On February 20, 2026, users of the web infrastructure service Cloudflare faced significant disruptions, prompting widespread reports of service issues. The company acknowledged these difficulties and is actively working to restore normal operations, assuring customers of their commitment to resolving the situation.
Service Disruptions Across Popular Platforms
Affected users reported problems accessing a variety of platforms, including UberEats and the sports betting site Bet365, sparking frustration as many turned to social media to voice their concerns. Gamers using the Steam platform also encountered difficulties attributed to the Cloudflare outages. The company released a statement indicating that they were investigating the issues affecting their network, advising that users might experience errors or timeouts while attempting to connect to their services.
Cloudflare’s statement at 2:45 PM Eastern Time confirmed ongoing efforts to restore service, stating, “Cloudflare is continuing to work on restoring service for impacted customers to what it was before the outage.” The company’s proactive approach aims to mitigate user disruption, but the root cause of the issues remains unclear.
Scheduled Maintenance or Unrelated Issues?
Interestingly, Cloudflare had been conducting scheduled maintenance at their Portland data centre on the same day as the outages. However, the company has not clarified whether this maintenance was linked to the service disruptions. Unlike a previous notable outage in November 2025, which saw widespread access issues across major websites—including popular platforms like X and ChatGPT—the current incident appears to be less severe. Reports on DownDetector peaked at around 500 during this incident, significantly lower than the 11,000 reports during the November outage.
In December 2025, Cloudflare experienced a brief but impactful outage which further highlighted the potential vulnerabilities in web infrastructure services. While the company has addressed past incidents through updates on their social media channels, there has been no communication regarding the current issues as of 3:30 PM EST.
User Experience in the Digital Age
The reliance on Cloudflare’s services underscores the fragility of internet infrastructure. With so many businesses depending on their platform for web security and performance, even minor disruptions can lead to significant impacts. This situation serves as a reminder of the interconnected nature of online services and the potential for cascading failures when critical infrastructure experiences issues.
As users continue to navigate the challenges posed by these outages, the emphasis on robust, reliable web infrastructure becomes increasingly pronounced. Companies that rely on such services must remain vigilant, ensuring they have contingency plans to mitigate the effects of outages on their operations and customer experience.
Why it Matters
This incident highlights the critical role that web infrastructure providers like Cloudflare play in the digital landscape. As businesses and consumers become increasingly reliant on online platforms, the repercussions of outages extend beyond mere inconvenience, affecting productivity, revenue, and user trust. The incident serves as a crucial reminder for stakeholders across the tech industry to prioritise resilience and reliability in their operations, ensuring they can withstand disruptions in an ever-evolving digital ecosystem.
