Microsoft’s servers began restarting on Thursday after a global outage disrupted access to its 365 suite, affecting nearly 130,000 users worldwide. The interruption hit services including Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, and the AI assistant Copilot.
The outage spiked sharply on Down Detector, a website that tracks service interruptions. Reports flooded in, showing widespread problems with Microsoft 365 applications across multiple regions. The company attributed the disruption to a server issue and said it was “aggressively pursuing all pathways to reduce impact.”
Microsoft’s alert did not specify the technical cause beyond the server problem, nor did it provide a precise timeline for full recovery. Users experienced difficulty accessing email and collaboration tools central to business operations and remote work.
The outage affected not only consumer users but also enterprise clients relying on SharePoint and OneDrive, critical for file sharing and storage. Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant integrated into the 365 environment, was also unavailable during the period.
The company’s acknowledgement came as users worldwide reported issues starting earlier on Thursday. Microsoft’s servers, which support millions of users daily, began returning to service as the day progressed.
This disruption adds to a series of recent cloud service outages affecting major tech firms. In this case, Microsoft’s broad user base felt the impact on communication and productivity tools simultaneously.
The incident occurred without an immediate explanation for the server failure, leaving users and businesses to manage interruptions to daily workflows. Microsoft’s efforts to restore services continue as of Thursday afternoon.
The outage’s scale, affecting tens of thousands globally, highlights the reliance on cloud-based platforms for essential digital infrastructure. Microsoft’s 365 suite remains a backbone for many in professional and creative industries, including entertainment sectors that depend on steady online collaboration.
As Microsoft works toward full restoration, users remain attentive to updates about the cause and potential steps to prevent future disruptions.
According to The Guardian.
