How to tell if Coursera is actually down right now

Coursera outages happen, but most of the time when you can't reach the site, the problem is on your end—your internet connection, your browser cache, or your device—not Coursera's servers. The fastest way to know the difference is to check a third-party status site that monitors Coursera in real time. Downdetector and IsItDownRightNow both show live reports from users around the world and a status history going back weeks. If the graph shows a spike in the last few minutes and reports are coming in from multiple countries, Coursera likely has a real outage. If the graph is flat and you're the only one reporting trouble, your connection or device is the culprit.

You can also check Coursera's own status page at status.coursera.org. This page lists any ongoing incidents, when they started, and what Coursera is doing about them. During a real outage, this page updates every 15 to 30 minutes. If the page says "All Systems Operational" but you still can't log in, the problem is not a platform-wide outage.

Key Takeaways

  • Check Downdetector or IsItDownRightNow to see whether other users are reporting problems with Coursera right now.
  • Visit status.coursera.org to read Coursera's official statement about any ongoing outages or maintenance.
  • If no outage is reported but you still cannot access Coursera, clear your browser cache, try a different browser, and restart your internet connection.
  • Coursera usually restores service within one to four hours during an outage; check back in 30 minutes if you see a real incident reported.

Steps to take before assuming Coursera is down

Before you conclude that Coursera itself is broken, run through these checks on your own device and connection. They solve the problem in the majority of cases where a user cannot reach the site.

First, restart your internet connection. Unplug your modem and router, wait 30 seconds, and plug them back in. This clears temporary glitches that can block access to a single website while leaving others working fine. Once the lights on your modem stop blinking, try Coursera again.

Second, clear your browser cache. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), select "All time" under the time range, check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files", and click "Clear data". Then close the browser completely and open it again. Cached files sometimes prevent a site from loading correctly, especially after an update.

Third, try a different browser. If you normally use Chrome, open Firefox or Safari and visit Coursera. If it works in the other browser, the problem is with your original browser's settings or extensions, not Coursera. If it fails in every browser, move on to checking whether an actual outage is happening.

What Coursera outages usually look like

When Coursera has a real outage, certain features stop working while others may still be available. You might be able to view course pages but not submit assignments, or log in but not stream videos. These partial outages are common during maintenance windows, which Coursera usually schedules on Tuesday or Wednesday nights between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Pacific Time.

Complete outages—where you cannot reach Coursera at all—are rarer and usually last between 30 minutes and two hours. During these events, Downdetector will show a sharp spike in reports, and status.coursera.org will display an "Investigating" or "Identified" incident. Coursera's engineering team posts updates as they work, so check back every 15 to 30 minutes for progress.

If you are in the middle of a timed quiz or assignment when an outage begins, Coursera typically extends the important date automatically once service is restored. You do not need to contact support to request an extension in most cases—the system handles it behind the scenes. If you are concerned about a specific important date, take a screenshot of the outage report from Downdetector or status.coursera.org and keep it in case you need to show proof later.

Troubleshooting when your device or network is the problem

If you have confirmed that Coursera is not down but you still cannot access it, the issue is almost always your device, your network, or your internet service provider. Start by checking whether other websites load normally. Open Google, Wikipedia, or any major site. If those work, your internet connection is fine and the problem is specific to Coursera. If nothing loads, restart your modem and router as described above.

Next, check whether you are using a VPN or proxy. Some VPNs can block Coursera or make it load very slowly. If you have a VPN running, turn it off and try again. If Coursera works without the VPN, your VPN provider may be blocking it, or Coursera may have flagged your VPN's IP address as suspicious. You can contact Coursera support to ask whether your VPN is blocked, but the fastest solution is usually to disable the VPN when you use Coursera.

If you are on a school or workplace network, that network may have a firewall that blocks Coursera. Try accessing Coursera on your phone using mobile data (not the school or workplace Wi-Fi) to test this. If it works on mobile data, your network administrator is blocking the site. Contact your IT department to request access, or use a personal device on your own internet connection to take courses.

When to contact Coursera support

Contact Coursera support if you have ruled out an outage and tried all the troubleshooting steps above but still cannot access your account. Go to coursera.org/help and select "Contact Us". Coursera support responds within 24 to 48 hours for most issues. Have ready the following information: the exact error message you see (take a screenshot), the browser and device you are using, whether the problem happens in other browsers, and what you were trying to do when it started.

If you are locked out of your account or see a message saying your account has been suspended, that is a separate issue from an outage and requires support to resolve. Do not wait for an outage to clear—contact support when ready.

How to stay informed about Coursera maintenance and outages

Coursera does not send email notifications about planned maintenance, but you can follow their status page to see scheduled work in advance. Visit status.coursera.org and look for any incidents listed under "Scheduled Maintenance". These are usually posted a few days before they happen and include the expected duration.

You can also follow Coursera's Twitter account @coursera, though they do not always post about every outage. The status page is the most reliable source. Bookmark it so you can check it quickly the next time you have trouble reaching Coursera.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do Coursera outages usually last?

Most outages last between 30 minutes and two hours. Planned maintenance windows can last up to four hours but are scheduled in advance. If an outage has been ongoing for more than four hours, check status.coursera.org for an update, as extended outages are rare and usually indicate a serious issue that Coursera is actively working to fix.

Will I lose my progress if Coursera goes down while I'm taking a quiz?

Coursera saves your quiz answers as you go, so if the site goes down mid-quiz, your answers up to that point are saved. Once service is restored, you can log back in and continue where you left off. Coursera usually extends quiz important date automatically if an outage occurs during the quiz window.

Can I use a VPN to access Coursera if my country blocks it?

Some VPNs work with Coursera, but many do not. Coursera actively blocks VPN IP addresses to prevent account sharing and cheating. If you need to use a VPN for legitimate reasons, contact Coursera support to explain your situation; they may be able to whitelist your account or provide guidance on which VPNs are less likely to be blocked.

What should I do if I see an error code instead of the Coursera homepage?

Write down the exact error code and check status.coursera.org. If an outage is reported, wait for Coursera to resolve it. If no outage is listed, the error code tells support what went wrong. Contact Coursera support at coursera.org/help and include the error code in your message so they can investigate faster.