How to tell if Bank of America is actually down or if it's your connection
Bank of America's website and mobile app go offline for maintenance or experience outages, but the problem is often on your end—a bad internet connection, browser cache, or a temporary glitch on your device. Before you assume the bank's systems are down, restart your router, clear your browser cache, or try a different browser or device. If the site still won't load after those steps, check whether other websites work normally. If they do, the issue is specific to Bank of America.
If Bank of America's systems actually are down, you won't be able to log in, see your accounts, or complete transactions through their website or official mobile app. The outage typically affects all users at once, not just you. You can confirm this by checking whether other people are reporting the same problem in real time.
Key Takeaways
- Restart your router and clear your browser cache before assuming Bank of America is down—most login failures are connection or device issues, not outages.
- Check DownDetector or Twitter/X by searching "Bank of America down" to see whether other users are reporting the same problem right now.
- Bank of America's official status page at bankofamerica.com/about/status shows scheduled maintenance windows in advance.
- If the app won't work but the website does (or vice versa), the problem is usually with that specific platform, not the entire bank.
- During an outage, you can still call customer service at 1-800-432-1000 or visit a branch to handle urgent transactions.
Check real-time outage reports from other users
DownDetector is the fastest way to see whether Bank of America is down right now. Go to downdetector.com, search for "Bank of America", and look at the outage map and user reports. If hundreds or thousands of people are reporting problems in the last 30 minutes, the bank's systems are likely down. If you see only a handful of reports spread across hours, the problem is probably local to your area or your device.
Twitter/X also shows real-time complaints. Search "Bank of America down" or "BofA down" and look at tweets posted in the last hour. If you see dozens of recent posts from different users describing the same problem—can't log in, app won't load, transfers not going through—that's a strong signal of a widespread outage. If the search turns up old tweets or posts from different days, ignore them.
Bank of America's own status page at bankofamerica.com/about/status lists planned maintenance and known issues. This page updates during outages, but it often lags behind user reports by 15 to 30 minutes. Check it anyway, because it will tell you when the bank expects service to return.
Troubleshoot your own device and connection first
Most login failures and site-won't-load problems are not outages. Start by restarting your router: unplug it for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait two minutes for it to fully restart. Then try Bank of America again. A stale connection often blocks access even when the site is working fine.
If the website still won't load, clear your browser's cache and cookies. In Chrome, press Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Command+Shift+Delete (Mac), select "All time", check "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files", and click "Clear data". Then close the browser completely and reopen it. Try Bank of America again.
If you're using the mobile app, try logging out completely, closing the app, and restarting your phone. Then open the app fresh and log back in. If the app still won't work, try the website on the same phone using a web browser. If the website works but the app doesn't, the problem is the app itself, not Bank of America's servers.
Try a different browser or device if you have one. If Bank of America loads fine in Safari but not Chrome, the problem is your Chrome setup, not the bank. If it won't load on your phone but works on your computer, the issue is your phone's connection or app, not the bank's systems.
What to do if Bank of America is actually down
If you've confirmed that Bank of America's systems are down and you need to handle an urgent transaction, call customer service at 1-800-432-1000. Representatives can help you check balances, make transfers, pay bills, or report fraud even when the website and app are offline. Wait times are usually longer during outages, so be prepared to hold.
If you need to make a payment or deposit and the outage is affecting your deadline, visit a Bank of America branch in person. Branches can process deposits, withdrawals, and transfers directly. Find your nearest branch at bankofamerica.com/locator or call the main number above.
For bill payments specifically, if you pay through Bank of America's bill pay service and the outage is blocking you from scheduling a payment before your due date, contact your biller directly and explain the situation. Many billers will accept a late payment if you can show you attempted to pay on time but were blocked by a technical issue. Keep screenshots of the error message as proof.
Outages affecting only the app or only the website
Sometimes Bank of America's mobile app works fine but the website is down, or vice versa. This usually means the problem is with that specific platform, not the entire bank's infrastructure. If the app works, use it to handle your transactions. If the website works, use that instead. You can switch between them without any penalty or delay.
If one platform is down and you need to use it specifically—for example, you need to deposit a check using mobile check deposit in the app, and the app is broken—wait for that platform to come back online or use the phone line above. Mobile check deposit is only available through the app, so there's no workaround if the app is down.
Scheduled maintenance windows
Bank of America performs scheduled maintenance on weekends and overnight, usually between 11 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Monday. During these windows, the website and app may be slow or temporarily unavailable. The bank announces these windows in advance on its status page, so you can plan around them if you have a time-sensitive transaction.
If you see a message saying "scheduled maintenance" or "temporarily unavailable for maintenance", the outage is planned and temporary. You can wait a few hours and try again, or use the phone line to handle urgent business. Scheduled maintenance usually lasts between two and six hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do Bank of America outages usually last?
Unplanned outages typically last between 30 minutes and four hours. Scheduled maintenance windows usually last two to six hours. If an outage has been going on for more than six hours, check the status page or call 1-800-432-1000 for an update on when service will return.
Can I still use my debit card if the website is down?
Yes. Your debit card works at ATMs and stores even when Bank of America's website and app are offline. The outage only affects online access to your account, not the card itself or the bank's payment processing systems.
Will I be charged fees if I miss a payment because of an outage?
Bank of America typically waives late fees if you can show the outage prevented you from paying on time. Call 1-800-432-1000 and explain the situation, or visit a branch with a screenshot of the error message. The bank may reverse the fee, but it's not automatic.
What if only my account is locked or won't load, but other people's accounts work fine?
This is not an outage—it's a problem specific to your account. Call 1-800-432-1000 immediately. Your account may be locked for security reasons, or there may be a technical issue with your profile. A representative can unlock it or fix the problem while you're on the phone.
Is Bank of America down right now?
Check DownDetector or search "Bank of America down" on Twitter/X to see current reports. You can also visit bankofamerica.com/about/status for the bank's official status. If you can load the website and log into your account, the bank is not down for you.