Downdetector guide
Downdetector Map: How to Read the Downdetector Outage Map
The Downdetector map shows where people are reporting problems with a service right now. Every service page on Downdetector has one. Hotspots are reports, not confirmed failures, so check your provider's own map too, like the Xfinity Status Center.
Updated
What does the Downdetector map mean?
The map plots where problem reports came from in the last few hours. Brighter or redder spots mean more reports from that area. Some pages also list the cities with the most reports.
How to read the Downdetector map: five patterns
Look at the shape of the reports, not just the brightest spot.
- Wide
Hotspots across the whole country
A nationwide outage at the company
- Local
One bright cluster in one region
A local problem, like a cut cable or a storm
- Normal
Bright spots only in big cities
Normal background reports
- Local
A new hotspot in a small town
A local outage is likely
- Wide
Many services lit up in one area
A power cut or regional internet problem
The Downdetector live map, minute by minute
The live outage map updates as new reports arrive. Watch it for five minutes:
A spot grows fast
The outage is spreading.
A spot fades
The problem is likely being fixed.
A spot stays the same
It may just be normal traffic.
Outage map near me: check your own area
There is no "near me" button, but zooming in gives you an outage map near me in seconds. Here is how to check outages in my area on Downdetector:
- Search for your service on Downdetector, like Spectrum or T-Mobile.
- Open the outage map and zoom in on your city.
- Compare with the chart. A local cluster plus a spike means a likely local outage.
- Confirm with the company. Use its app or official outage map, which checks your exact address.
Outage by city
Phone carrier and internet pages often list an outage by city ranking. If your city is near the top and the chart is spiking, the outage likely reaches you.
Is the Downdetector outage map accurate?
It is accurate about where reports come from. It is less accurate about where the problem is.
Good at
- Showing if people near you have the same problem
- Telling a local outage from a national one
- Showing an outage spreading or fading
Weak at
- Big cities look worse than they are
- People may report the wrong company
- It cannot show your street or address
Read more in our guide to Downdetector false alarms. For a network view, compare the best internet outage maps.
How the map gets its dots
When someone reports a problem, Downdetector notes roughly where the report came from. On the website, that usually comes from the visitor's internet connection. In the app, it can come from the phone's location, if the user allows it.
That is why the map works at city level, not street level. An internet address only points to a general area, and it can even point to the provider's nearest hub instead of your town. So a few reports may land in a nearby city instead of yours.
Why the map can look busy when nothing is wrong
Every big service has some unhappy users at any moment. Those normal reports spread across the map, mostly in big cities. A quiet day still has dots. What matters is a change: a new cluster, or one that grows fast.
Regional outage or nationwide outage? Map examples
One state lights up
A home internet provider loses a fiber line, and reports cluster in one metro area. The national chart rises only a little.
Coast to coast
A carrier's core network fails, and hotspots appear in nearly every big city at once. The chart shoots up within minutes.
Many services, one area
After a storm, phone, cable, and streaming services all light up in the same place. The real cause is usually power.
Live outage map tips for phone and internet problems
Phone carriers and internet providers are where the map helps most, because their outages are often local.
- Check your carrier and a neighbor's carrier. If only yours lights up near you, it is your carrier's network.
- Compare home internet and mobile. If your cable provider lights up but your carrier does not, use your phone's hotspot for now.
- Look again in 15 minutes. A cluster that keeps growing is a real outage. One that fades was probably a blip.
- Use the outage map near me view on your phone. With location allowed, the app map opens near you.
For a provider-by-provider view, see the Verizon outage map guide.
What the map will not tell you
The map cannot show the cause, the repair time, or whether your exact address is affected. It also cannot show outages that people have not reported yet, which can happen at night when fewer people are awake.
For those answers, use the provider's own outage tool. It checks the line that serves your home and often gives an estimated fix time. Put the two together: the Downdetector map for "is it just me," the provider tool for "when will it be fixed."
Related Downdetector guides
The map is built from user reports, and our guide to how Downdetector works explains how those reports become a spike. On your phone, the map is part of the Downdetector app, which can also alert you when a service near you has problems. And if a single website will not load for you, our website down checker tests it from your own connection.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Downdetector map always show New York and Los Angeles?
Those cities have the most people, so they always have the most reports. A bright spot there is often normal. Look for spots that are much brighter than usual, or new spots in smaller towns.
Can the Downdetector map show my street?
No. The map works at city and region level. To check your exact address, use your provider’s own outage tool. Our official outage maps directory links to each one.
Is the outage map on every Downdetector page?
Most service pages have an outage map, especially phone carriers, internet providers, and big apps. Look for the map link or button on the service’s page on Downdetector.
How far back does the Downdetector map go?
The map shows recent reports, from about the last few hours. It is a live view, not a history. For past outages, look at news reports or the company’s status page history.
Why is my town not on the Downdetector map during an outage?
Reports are placed by rough location, often the provider’s nearest hub. Your reports may show up in a nearby city instead. Small towns with few users may also have too few reports to show a spot.
Can I use the Downdetector map to check a power outage?
Not directly. Downdetector tracks services, not power companies. But if many unrelated services light up in one area at once, a power outage is a likely cause. Check your power company’s outage map to confirm.
Does the outage map update in real time?
Close to it. New reports show up within minutes. Watching the map for 10 to 15 minutes tells you whether an outage is growing or fading.
Independent guide. Not affiliated with Downdetector or Ookla.