How to learn about Starlink is down right now

Starlink publishes real-time outage information on its status page at status.starlink.com. This page shows whether the service is operating normally, experiencing degraded performance, or down entirely in your region. You can also check your Starlink app — open it, tap the menu, and look for "Service Status" or a notification banner at the top.

If the status page shows everything is normal but you still cannot connect, the problem is usually with your equipment rather than Starlink's network. Restart your router and dish by unplugging both for 30 seconds, then plugging them back in. Wait three to five minutes for them to fully boot before testing your connection again.

You can also check third-party outage trackers like Downdetector, which aggregates reports from users in real time. These sites show whether other people in your area are reporting problems, which helps you confirm whether the issue is widespread or isolated to your setup.

Key Takeaways

  • Starlink's official status page at status.starlink.com shows outages by region and updates in real time.
  • Most connection problems are caused by equipment that needs restarting, not by a network outage.
  • Starlink outages typically last from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on whether they are caused by weather, software updates, or hardware failure.
  • During an outage, you can use mobile hotspot from your phone or a neighboring network if you need internet urgently.

Why Starlink goes down and how long it usually takes to come back

Starlink experiences outages for three main reasons: weather interference, software updates, and hardware failures. Heavy rain, snow, and thick cloud cover can block the signal between your dish and the satellites overhead. These weather-related outages usually clear within minutes to an hour once conditions improve, though the dish may take a few minutes to reacquire the signal even after the weather passes.

Starlink also schedules maintenance windows to push software updates to its satellites and ground infrastructure. These planned outages are usually brief — 15 to 30 minutes — but the company does not always announce them in advance. If your service drops suddenly and the status page shows no incident, a software update is often the cause.

Hardware failures are less common but can take longer to resolve. If a satellite fails or a ground station goes offline, Starlink engineers must diagnose and repair the problem, which can take several hours. The company prioritizes restoring service to the largest affected regions first.

What to do while you wait for service to return

If Starlink is down and you need internet when ready, use your phone's mobile hotspot to share its cellular connection with your computer or other devices. Most phone plans include hotspot data, though using it heavily may count against your monthly limit. This is a temporary solution, not a replacement for your home internet.

If you have a neighbor or nearby business with a different internet provider, ask whether you can use their network for urgent tasks. Libraries and coffee shops also offer free Wi-Fi, though they may not be open during an outage at night or on weekends.

For work or school that cannot be delayed, consider going to a location with reliable internet — a library, coworking space, or a friend's house. If your outage lasts more than a few hours and you work from home, contact your employer to explain the situation. Most understand that internet outages happen and will not penalize you for circumstances beyond your control.

When to restart your equipment versus waiting for Starlink to fix it

Restart your dish and router if the status page shows no outage but you cannot connect. Unplug both devices, wait 30 seconds, and plug them back in. The dish will take two to three minutes to point itself at the satellites and establish a connection. If you still have no internet after five minutes, check the status page again — an outage may have started since you last looked.

Do not restart your equipment repeatedly if the status page shows an active outage. Restarting will not speed up the fix and may actually delay your connection when service returns, because your dish will be rebooting instead of ready to reconnect. Wait for the status page to show the outage is resolved, then restart once if you still have no connection.

If your dish is pointed at the ground, covered in snow, or visibly damaged, you may need to fix the physical problem before restarting will help. Clear snow or debris from the dish, make sure it is pointing upward at a slight angle, and then restart. If the dish is cracked or the cable is severed, contact Starlink support — you will need a replacement.

How to contact Starlink support during an outage

Open the Starlink app and tap the menu to find "Help" or "Support." You can describe your problem and see whether Starlink has already identified an outage in your area. If the status page shows an active outage, support will usually direct you to wait for the fix rather than troubleshoot your individual connection.

If the status page shows no outage but you still cannot connect, support will walk you through restarting your equipment, checking your cables, and repositioning your dish if needed. Have your equipment nearby when you contact them so you can follow their steps in real time.

Response times vary depending on how many people are contacting support at once. During a major outage affecting thousands of users, you may wait several hours for a response. For non-urgent issues, you can also submit a support ticket through the app and receive a response within 24 to 48 hours.

Signs that your Starlink problem is not an outage

If only some of your devices can connect to the internet, the problem is usually your Wi-Fi router, not Starlink itself. Try connecting a device directly to the router with an ethernet cable. If that device works but your Wi-Fi devices do not, restart the router. If the ethernet device also does not work, restart both the router and the dish.

If your internet is extremely slow but you are connected, check how many devices are using the network at once. Starlink's speed varies based on how many satellites are overhead and how many users are on the network in your region. During peak hours (evening and night), speeds often drop. This is not an outage — it is congestion — and restarting will not help.

If you can connect to the internet but websites load very slowly or time out, the problem may be on the website's end, not Starlink's. Try a different website. If some sites work and others do not, the slow sites are experiencing their own problems. If all sites are slow, restart your router and dish, then wait a few minutes to see whether speed improves.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often does Starlink go down?

Starlink experiences brief outages (under an hour) several times per month in most regions, usually due to weather or software updates. Major outages lasting several hours are less common — typically a few times per year. The frequency and duration vary by location and season.

Will Starlink tell me when an outage is coming?

Starlink announces planned maintenance windows in advance through the app and status page, though the notice is sometimes only a few hours ahead. Unplanned outages caused by weather or hardware failures are not announced in advance — you will only know when you lose connection.

Can I get a refund if Starlink is down for a long time?

Starlink's terms of service do not offer refunds for outages. If you experience a major outage lasting more than 24 hours, you can contact support to request a service credit, though approval is not may provide. Document the outage with screenshots of the status page to support your request.

What should I do if my Starlink dish is damaged during a storm?

Contact Starlink support through the app and describe the damage. If the dish is cracked, the cable is severed, or the mounting hardware is broken, you will need a replacement. Starlink will ship a new dish, though you may have to pay a replacement fee depending on your service agreement.

Is Starlink more reliable than cable or fiber internet?

Starlink outages are typically shorter than cable or fiber outages, but they happen more frequently. Weather can knock out Starlink service for minutes to hours, while cable and fiber outages usually last longer but occur less often. Reliability depends on your location and which providers serve your area.