a.m. ET. Additional spikes occurred in the United Kingdom, India, and other regions. Users across multiple continents faced similar access issues.
The problems primarily impacted timeline loading, feed refresh, and overall access. Some users experienced login difficulties, while others saw partial loading without new content. The outage affected both the app (about 53% of reports) and the website.
X gradually returned to normal operation by approximately 9:30 a.m. ET. Outage reports on Downdetector dropped significantly to baseline levels. Users confirmed that feeds loaded again and the platform functioned smoothly. Tech sites such as TechRadar and Tom’s Guide verified the restoration.
X did not issue an official statement on the reason for the outage. No immediate explanation emerged from the company or Elon Musk, who owns the platform. Previous outages occurred in recent months, but this incident resolved relatively quickly.
Many turned to other platforms to report the issue and seek updates. The brief disruption highlighted ongoing reliance on the service for real-time communication and news sharing. X resumed normal operations without further reported interruptions that day.
