Cloud Outages: How to Check if a Service Is Down (Guide)

How Do You Check for Cloud Outages?

Official status pages

Service	Status page
Google Cloud	status.cloud.google.com
Google Workspace (Gmail, Drive)	google.com/appsstatus/dashboard
Microsoft 365 and OneDrive	status.cloud.microsoft
Dropbox	status.dropbox.com
Apple iCloud	apple.com/support/systemstatus
Amazon Web Services	health.aws.amazon.com

When a client calls saying “the cloud is down,” it is often their Wi-Fi. Sometimes it really is a major outage. Over ten years, I have learned to check in a fixed order, which saves a lot of guessing.

How to Tell If the Problem Is on Your Side

1. Check the official status page for the service.
2. Open another website. If nothing loads, the problem is your connection.
3. Try another device or network, such as a phone hotspot.
4. Sign out and back in to rule out an account issue.
5. Check outage trackers to see whether others report problems in your region.

What Do Recent Cloud Outages Teach Us?

Large outages show that even the biggest providers fail. On June 12, 2025, a Google Cloud incident caused by a faulty Service Control change affected dozens of products, including Cloud Storage and Workspace apps such as Gmail and Google Drive.

On October 19 and 20, 2025, AWS reported an incident in its us-east-1 region lasting about 14.5 hours. AWS traced it to a race condition in DynamoDB’s automated DNS management. For Google-specific history, see our guide to Google Cloud outages.

What Should You Do During an Outage?

• Do not reinstall or reset apps. Wait for the provider to fix its side.
• Work on local copies. Files marked offline still open.
• Avoid mass changes. Big moves or deletions can sync badly when service returns.
• Follow the status page for updates and the all-clear.

How to Prepare for the Next One

1. Keep important folders available offline on your devices.
2. Keep a backup with a different company, following the 3-2-1 rule.
3. Bookmark the status pages for services you rely on.
4. For a business, write a short plan for working during an outage.

CISA suggests considering a multi-cloud approach for cloud-to-cloud backups. Read our guide to a backup of backup for how to set this up, and follow our cloud news page for updates.

Privacy Tip

During outages, scammers send fake “restore your account” emails. Use only official status pages and your saved bookmarks. Never enter passwords through links in unexpected messages.

More guides in this series: Dropbox News.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if Google Drive is down?

Check the Google Workspace status dashboard, which covers Gmail, Drive and other apps. If it shows no issue, test another website and another network. If only your account fails, sign out and back in, then check your storage quota and browser extensions.

Are outage tracking websites reliable?

They are useful early warnings, because they collect user reports quickly. However, reports can reflect local internet problems rather than a provider outage. Treat them as a signal, and confirm with the provider’s official status page before taking action.

Can a cloud outage delete my files?

Outages usually block access temporarily rather than delete data. Major providers store data redundantly. The bigger risk is working blind or syncing badly when service returns. Keep offline copies of key files and an independent backup with another company.

How long do cloud outages usually last?

Most last minutes to a few hours. Large incidents can last longer: AWS reported about 14.5 hours for its October 2025 us-east-1 event. Follow the official status page for estimates, and plan for work to continue offline during long outages.

Should a small business plan for cloud outages?

Yes. A one-page plan helps: which files to keep offline, who to contact, how to communicate with customers and where backups live. Keeping a copy of critical data with a second provider reduces the impact of any single outage.