Signal appears to be down for some users after the messaging app saw a record spike in downloads

• The secure messaging app Signal was experiencing issues Friday, some users reported online.
• Down Detector showed over 2,000 reports from users experiencing issues around 11:40 a.m. ET.

Signal appears to be down for some users on Friday morning.

Down Detector showed over 2,000 reports from users who are experiencing issues on the encrypted messaging platform around 11:40 a.m. ET. Several Insider staff members also experienced issues sending and receiving messages on both the mobile and desktop apps.

In a tweet, Signal acknowledged the issues and said it's "working hard to restore service as quickly as possible." It later said that the company has "been adding new servers and extra capacity at a record pace every single day this week nonstop, but today exceeded even our most optimistic projections. Millions upon millions of new users are sending a message that privacy matters. We appreciate your patience."

—Signal (@signalapp) January 15, 2021

The issues come after Signal saw record increases in users in recent weeks.

On January 7, WhatsApp announced that it would start forcing users to share their personal data, like phone numbers and locations, with its parent company, Facebook on February 8. Following that announcement, some users began flocking to alternative messaging apps like Signal and Telegram. Tesla CEO Elon Musk even tweeted around the same time to "Use Signal."

Read more: Signal's CEO reveals how it became a red-hot alternative to WhatsApp without venture capital or a business plan

Signal saw 7.5 million downloads last week, a 4,200% spike since the previous week. On Wednesday, Signal was at the top of both Google and Apple's app stores.

Large swaths of users migrated to Telegram as well - the platform gained 9 million new users last week, up 91% from the previous week, and is also at the top of Google and Apple's app stores.

Brian Acton, WhatsApp cofounder and the executive chairman of the Signal Foundation, said Signal won't replace WhatsApp despite recent events.

"I have no desire to do all the things that WhatsApp does," Acton told TechCrunch in a recent interview.

Instead, he said there is space in the market for both apps, with people relying on Signal to connect with family and close friends and using WhatsApp to communicate with others outside of those circles.