Outages · Report
The July 2024 CrowdStrike outage, explained
Looking back at July 19, 2024: a mistake in a security software update stopped Windows computers from working. Here is what happened and how to spot fake offers to fix your computer.
By Marcello Delcaro · Published · Updated
What happened
On July 19, 2024, an update to CrowdStrike’s security software caused Windows computers to stop working. CrowdStrike said a software mistake caused the problem.
Microsoft estimated that the update affected 8.5 million Windows computers. This article looks back at that event. It does not report a new problem.
Who’s affected
The problem affected Windows computers that received the faulty update. CrowdStrike said it did not affect Mac or Linux computers.
Your computer can work while a website or app you need is unavailable. Check the company’s website for updates about any problems.
What to do
For a work computer, contact the person who looks after it. If that person is you, start with CrowdStrike’s own help pages.
CrowdStrike warned that criminals used the problem to offer fake computer repairs. Get help through the company’s own website. Avoid unfamiliar repair tools.
For a problem today, check the affected company’s website for updates. Look for its page that lists problems with its website or app.
What we do not know yet
These reports describe what happened in 2024. They do not tell us whether a computer, website, or app you use is working now.