GitHub Outage: Is GitHub Down or Not Working Right Now?
If GitHub suddenly stops responding, won’t let you push commits, or your pull requests fail to load, you’re probably wondering whether it’s a wider GitHub outage or just something on your end. This guide walks you through how to check, what usually causes GitHub to go down or stop working properly, and what you can do while you wait for things to come back online.
Is This a Known GitHub Outage?
Before you start troubleshooting your own connection, it’s worth checking whether other users across the UK are reporting the same problem. The reports at the top of this page are submitted by real users experiencing issues right now, so they give you a quick sense of whether GitHub is down more widely or if the fault is isolated to you.
You can also check GitHub’s own official status page for confirmed incidents, maintenance windows and service disruptions affecting specific parts of the platform, such as Actions, Pull Requests or the API.
Always check both live user reports and GitHub’s official status page. Reports here reflect what people are experiencing right now, while the official page confirms whether GitHub has acknowledged a fault.
You can view the official status directly here: GitHub Status Page.
Common GitHub Faults and Their Solutions
Most problems people describe as “GitHub not working” fall into a handful of recurring categories. Here’s a quick reference table to help you work out what’s likely going on.
| Fault or Symptom | Likely Cause | What You Can Try |
|---|---|---|
| Website won’t load at all | Server-side outage or your local network fault | Check the status page, restart your router, try a different network |
| Git push or pull fails | Authentication issue or temporary server disruption | Re-check your credentials or SSH keys, retry after a few minutes |
| Pages load slowly | High server load or regional connectivity issue | Clear your browser cache, try a different browser |
| GitHub Actions not running | Service-specific outage affecting workflows | Check the status page for Actions specifically, retry the workflow later |
| Login problems | Authentication service issue or incorrect credentials | Reset your password, check for two-factor authentication prompts |
| Repository images or avatars not displaying | CDN or asset delivery fault | Refresh the page, disable browser extensions that block content |
Quick Fixes When GitHub Isn’t Working
Before assuming there’s a full-scale GitHub outage, it’s worth ruling out anything on your end first. These steps take a few minutes and solve the majority of everyday problems.
- Refresh the page or restart your browser completely.
- Clear your browser’s cache and cookies, particularly if pages are loading with outdated content.
- Check your internet connection by loading a different website.
- Try accessing GitHub from a different device or network, such as switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data.
- Disable browser extensions, especially ad blockers or privacy tools that might interfere with scripts.
- Check whether your organisation’s firewall or VPN is blocking GitHub traffic, which is common on some UK corporate networks.
Common GitHub Error Codes and What They Mean
If GitHub shows you an error message rather than simply failing to load, the code itself often tells you where the problem sits, whether it’s a fault at GitHub’s end or something closer to home.
| Error Code | Meaning | Suggested Action |
|---|---|---|
| 500 Internal Server Error | Something has gone wrong on GitHub’s servers | Wait a few minutes and try again, check the status page |
| 502 Bad Gateway | A server acting as a gateway received an invalid response | Refresh the page, usually resolves quickly on its own |
| 503 Service Unavailable | GitHub’s servers are temporarily overloaded or under maintenance | Wait and retry, check for scheduled maintenance notices |
| 404 Not Found | The page, repository or resource doesn’t exist or has been moved | Double-check the URL or repository name for typos |
| 403 Forbidden | You don’t have permission to access this resource | Check your account permissions or repository access rights |
| 429 Too Many Requests | You’ve hit a rate limit on API or repeated requests | Wait before retrying, reduce the frequency of requests |
When Should You Contact GitHub Support?
If you’ve confirmed there’s no wider outage, tried the basic fixes above, and you’re still having trouble, it’s time to get in touch directly. This is particularly worth doing if the problem affects your account specifically, such as billing issues, access permissions, or repository-specific faults that others aren’t reporting.
You can reach GitHub’s support team and browse their help documentation here: GitHub Support.
Keep an Eye on Things Here
GitHub outages tend to be short-lived, but they can still disrupt your workflow at the worst possible moment. Bookmark this page and check back whenever something feels off, the live reports at the top give you a real-time picture of what other UK users are experiencing right now. If you’re having trouble yourself, add your own report to help others get a clearer picture too.
