My Website Is Down: A 10-Minute Checklist (500, Blank or Not Loading)

When a website is down, check the invoice, the domain, the DNS and the error message, in that order. Most outages are found within ten minutes.

Overview

A site can fail for reasons on three levels: the account (unpaid or suspended), the domain and DNS (expired or pointing elsewhere), or the website itself (a plugin, a file or a limit).

Why it happens

• The hosting invoice is overdue and the service is suspended.
• The domain expired or its DNS records changed.
• A WordPress plugin, a code change or a full disk caused an error.
• A traffic spike or a resource limit was reached.

What it means

The message you see tells you where to look. A 500 error means the website code failed. A not-found or parked page means DNS. A timeout often points to the server or limits.

How to fix it

1. Check the client area: are the hosting and domain Active, and are invoices paid? overdue invoice.
2. Check the domain has not expired: expired domain.
3. Check DNS: domain not working after a DNS change.
4. 500 error? See 500 Internal Server Error: causes and fixes and the error log guide.
5. Check disk space: disk space and limits.
6. Still down? Open a ticket with the website address and the exact message.

Related articles

• Hosting, Payments and Account Help: Start Here (SakuraHost)
• Hosting Disk Space or Inode Limit Reached: How to Free Space
• How to Back Up Your Website Yourself (Do Not Rely on One Copy)
• Website Showing 500 Internal Server Error: Causes and Fixes
• Website Loading Slowly: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
• Read the full guide: website down: a 10-minute checklist

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if it is just my network?

Open the site on mobile data or ask someone else to try. If others see it, the problem is not your device.

What should I send support?

The website address, what you see, when it started and anything you changed recently.

Written by Jumbe Nylon, Founder & CTO, SakuraHost. Updated October 2026.