Is Salesforce Down? Complete Status Check Guide + Quick Fixes

Salesforce stuck on loading screen?
Can't access your org?
API calls timing out?

Before escalating to IT, verify if Salesforce is actually down—or if it's a problem on your end. Here's your complete guide to checking Salesforce status and fixing common issues fast.

Quick Check: Is Salesforce Actually Down?

Don't assume it's Salesforce. 70% of "Salesforce down" reports are actually browser cache issues, permission problems, or local network blocks.

1. Check Official Sources

Salesforce Trust Status:
🔗 trust.salesforce.com

What to look for:

  • ✅ "All Systems Operational" = Salesforce is fine
  • ⚠️ "Performance Degradation" = Some services affected
  • 🔴 "Service Disruption" = Salesforce is down

Real-time updates:

  • Instance-specific status (NA123, EU45, CS89, etc.)
  • Service Cloud status
  • Marketing Cloud issues
  • API availability
  • Sandbox environments

Twitter/X Search:
🔗 Search "Salesforce down" on Twitter

Why it works:

  • Users report outages instantly
  • See if others on your instance affected
  • Salesforce support team responds here

Pro tip: If 500+ tweets in the last hour mention "Salesforce down," it's probably actually down.

2. Check Your Salesforce Instance

Salesforce runs on hundreds of instances worldwide. Your org's status matters more than global status.

Find your instance:

  1. Look at your Salesforce URL: https://[INSTANCE].salesforce.com
  2. Example: https://na123.salesforce.com → Instance is NA123
  3. Or check Setup → System Overview → Instance

Check instance-specific status:

  1. Visit trust.salesforce.com
  2. Click "Search" and enter your instance name
  3. View instance-specific performance and incidents

Common instance prefixes:

Region Prefix Example
North America NA NA123, NA174
Europe EU EU45, EU30
Asia Pacific AP AP15, AP27
Canada CS CS89, CS110
UK EU EU44 (London)

Your instance might be down while Salesforce globally is up.

3. Check Service-Specific Status

Salesforce has multiple clouds and services that can fail independently:

Service What It Does Status Check
Sales Cloud CRM core functionality trust.salesforce.com
Service Cloud Customer support tools Check instance status
Marketing Cloud Email/marketing automation status.salesforce.com/products/Marketing_Cloud
Commerce Cloud E-commerce platform Check instance status
Heroku Platform-as-a-Service status.heroku.com
MuleSoft Integration platform status.mulesoft.com
Tableau Analytics/BI trust.tableau.com

Your service might be down while Salesforce globally is up.

4. Test Different Access Methods

If Salesforce works in incognito mode but not normal browser, it's your cache/cookies.

Platform Test Method
Web Open incognito/private window, try logging in
Mobile App Try Salesforce mobile app
API Test with Postman or curl
Different Browser Try Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge

Decision tree:

Incognito works + Normal browser fails → Cache/cookie issue
API works + UI fails → Browser/network issue
Mobile works + Desktop fails → Local computer problem
Nothing works → Salesforce is down (or instance issue)

Common Salesforce Error Messages (And What They Mean)

"Unable to Obtain Exclusive Access to This Record"

What it means: Record is locked by another user or process.

Causes:

  • Someone editing the same record
  • Workflow/Process Builder running
  • Batch job processing record
  • Data loader operation in progress

Quick fixes:

  1. Wait 2-5 minutes and try again
  2. Check who has the record open (ask team)
  3. Admin: Check Setup → System Overview → Background Jobs
  4. Admin: Debug Logs might show lock holder
  5. Last resort: Admin can kill batch jobs if needed

"UNABLE_TO_LOCK_ROW"

What it means: Database row lock conflict (API version).

Causes:

  • Concurrent API requests
  • Triggers creating lock contention
  • Batch processes conflicting
  • High-volume data operations

Quick fixes:

  1. Retry request (with exponential backoff)
  2. Reduce batch size (use smaller chunks)
  3. Implement retry logic in code
  4. Check for trigger recursion
  5. Review process automation (reduce concurrent updates)

Developer fix:

// Add retry logic
Integer maxRetries = 3;
for(Integer i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
    try {
        update records;
        break;
    } catch(DmlException e) {
        if(i == maxRetries - 1) throw e;
        // Wait before retry
    }
}

"The Application You Are Using Isn't Available"

What it means: App you're trying to access doesn't exist or you lack permissions.

Causes:

  • App was deleted/disabled
  • Your profile doesn't have access
  • Lightning Experience vs Classic mismatch
  • Custom domain not configured

Quick fixes:

  1. Try accessing from App Launcher menu
  2. Contact admin to grant app permissions
  3. Check Profile → Assigned Apps
  4. Try switching to Classic (or Lightning)
  5. Verify URL is correct (check for typos)

"Insufficient Privileges" or "INSUFFICIENT_ACCESS"

What it means: You don't have permission for this action.

Causes:

  • Profile lacks object/field permissions
  • Record-level security (OWD, sharing rules)
  • IP restrictions
  • Login hours restrictions
  • License limitations

Quick fixes:

  1. Contact Salesforce admin
  2. Admin: Check Profile → Object Settings
  3. Admin: Check Sharing Settings
  4. Admin: Review Field-Level Security
  5. Check if you're on VPN (might need IP whitelisting)

"Request Running Longer Than 20 Seconds"

What it means: Report or dashboard timed out.

Causes:

  • Report too complex (too many records)
  • Too many filters/formulas
  • Dashboard with multiple reports
  • Slow custom formula fields

Quick fixes:

  1. Add filters to reduce data volume
  2. Run report for shorter date range
  3. Remove complex formulas
  4. Index custom fields (admin can request)
  5. Schedule report instead of running live
  6. Use aggregate formulas instead of row-level

Developer fix:

  • Use Batch Apex for large data operations
  • Implement pagination for API queries
  • Add LIMIT clause to SOQL queries

"Data Not Available" or Blank Page

What it means: Browser rendering issue or session problem.

Causes:

  • Expired session
  • Browser cache corruption
  • Browser extension interference
  • JavaScript errors

Quick fixes:

  1. Hard refresh: Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)
  2. Clear browser cache (see Fix #3)
  3. Disable browser extensions
  4. Try incognito/private mode
  5. Clear cookies for salesforce.com
  6. Try different browser

"Maximum Request Size Exceeded"

What it means: API request payload too large.

Causes:

  • Batch size > 200 records (REST API)
  • SOAP envelope > 50 MB
  • Too many fields in query
  • Large text/rich text fields

Quick fixes:

  1. Reduce batch size (try 100-200 records)
  2. Split into multiple requests
  3. Remove unnecessary fields from query
  4. Use Bulk API for large operations
  5. Compress request payload

API limits:

  • REST API: 50 MB request size
  • SOAP API: 50 MB per batch
  • Bulk API: 10 MB per batch (v1), 100 MB (v2)

"Request Limit Exceeded" or "TooManyRequests"

What it means: You've hit API rate limits.

Causes:

  • Too many API calls in 24 hours
  • Concurrent request limit exceeded
  • Too many Bulk API batches

Current limits (varies by edition):

Edition Daily API Calls
Developer 5,000
Professional 5,000
Enterprise 100,000
Unlimited 200,000

Quick fixes:

  1. Wait for limit reset (midnight Pacific Time)
  2. Optimize code to make fewer calls
  3. Use Bulk API instead of REST (doesn't count against limit)
  4. Implement caching
  5. Request limit increase from Salesforce
  6. Use Composite API to batch requests

Check current usage:

  • Setup → System Overview → API Usage
  • Or via API: /services/data/v61.0/limits

Quick Fixes: Salesforce Not Working?

Fix #1: Clear Browser Cache and Cookies

Why it works: Corrupted cache causes login loops, blank pages, and weird errors.

How to do it right:

Chrome:

  1. Ctrl+Shift+Delete (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Delete (Mac)
  2. Time range: "All time"
  3. Check: ✅ Cookies and other site data
  4. Check: ✅ Cached images and files
  5. Click "Clear data"
  6. Close and reopen browser

Firefox:

  1. Ctrl+Shift+Delete or Cmd+Shift+Delete
  2. Time range: "Everything"
  3. Check: ✅ Cookies
  4. Check: ✅ Cache
  5. Click "Clear Now"

Safari:

  1. Safari → Preferences → Privacy
  2. Manage Website Data
  3. Find salesforce.com → Remove
  4. Or "Remove All"

Edge:

  1. Ctrl+Shift+Delete
  2. Time range: "All time"
  3. Check: ✅ Cookies
  4. Check: ✅ Cached data
  5. Clear now

Pro tip: Clear cache for salesforce.com specifically, not all sites, to preserve other logins.

Fix #2: Disable Browser Extensions

Why: Extensions can break Salesforce (especially ad blockers, privacy tools, productivity extensions).

Known problematic extensions:

  • Ad blockers (uBlock Origin, AdBlock)
  • Privacy tools (Privacy Badger, Ghostery)
  • Script blockers (NoScript)
  • Password managers (sometimes)
  • Screen capture tools

Test in incognito/private mode:

  1. Open incognito window (extensions usually disabled)
  2. Try logging into Salesforce
  3. If it works → extension is the problem

Disable extensions one by one:

Chrome:

  1. Three dots → Extensions → Manage Extensions
  2. Toggle off each extension
  3. Test Salesforce after each one
  4. Identify culprit

Firefox:

  1. Three lines → Add-ons → Extensions
  2. Disable each extension
  3. Test

Whitelist Salesforce:

  • Most extensions allow site whitelisting
  • Add *.salesforce.com and *.force.com to whitelist

Fix #3: Check Your Internet Connection

Salesforce needs stable connection.

Test your connection:

# Ping Salesforce (Windows/Mac/Linux)
ping login.salesforce.com

Good response:

Reply from 136.147.46.44: bytes=32 time=45ms TTL=52

Bad response:

Request timed out.

Speed test:
Visit fast.com or speedtest.net

If connection is slow:

  1. Restart router (unplug 30 seconds)
  2. Switch to Ethernet cable
  3. Disconnect other devices
  4. Contact ISP if consistently slow

Corporate networks:

  • Check if proxy is working
  • Verify VPN connection
  • Contact IT for firewall rules

Fix #4: Verify Login Credentials

Common login mistakes:

1. Username format:

  • Must be email format (even if not your actual email)
  • Example: john.smith@company.com.sandbox for sandbox
  • Production: john.smith@company.com

2. Case sensitivity:

  • Passwords are case-sensitive
  • Usernames are NOT case-sensitive

3. Sandbox vs Production:

  • Sandbox: .sandbox or .full appended to username
  • Different URLs:
    • Production: login.salesforce.com
    • Sandbox: test.salesforce.com

Reset password:

  1. Click "Forgot Your Password?" on login screen
  2. Enter username
  3. Check email for reset link
  4. Link expires in 24 hours

Locked out?

  • After 10 failed attempts, account locks for 15 minutes
  • Or admin can unlock: Setup → Users → Unlock

Fix #5: Check IP Restrictions

Salesforce can restrict login by IP address.

Symptoms:

  • "Login Failed" even with correct credentials
  • "Your login has been blocked" message
  • Works from office, fails from home

Check IP restrictions:

Admin:

  1. Setup → Security → Network Access
  2. View trusted IP ranges
  3. Add your IP if needed

User:

  1. Ask admin to check your Profile → Login IP Ranges
  2. Request IP whitelist addition
  3. Use VPN to company network

Find your current IP:

Workaround:

  • Activate your session via email link
  • Admin can relax IP restrictions temporarily

Fix #6: Verify Login Hours

Salesforce can restrict when you can log in.

Check login hours:

Admin:

  1. Setup → Users → Profiles
  2. Select user's profile
  3. Scroll to "Login Hours"
  4. Verify current time is within allowed hours

Symptoms:

  • Can't log in at certain times
  • "Outside of login hours" error
  • Works during business hours, fails after

Fix:

  • Contact admin to adjust login hours
  • Or log in during allowed times

Fix #7: Try Different Login URL

Different URLs for different environments:

Environment URL
Production https://login.salesforce.com
Sandbox https://test.salesforce.com
My Domain https://[domain].my.salesforce.com
Lightning Add /lightning to end of URL
Classic Add /home/home.jsp

Common mistakes:

  • Using login.salesforce.com for sandbox (use test.salesforce.com)
  • Using sandbox URL for production
  • Outdated bookmark (use current My Domain)

Find your My Domain:

  1. Setup → My Domain
  2. Your domain: https://[yourcompany].my.salesforce.com
  3. Update bookmarks

Pro tip: Always use My Domain URLs—they're more reliable and faster.

Fix #8: Disable VPN/Proxy

Why: VPNs can trigger IP restrictions or slow down Salesforce.

Test:

  1. Disconnect VPN
  2. Try logging in
  3. If it works, VPN IP not whitelisted

Solutions:

  • Ask admin to whitelist VPN IP range
  • Use split tunneling (exclude Salesforce)
  • Connect to different VPN region
  • Use company VPN instead of personal

Corporate VPN required?

  • Contact IT to verify VPN configuration
  • Ensure Salesforce IPs aren't blocked

Fix #9: Switch Browsers

Salesforce browser requirements:

Supported browsers:

  • ✅ Chrome (recommended)
  • ✅ Firefox
  • ✅ Safari
  • ✅ Edge (Chromium)

Not supported:

  • ❌ Internet Explorer (deprecated)
  • ❌ Old browser versions

Test different browser:

  1. Download Chrome/Firefox if you don't have it
  2. Try logging in
  3. If it works → browser issue

Update your browser:

  • Old versions have compatibility issues
  • Enable auto-updates
  • Check: Help → About (shows version)

Browser-specific fixes:

Safari:

  • Disable "Prevent cross-site tracking" for Salesforce
  • Safari → Preferences → Privacy

Firefox:

  • Disable Enhanced Tracking Protection for Salesforce
  • Click shield icon in address bar

Fix #10: Check Single Sign-On (SSO)

If your org uses SSO (Okta, Azure AD, Google, etc.):

Common SSO issues:

1. SSO service down:

2. SSO misconfigured:

  • Contact admin
  • Try "Use Custom Domain" login

3. Bypass SSO (for admins):

  • Use direct login URL: https://[domain].my.salesforce.com/?login
  • Only works if admin didn't disable it

4. SSO session expired:

  • Log out of SSO provider
  • Log back in
  • Then access Salesforce

Salesforce API Not Working?

Issue: API Calls Timing Out

Troubleshoot:

1. Check API status:

2. Check timeout settings:

  • Default timeout: 120 seconds
  • Increase in your code if needed
  • But investigate why it's slow (bad query, too much data)

3. Optimize queries:

Bad (slow):

SELECT Id, Name, (SELECT Id FROM Contacts) FROM Account

Good (fast):

SELECT Id, Name FROM Account WHERE CreatedDate = LAST_N_DAYS:30 LIMIT 1000

4. Use Bulk API for large operations:

  • REST API: Small batches, real-time
  • Bulk API: Large volumes, asynchronous
  • Bulk API v2: Fastest for 50K+ records

Issue: API Authentication Failing

Common causes:

1. Invalid session ID:

  • Session expired (timeout after 2 hours by default)
  • Re-authenticate
  • Use refresh token (OAuth)

2. OAuth issues:

  • Consumer key/secret incorrect
  • Redirect URI mismatch
  • Scope insufficient
  • Token expired (refresh it)

3. Connected App settings:

  • Admin: Setup → App Manager → Your Connected App
  • Verify OAuth settings
  • Check IP restrictions
  • Verify permitted users/profiles

Test authentication:

# Test with cURL
curl https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v61.0/ \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer [ACCESS_TOKEN]"

Expected response:

{
  "sobjects": [...],
  "version": "61.0"
}

Issue: API Errors - "INVALID_SESSION_ID"

What it means: Your access token expired or is invalid.

Fixes:

1. Re-authenticate:

  • Login again to get new session
  • Use OAuth refresh token

2. Check session timeout settings:

  • Setup → Security → Session Settings
  • Default: 2 hours
  • Admin can extend up to 24 hours

3. Implement refresh token logic:

// Example: Node.js with jsforce
if(err.errorCode === 'INVALID_SESSION_ID') {
    // Refresh access token
    oauth2.refreshToken(refreshToken, (err, results) => {
        // Retry request with new token
    });
}

Issue: API Errors - "QUERY_TIMEOUT"

What it means: SOQL query took too long (> 120 seconds).

Causes:

  • Querying too many records
  • No indexes on filter fields
  • Complex joins/subqueries
  • Too many formula fields

Fixes:

1. Add LIMIT clause:

SELECT Id, Name FROM Account LIMIT 2000

2. Filter by indexed fields:

  • Id, Name, OwnerId, CreatedDate, SystemModstamp
  • Request custom index (admin)

3. Use date filters:

WHERE CreatedDate = LAST_N_DAYS:30

4. Paginate results:

SELECT Id FROM Account ORDER BY Id LIMIT 2000 OFFSET 0

5. Use Bulk API:

  • For queries returning > 10,000 records
  • Asynchronous processing
  • No timeout limits

Issue: API Rate Limits

Daily API call limits by edition:

Edition Calls/Day Per-User Additional
Developer/Sandbox 5,000 N/A
Professional 5,000 N/A
Enterprise 100,000 +1,000 per user
Unlimited 200,000 +1,000 per user
Performance 200,000 +5,000 per user

Check current usage:

Via UI:

  1. Setup → System Overview → API Usage
  2. Shows calls used today
  3. Resets midnight Pacific Time

Via API:

GET /services/data/v61.0/limits

Reduce API calls:

1. Use Composite API:

// Instead of 5 separate calls
POST /services/data/v61.0/composite/sobjects
// Batch up to 200 operations

2. Use Bulk API:

  • Doesn't count against API limits
  • For large data operations

3. Implement caching:

  • Cache metadata (object describe, picklist values)
  • Refresh only when changed

4. Optimize queries:

  • Use SOQL filters instead of filtering in code
  • Retrieve only needed fields

5. Request limit increase:

  • Contact Salesforce support
  • Usually requires business justification

Salesforce Lightning Issues

Issue: Lightning Experience Not Loading

Troubleshoot:

1. Browser compatibility:

  • Use latest Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge
  • Update browser to latest version
  • Clear cache (see Fix #1)

2. JavaScript errors:

  • Open Developer Console (F12)
  • Check Console tab for errors
  • Screenshot and send to admin/support

3. Lightning enabled?

  • Admin: Setup → Lightning Experience → Enable
  • Check if your profile has access

4. Switch to Classic temporarily:

  • Click profile icon → Switch to Salesforce Classic
  • If Classic works, Lightning-specific issue

Issue: Lightning Components Not Rendering

Causes:

  • JavaScript errors
  • API version mismatch
  • Insufficient permissions
  • Browser extensions blocking

Fixes:

1. Hard refresh:

  • Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+R (Mac)

2. Disable browser extensions:

  • Try incognito mode
  • Disable ad blockers

3. Check component permissions:

  • Admin: Setup → Lightning App Builder
  • Verify component is activated
  • Check page assignment

4. Review debug logs:

  • Setup → Debug Logs
  • Enable for your user
  • Reproduce issue
  • Review logs for errors

Issue: Slow Lightning Performance

Common causes:

  • Too many components on page
  • Large data volumes
  • Heavy custom code
  • Slow internet connection

Optimize performance:

1. Reduce page complexity:

  • Remove unnecessary components
  • Limit records shown (pagination)
  • Use lazy loading

2. Optimize SOQL:

  • Add filters to reduce records
  • Index custom fields
  • Avoid nested queries

3. Enable Lightning Experience cache:

  • Setup → Session Settings → ✅ Enable caching and autocomplete

4. Check network:

  • Run speed test
  • Try Ethernet instead of WiFi
  • Close bandwidth-heavy apps

5. Review custom code:

  • Optimize Apex controllers
  • Reduce callouts
  • Use platform cache

Salesforce Mobile App Issues

Issue: Mobile App Won't Sync

Troubleshoot:

1. Check connection:

  • Verify internet (WiFi or cellular)
  • Test by opening browser

2. Force sync:

  • Pull down on any list to refresh
  • Or: Settings → Reload Data

3. Clear mobile app cache:

  • iOS: Settings → Salesforce → Clear Cache
  • Android: Settings → Apps → Salesforce → Clear Cache

4. Reinstall app:

  • Uninstall Salesforce app
  • Download from App Store / Play Store
  • Log in again

Issue: Mobile App Login Failed

Common causes:

  • Incorrect credentials
  • App not updated
  • IP restrictions
  • Certificate issues

Fixes:

1. Verify credentials:

  • Same username/password as desktop
  • Check caps lock

2. Update app:

  • Check App Store / Play Store for updates
  • Old versions have login issues

3. Check admin settings:

  • Admin: Setup → Mobile Apps → Salesforce
  • Verify mobile login enabled
  • Check IP restrictions

4. Use QR code login:

  • Desktop: Setup → Mobile Apps → Generate QR Code
  • Mobile: Scan to log in automatically

Heroku Issues (Salesforce-Owned)

Issue: Heroku App Down

Check Heroku status:

Troubleshoot:

1. Check dyno status:

heroku ps -a your-app-name

2. View logs:

heroku logs --tail -a your-app-name

3. Restart dyno:

heroku restart -a your-app-name

4. Check for crashed dynos:

  • Heroku Dashboard → App → Resources
  • Look for crashed dynos
  • Restart manually

Issue: Heroku Connect Sync Failed

Heroku Connect syncs Salesforce data to Heroku Postgres.

Common issues:

1. Salesforce API limits:

  • Check Salesforce API usage
  • Heroku Connect uses API calls
  • May need higher edition

2. Connection broken:

  • Dashboard → Heroku Connect → Connections
  • Test connection
  • Re-authorize if needed

3. Mapping errors:

  • Check field mappings
  • Verify field-level security
  • Review error logs

4. Bulk API limits:

  • Heroku Connect uses Bulk API
  • Check Bulk API limits in Salesforce

MuleSoft Issues (Salesforce Integration)

Issue: MuleSoft API Failing

Check MuleSoft status:

Troubleshoot:

1. Check application status:

  • Anypoint Platform → Runtime Manager
  • View app status and logs

2. Test connectivity:

  • Verify Salesforce connector credentials
  • Test connection in Anypoint Studio

3. Review error logs:

  • Runtime Manager → Logs
  • Look for connection errors
  • Check rate limiting

4. Verify Salesforce IP whitelist:

  • Add MuleSoft IPs to Salesforce Network Access
  • Get IPs from MuleSoft documentation

Regional Outages: Is It Just Me?

Salesforce runs hundreds of instances across regions:

Region Instances Data Centers
North America NA1-NA238 Multiple US locations
Europe EU0-EU50 Amsterdam, Frankfurt, London, Paris
Asia Pacific AP0-AP30 Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Mumbai
Canada CS1-CS199 Montreal, Toronto

How to check for instance-specific issues:

1. Trust Status by Instance:
🔗 trust.salesforce.com

  • Search your instance (e.g., "NA123")
  • View instance health
  • Check incident history

2. DownDetector:
🔗 downdetector.com/status/salesforce

Shows:

  • Real-time outage reports
  • Heatmap of affected regions
  • Spike in reports = likely real outage

3. Twitter by instance:
Search "Salesforce NA123 down" (your instance)

4. Salesforce Trust Notifications:

  • Subscribe to your instance alerts
  • Email/SMS when incidents occur

When Salesforce Actually Goes Down

What Happens

Recent major outages:

  • May 2024: 3-hour outage (database issue, NA instances)
  • January 2024: 4-hour partial outage (authentication service)
  • September 2023: 2-hour API disruption

Typical causes:

  1. Database issues (most common)
  2. Authentication service failures
  3. Network infrastructure problems
  4. Release deployment bugs
  5. DNS issues (rare)

How Salesforce Responds

Communication channels:

Timeline:

  1. 0-15 min: Users report issues on Twitter
  2. 15-30 min: Salesforce acknowledges on Trust
  3. 30-90 min: Updates posted every 15-30 min
  4. Resolution: Usually 1-5 hours for major outages
  5. Post-mortem: Detailed incident report within 3-5 days

What to Do During Outages

1. Check for workarounds:

  • Try API if UI is down
  • Try Classic if Lightning is down
  • Use mobile app if desktop fails
  • Access via My Domain URL

2. Export critical data (if possible):

  • Reports as CSV/Excel
  • Data Export (Setup → Data Export)
  • API extraction if working

3. Switch to backup:

  • Use offline CRM tools
  • Google Sheets for temporary tracking
  • Email for critical communications

4. Monitor Trust page:

  • Subscribe to incident updates
  • Check for ETAs
  • Read workarounds Salesforce posts

5. Plan for resumption:

  • List tasks to complete when back
  • Prepare data to re-enter
  • Notify customers of delays

Salesforce Down Checklist

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Verify it's actually down

Step 2: Quick fixes (if Salesforce is up)

  • Clear browser cache and cookies
  • Hard refresh: Ctrl+Shift+R / Cmd+Shift+R
  • Disable browser extensions
  • Try different browser
  • Check login credentials (especially for sandbox)

Step 3: Network troubleshooting

  • Test connection: ping login.salesforce.com
  • Disable VPN/proxy temporarily
  • Check IP restrictions (admin)
  • Verify firewall allows Salesforce
  • Try mobile hotspot to isolate issue

Step 4: API troubleshooting

  • Check API call limits (Setup → System Overview)
  • Test with Postman/Workbench
  • Refresh access token
  • Check Connected App settings
  • Review debug logs

Step 5: Contact support

  • Open case: help.salesforce.com
  • Include: instance, org ID, error messages, screenshots
  • Check your instance's Trust page first
  • Priority support (if available): phone support

Prevent Future Issues

1. Subscribe to Trust Notifications

Get instant alerts for your instance:

  1. Visit trust.salesforce.com
  2. Search for your instance
  3. Click "Subscribe to Updates"
  4. Choose: Email, SMS, or RSS
  5. Select: Maintenance + Incidents

Why it matters:

  • Know about outages immediately
  • Get planned maintenance warnings
  • Receive resolution updates

2. Monitor API Usage Proactively

Don't wait until you hit limits.

Set up monitoring:

1. Check daily usage:

  • Setup → System Overview → API Usage
  • Review trends weekly

2. Set alerts:

3. Implement usage tracking:

// Log API calls in custom object
@future(callout=true)
public static void logAPICall(String endpoint) {
    API_Log__c log = new API_Log__c(
        Endpoint__c = endpoint,
        Timestamp__c = System.now()
    );
    insert log;
}

3. Optimize Your Org Performance

Slow org = more perceived "downtime"

Regular maintenance:

1. Clean up automations:

  • Review Process Builder / Workflows
  • Disable unused processes
  • Consolidate into Flow

2. Archive old data:

  • Delete test/demo records
  • Archive closed cases/opportunities
  • Use Big Objects for historical data

3. Review custom code:

  • Bulkify Apex triggers
  • Reduce SOQL queries
  • Optimize expensive operations

4. Monitor governor limits:

  • Review debug logs
  • Check CPU time usage
  • Optimize before hitting limits

4. Implement Error Handling

Build resilient integrations:

API retry logic:

async function callSalesforceWithRetry(endpoint, maxRetries = 3) {
    for(let i = 0; i < maxRetries; i++) {
        try {
            const response = await fetch(endpoint);
            if(response.status === 200) return response.json();
            
            // Retry on 5xx errors
            if(response.status >= 500 && i < maxRetries - 1) {
                await sleep(Math.pow(2, i) * 1000); // Exponential backoff
                continue;
            }
            throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}`);
        } catch(error) {
            if(i === maxRetries - 1) throw error;
        }
    }
}

Queue failed operations:

  • Store failed API calls
  • Retry later when service restored
  • Alert admin after X failures

5. Have Backup Plans

Don't rely 100% on Salesforce being up.

Backup strategies:

1. Offline access:

  • Salesforce Mobile app (syncs offline)
  • Export reports regularly
  • Keep local copies of critical data

2. Alternative workflows:

  • Google Sheets for temporary tracking
  • Email templates ready
  • Manual process documentation

3. Data backups:

  • Weekly data export (Setup → Data Export)
  • Third-party backup tools (OwnBackup, Spanning)
  • Store exports off-platform

4. Communication plan:

  • How to notify customers of delays
  • Alternative contact methods
  • Status page for your services

6. Use Sandbox for Testing

Don't test in production.

Sandbox types:

Type Purpose Refresh Frequency
Developer Dev/testing Daily
Developer Pro Larger dev projects Daily
Partial Copy UAT with sample data 5 days
Full Sandbox Staging (full copy) 29 days

Best practices:

  • Test integrations in sandbox first
  • Validate changes before production
  • Use sandbox for training
  • Refresh regularly (pulls prod changes)

Create sandbox:

  • Setup → Sandboxes → New Sandbox
  • Choose type
  • Wait for email (can take hours/days)

Developer-Specific Tips

Workbench for Testing

Workbench = web-based Salesforce API testing tool

🔗 workbench.developerforce.com

Use for:

  • Testing SOQL queries
  • Testing API calls
  • Viewing metadata
  • Data loading/export
  • Quick debugging

Login:

  1. Visit Workbench
  2. Select environment (Production / Sandbox)
  3. Accept terms
  4. Login with Salesforce credentials

API Versions

Always specify API version in integrations.

Current version: v61.0 (Winter '25)

Best practices:

  • Use latest version for new integrations
  • Test before upgrading versions
  • Review release notes for changes
  • Update at least once per year

Endpoint format:

https://[instance].salesforce.com/services/data/v61.0/

Check available versions:

GET /services/data/

Governor Limits Cheat Sheet

Per-transaction limits (synchronous):

Limit Value
SOQL queries 100
SOSL queries 20
DML statements 150
Records per DML 10,000
Heap size 6 MB (sync), 12 MB (async)
CPU time 10,000 ms (sync), 60,000 ms (async)
Callouts 100
Callout timeout 120 seconds

Check limits in code:

System.debug('SOQL queries: ' + Limits.getQueries() + '/' + Limits.getLimitQueries());
System.debug('DML statements: ' + Limits.getDMLStatements() + '/' + Limits.getLimitDMLStatements());
System.debug('CPU time: ' + Limits.getCpuTime() + '/' + Limits.getLimitCpuTime());

Debug Logs

Enable debug logs for troubleshooting:

  1. Setup → Debug Logs → New
  2. Select user
  3. Set log level (use "FINEST" for deep debugging)
  4. Expiration (max 24 hours)
  5. Save

View logs:

  1. Setup → Debug Logs
  2. Click "View" on log
  3. Filter by type (SOQL, DML, Callout, etc.)

Pro tips:

  • Logs auto-delete after debug log expires
  • Max 1,000 logs stored
  • Each log max 20 MB
  • Use checkpoints in Developer Console for watching variables

Key Takeaways

Before assuming Salesforce is down:

  1. ✅ Check trust.salesforce.com for YOUR instance
  2. ✅ Try incognito mode (eliminates cache issues)
  3. ✅ Search Twitter for your instance + "down"
  4. ✅ Test API separately from UI

Common fixes:

  • Clear cache and cookies (fixes 50% of issues)
  • Disable browser extensions
  • Verify IP restrictions (corporate networks)
  • Check login URL (production vs sandbox)
  • Update browser to latest version

API issues:

  • Check rate limits (Setup → System Overview)
  • Implement retry logic with exponential backoff
  • Use Bulk API for large operations
  • Optimize SOQL queries (add filters, use indexed fields)

If Salesforce is actually down:

  • Monitor trust.salesforce.com
  • Subscribe to incident updates (email/SMS)
  • Check for workarounds (API vs UI, Classic vs Lightning)
  • Usually resolved within 1-5 hours

Prevent future issues:

  • Subscribe to Trust notifications for your instance
  • Monitor API usage proactively
  • Optimize your org performance regularly
  • Implement error handling and retry logic
  • Have backup plans (data exports, offline workflows)

Remember: Most "Salesforce down" issues are browser cache, permissions, IP restrictions, or API limits. Try the fixes in this guide before assuming Salesforce is down.

Need real-time Salesforce status monitoring? Track Salesforce uptime with API Status Check - Get instant alerts when Salesforce goes down.

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