A significant service disruption swept through Cloudflare’s network on 20th February 2026, impacting users globally and causing notable issues with several prominent applications. The company has acknowledged the outage and is actively working to rectify the situation, though the exact cause remains unclear.
Service Disruptions Reported
Cloudflare, a leading web infrastructure and security provider, confirmed that its services were experiencing difficulties, leading to user complaints about accessing various platforms. In a statement on their website, the company noted, “Cloudflare is investigating issues with our services and/or network. Users may experience errors or timeouts reaching Cloudflare’s network or services.”
As a result, many users reported problems with popular services such as UberEats and the sports betting site Bet365. Additionally, the gaming community was not spared, with several users on Reddit expressing frustration over difficulties connecting to the Steam platform. Cloudflare later provided an update at 2:45 PM Eastern Time, assuring users that efforts to restore services were underway.
Context of the Outage
Cloudflare’s issues come on the heels of a series of previous outages that have raised concerns about the reliability of their service. In November 2025, an extensive outage affected tens of thousands of users, disrupting access to major websites, including X (formerly Twitter) and ChatGPT, as well as e-commerce platforms like Shopify and Dropbox. Reports during that incident peaked at approximately 11,000 on outage-tracking site DownDetector.
In contrast, the current outage saw reports peak at around 500, indicating a more contained incident. Cloudflare had also mentioned that scheduled maintenance was taking place at a data centre in Portland on the same day, although it remains uncertain if that contributed to the service interruptions.
Company Response
Despite the previous issues, Cloudflare’s swift response to the current outage demonstrates its commitment to maintaining service reliability. The company stated, “Cloudflare is continuing to work on restoring service for impacted customers to what it was before the outage.” However, as of 3:30 PM EST, they had not issued any updates regarding the current situation on their social media channels, despite addressing past outages on their “Cloudflare Help” account.
Looking Ahead
As service disruptions become increasingly common in the digital landscape, the implications for businesses relying on Cloudflare’s infrastructure are notable. Companies must remain vigilant and prepared for potential downtime, which can directly affect their operations and revenue streams.
The tech community will be watching closely to see how Cloudflare manages this incident and whether it will implement changes to enhance its service resilience.
Why it Matters
This outage highlights the fragility of online services that millions rely on daily. As businesses and consumers increasingly depend on cloud-based solutions, any disruption can have cascading effects—impacting revenue, user trust, and operational efficiency. With the digital landscape evolving rapidly, ensuring robust infrastructure is paramount for companies looking to maintain their competitive edge, making the reliability of providers like Cloudflare a critical consideration for future investments.
