Microsoft 365 Outage | A major global Microsoft 365 outage disrupted Outlook, Teams, Copilot and several other services, affecting businesses, schools and government organisations.
The disruption left users unable to access emails, attend online meetings or work with cloud-based applications. Several users reported problems with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneDrive and SharePoint.
The outage began on Thursday, November 12. Microsoft acknowledged connectivity problems affecting Exchange Online, the cloud-based email service powering Outlook for many business and enterprise customers.
According to The Associated Press, Downdetector recorded nearly 130,000 Outlook problem reports shortly after 1 pm Eastern Time. Microsoft 365 also recorded more than 47,000 reports.
Thousands of users separately reported problems with Teams and Copilot. However, these figures represent reports submitted to Downdetector, not confirmed numbers of affected users.
Microsoft 365 Outage | What caused the Microsoft outage?
Microsoft initially attributed the disruption to elevated loads across parts of its infrastructure. The company said several servers had unexpectedly become unavailable after failing automated health checks.
This reduced available capacity and shifted additional workloads onto the remaining servers. Consequently, users experienced connectivity errors across multiple services.
Microsoft began restarting affected servers and redirecting traffic through alternative infrastructure. However, some servers became unresponsive again after receiving traffic.
The company then tested an alternative health-check method. This allowed some affected servers to return to service.
Microsoft also introduced traffic management measures to reduce pressure on affected infrastructure. It began rebuilding selected servers using an earlier software configuration.
The company identified a small number of recent configuration updates as possible contributors. However, it had not confirmed a definitive root cause in its latest updates.
Microsoft also said it was investigating why affected servers experienced elevated processor usage while handling requests.
How users reacted to the global disruption
The outage quickly triggered complaints and jokes across social media platforms. Many users turned to X and Bluesky to share their experiences.
Some users joked that the disruption had unexpectedly given them a break from work.
Self-described computer enthusiast Abduco wrote on X, “take your time, take your time… no rush, the downtime is nice!”
Another user joked, “Agreed. Don’t rush a bad fix. Make sure it’s right. Test it for a few days. #FourDayWeekend.”
A third user repeated the familiar technical advice: “Did you try unplugging it and plugging it back in?”
We’re investigating reports of users experiencing issues accessing Exchange Online mailboxes through multiple connection methods in the Americas. More details can be found in the Microsoft 365 admin center under EX1550543.
— Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) November 12, 2026
On Bluesky, Southwestern Law School professor Tiffany C. Li described the disruption as “like a snow day for adults.”
Was the Microsoft outage caused by a cyberattack?
Microsoft’s initial investigation focused on infrastructure failures rather than a cyberattack.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Microsoft did not believe the disruption was caused by a cyber incident. However, investigations into the outage were continuing.
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Microsoft’s updates pointed to server availability, failed health checks and possible configuration changes. The company had not announced a confirmed security breach linked to the disruption.
Is Microsoft Outlook working again?
Microsoft began restoring affected infrastructure on Thursday evening. Its updates reported that some servers had returned to service and remained stable.
The company also redirected traffic through alternative pathways. It introduced additional measures to reduce pressure on affected infrastructure.
However, recovery remained gradual, with some regions experiencing only limited improvement. Microsoft’s early November 13 updates indicated that restoration work was continuing.
Users experiencing problems should check Microsoft’s official service health information. Enterprise customers can access incident-specific updates through the Microsoft 365 admin centre.
The outage highlighted how disruptions to a major cloud platform can affect workplaces and organisations across multiple countries.
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