[UPDATE: As of 12:00 AM Eastern, most YouTube functions have returned to normal. The outage lasted approximately two hours. Although some DownDetector user reports still indicated possible issues with the desktop and mobile sites, all YouTube services are back online. YouTube has not officially commented on the site’s earlier issues. The original story is as follows.]

YouTube is facing significant worldwide technical issues causing it to be down for many users. YouTube users have expressed concerns on social media about the outage affecting both the desktop and mobile versions of Google’s video service.

YouTube, the foremost platform for user-generated videos, has been a mainstay for entertainment since the 2000s, evolving into a popular streaming service featuring not only videos but also traditional TV shows and films through YouTube TV. Even though YouTube’s policies have faced scrutiny, user engagement with the platform remains high.

YouTube Users Report Widespread Site Outage

Currently, YouTube users trying to access their preferred videos are encountering issues. User reports on DownDetector indicate that a significant service outage began around 7:40 PM Eastern time. By approximately 8:10 PM Eastern, there were 338,308 reports concerning YouTube’s ongoing problems. While certain platforms such as the Subscriptions tab continue to work, the YouTube and YouTube TV home pages remain largely inaccessible for many users.

YouTube is partially down. You can view videos and channels directly, but the main homepage, shorts feed, and any recommended videos are not loading.
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren.co.uk) 2026-02-18T01:14:11.498Z

Developing news regarding the YouTube outage will be updated here as new information becomes available.