Culture

How to check if Gmail, Hotmail, or Yahoo is down

When Web e-mail goes down, it seems to happen at the most inopportune times. Is it really down, though? We'll show you how to check.

Ed Rhee

Ed Rhee, a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is an IT veteran turned stay-at-home-dad of two girls. He focuses on Android devices and applications while maintaining a review blog at techdadreview.com.

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Ed Rhee

Sept. 14, 2011 10:51 a.m. PT

When Web e-mail goes down, it seems to happen at the most inopportune times. We've all become so dependent on Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and other Web e-mail services, that even a minute of down time can make us anxious. Is it really down, though? Here's how to check:

Gmail
Google provides a comprehensive service status page that not only shows the status of Gmail, but other Google Apps services as well. To check Gmail's status, go to https://www.google.com/appsstatus.

Google Apps Status page — Google Apps Status Dashboard Screenshot by Ed Rhee

Hotmail
The Windows Live service status page shows the status of Hotmail, as well as Messenger, SkyDrive, and others. To check Hotmail's status, go to https://status.live.com

Yahoo Mail
Yahoo does not have a public service status page that we know of. However, there is a Web site called downforeveryoneorjustme.com that can be used to check if Yahoo Mail is down. To use it, go to the shortened URL, http://www.isup.me and enter "mail.yahoo.com" into the box and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Isup.me — downforeveryoneorjustme.com (http://isup.me) Screenshot by Ed Rhee

That's it. Bookmark these links so that the next time you think your e-mail provider is having problems, you can verify that it's them and not your own computer or Internet connection.