Microsoft has warned that users may continue to experience difficulties accessing multiple Microsoft 365 services as it works to restore systems following a widespread global outage. The company said service health remained variable and that its infrastructure capacity had yet to return fully to normal.
In its latest update, Microsoft said it had observed improvements in server stability after applying a patch to an upstream authentication and routing configuration component. It was gradually extending the fix to more infrastructure, particularly systems supporting regions entering or already experiencing peak business hours.
The company also said it had found no evidence of malicious activity behind the disruption, indicating that its investigation had not identified signs of a cyberattack. Microsoft has promised to publish a detailed account of the incident, including its root cause and measures to prevent a recurrence, once services are fully restored.
The outage, which began on Thursday, affected several Microsoft products, including Outlook, Exchange Online, Teams and Copilot. Users in multiple countries reported difficulties accessing emails and other workplace services. Downdetector recorded nearly 130,000 reports of Outlook problems in the United States at the height of the disruption, while reports came from 74 countries and territories.
Microsoft said the problems were linked to server availability and infrastructure strain across multiple regions. Some servers that had been restarted initially appeared stable but became unresponsive again after traffic was restored, complicating the recovery process.
Microsoft outage highlights risks of dependence on major technology providers
The disruption has once again drawn attention to the widespread reliance of businesses and organisations on Microsoft's email, messaging and corporate software. The incident illustrates how problems at a single major technology provider can affect operations across industries and geographical boundaries.
While most technology glitches are resolved relatively quickly, failures involving critical infrastructure can have far-reaching consequences. When companies rely heavily on a single provider for essential digital services, even a temporary disruption can affect communication, business operations and access to important data.
Previous incidents have demonstrated the scale of these risks. A 15-hour disruption at Amazon Web Services last year affected hundreds of websites and online services, highlighting the extent to which businesses depend on major cloud computing platforms.
In 2024, a faulty software update released by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. caused widespread disruption, grounding flights and crashing computer systems around the world. The incident resulted in billions of dollars in damages and exposed vulnerabilities in interconnected technology systems.
Recovery efforts continue as users face service disruptions
Microsoft has been working to restore affected servers, redistribute traffic across its global infrastructure and introduce measures to reduce the pressure on systems. It has also been applying changes to improve authentication and routing, while monitoring whether restored servers remain stable as traffic returns.
The disruption has affected more than just access to Outlook inboxes. Microsoft 365 services that depend on Exchange Online have also experienced problems, including certain features of Teams, Copilot, SharePoint, Planner and other workplace applications. Some functions that do not rely on Exchange Online have continued to operate.
The company has said recovery may be gradual as additional capacity comes back online and users' applications reconnect to its services. It is continuing to monitor the impact and work on further changes to stabilise its infrastructure.
Microsoft has not yet declared the incident fully resolved. It said it would share a comprehensive post-incident report after the disruption is brought under control.