WhatsApp Outage Prevents Users From Sending Images and Videos Globally

The disruption hit early on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, with users reporting a sudden inability to transmit media files. Based on observations by the KompasTekno team, the failure occurred specifically when sending images through the WhatsApp mobile application, even when internet connections were smooth. While mobile users struggled, the delivery of images through WhatsApp Desktop and WhatsApp Web was observed to be running normally for some. However, other reports indicated that users could not upload content to WhatsApp Status.

Downdetector Reports and Global Reach

Network monitoring data reveals the outage was not localized to a single region. In Indonesia, Downdetector reports began to climb around 03:38 WIB, eventually peaking at 06:38 WIB with 685 reports. Global data showed a similar trend, peaking around 06:30 with approximately 730 reports. In both Indonesia and globally, the majority of users reported disruptions specifically within the messaging features.

The impact stretched across multiple continents. Reports of the glitch surfaced from the United States, Mexico, India, and Brazil. According to Notebook Check, thousands of users experienced problems, with the most frequent complaint being the failure to send and receive photos. While the majority of complaints centered on messaging and media failure, data from StatusGator and Downdetector showed a small number of reports regarding calling functions, with reports spiking sharply around 18:00 WIB.

Impact on Business and Daily Communication

For many, the outage was more than a minor inconvenience; it was a business disruption. In Banyuwangi, local users noted that the inability to send product photos hampered commercial activities. Yudho, a resident of Banyuwangi, stated that he had been unable to send images since around dawn and could only send text.

Another resident of Banyuwangi, Adi, who uses WhatsApp as his primary business communication tool, described the struggle of sending product photos to customers. Adi said it was difficult because WhatsApp had become his primary place for business communication, and he was temporarily sending product photos through other applications.

Facebook Users Experience Widespread Account Access Errors on July 19

Other users took to social media to express their frustration. Reports of the technical glitch, where photos appeared only as repetition symbols or remained stuck on the conversation screen, quickly flooded the X platform.

Meta’s Response and Technical Failures

Despite the volume of complaints, Meta—the parent company and manager of WhatsApp—did not release an official statement regarding the trigger of the system disruption. The application’s official communication channels also did not share updated information regarding the cause or when the service would return to normal.

Different reports highlighted varying experiences with the web version. CNNIndonesia.com observed that when users attempted to send or receive files, images, or videos, the files would not send and the desktop display would simply spin. Bowo, a private employee, told CNNIndonesia.com on Wednesday (20/5) that he had been unable to send images via WhatsApp Web and that the screen had just been spinning since 9 o’clock. He further explained that files sent from a phone did not appear on WA Web, and files sent directly from WA Web also failed. Gilang, another private employee, stated that his videos and photos were just spinning.

Distinct Patterns in Web Access Failures

Separate from the August 4 media outage, the platform experienced a mass disruption on Wednesday, May 20, 2026. During this incident, users attempting to open the official address web.whatsapp.com were automatically redirected to the Facebook main page. This caused confusion among office workers and users starting their morning productivity.

Netizens on X reported that the WhatsApp Web login page failed to display the usual QR Code. The X account @jopaijoj uploaded a complaint that the system directed them to Facebook. Similarly, account @__jejaksenja questioned why opening WhatsApp Web displayed Facebook instead and wondered if logging in through Facebook was now required.

During the May 20 event, Downdetector showed fewer complaints than the August outage, with only about 20 reports in the morning. Of those, 51 percent of users complained of connection problems, 41 percent reported difficulty sending and receiving messages, and 3 percent reported login issues. The X account @Fraansss also complained about the connection problems.