Massive App Outage Sparks Panic: Reddit, X, and More Go Down Simultaneously
By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Published: 13:01 EST, 13 January 2026 | Updated: 13:31 EST, 13 January 2026
A widespread tech crisis unfolded on Tuesday, as several popular apps experienced simultaneous crashes, leaving millions of users stranded without access to essential platforms. Reddit and X, two of the most widely used social media apps, went down around 10 am ET, causing widespread panic and concern.
The scale of the outage was immense, with Downdetector, a site that monitors online outages, recording over 67,000 reports for Reddit and 25,000 for X during the peak of the disruption in the US. This staggering number highlights the extent of the issue, as users from around the world reported problems.
But it wasn't just Reddit and X that were affected. Other apps, including the investing platform Betterment and the EV charging app ChargePoint, also experienced issues, though on a smaller scale. Some X users noted that pages like trending topics still loaded, while the home feed displayed error messages, indicating a complex underlying issue.
Reddit confirmed the disruption, attributing it to an unusual surge in errors. The company swiftly identified the cause and implemented fixes, and both platforms have since returned to normal. However, the impact was felt globally, with thousands of users in the UK reporting issues with the sites.
The popular Monzo banking app also crashed, adding to the chaos. This digital bank, known for its user-friendly features, was inaccessible during the outage, causing further inconvenience for its users.
Despite the initial panic, the situation was brought under control by 1:19 pm ET, as Reddit announced that its systems were fully operational. However, some X users continued to report issues, indicating that the full extent of the outage may have been more severe than initially reported.
This massive app outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of our digital world and the potential impact of widespread technical failures. As technology continues to play a central role in our lives, ensuring the resilience and reliability of these systems becomes increasingly crucial.
