Most reports were about messages not going through while others reported server disconnection and the app crashing altogether.

Messaging service WhatsApp is not working since just after noon across the globe in what is being seen as its biggest outage ever.

Prominent online tool Down Detector started noticing unusually high "problem reports" at 12.07 pm, and had listed thousands of such reports by 1 pm in India, WhatsApp's biggest market by user base. Most reports were about messages not going through, at 69 per cent, while others reported server disconnection and the app crashing altogether.

Social media users from Italy and Turkey also posted about not being able to send messages. The messaging service is down for users across the UK, the BBC reported.

Over 2 billion users rely on WhatsApp for communication and payments. 

The company said it's working on bringing it back up. "We're aware that some people are currently having trouble sending messages and we're working to restore WhatsApp for everyone as quickly as possible," said a spokesperson of Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram besides WhatsApp. 

A meme fest with the hashtag #WhatsAppDown began on Twitter and other platforms. Many users said they first thought their internet service was the problem.


It's the first major WhatsApp outage since last year.