Thousands of Microsoft 365 Users Affected by Outlook Outage

Thousands of Microsoft 365 users faced service disruptions, particularly with Outlook, on Saturday. Microsoft acknowledged the issue on X, identified a potential cause, and rolled back the suspected code to restore services. Many users reported login difficulties on social media. Downdetector showed outage reports peaking at 4 p.m. ET before access was gradually restored. Other Microsoft 365 services were also affected. This incident follows a similar outage earlier in the week that impacted Slack. Microsoft continues to monitor the situation. Users are advised to check official updates for further information.

Thousands of Microsoft 365 Users Affected by Outlook Outage

Thousands of Microsoft 365 users encountered service disruptions, particularly with Outlook, on Saturday. Microsoft addressed the issue in a series of posts on X, stating that it was actively investigating the cause. The company later identified a potential issue and rolled back the suspected code to restore functionality. Earlier in the day, numerous users took to social media to report difficulties accessing their Outlook email accounts. According to Downdetector, which tracks service outages, reports of issues with Microsoft 365—especially Outlook—peaked around 4 p.m. ET before gradually decreasing as access was restored. This incident comes shortly after a similar outage earlier in the week that disrupted Slack, leaving thousands of users unable to use the communication platform.

Tens of thousands of Microsoft Outlook users experienced unexpected lockouts due to a major service disruption that also affected other Microsoft 365 services, including Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint. The outage, which peaked around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, left over 37,000 users unable to access their accounts, according to Downdetector. Despite the widespread reports, Microsoft’s official service status page did not immediately reflect the issue. In response, Microsoft acknowledged the disruption, confirmed that it had been resolved, and stated that an investigation into the root cause was ongoing.

Beyond Outlook, Microsoft confirmed that multiple services under the Microsoft 365 umbrella, as well as Xbox services, were impacted. The company identified a potential cause, rolled back the suspected faulty code, and assured users that it was closely monitoring the recovery process. Frustrated users took to social media, questioning the reliability of Microsoft’s service status pages, with some expressing concerns about potential security breaches. By early Sunday, Microsoft reported that most affected services were recovering and that it would continue monitoring until the issue was fully resolved.

This outage is part of a series of service disruptions that Microsoft has faced in recent months, including a major incident in November 2024 that left Outlook and Teams offline for more than 24 hours.

Microsoft is actively reviewing telemetry data and customer logs to understand the root cause of the recent outage and implement measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future. The company has assured users that it is closely monitoring recovery efforts to ensure all affected services, including Outlook, Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint, are fully restored. While most services have returned to normal operation, Microsoft continues to analyze system performance to identify any lingering issues that may impact users.

During the outage, thousands of affected users expressed frustration on social media, highlighting concerns about the reliability of Microsoft’s service status page, which initially failed to reflect the widespread disruption. Some users feared their accounts had been compromised, with reports of repeated login attempts and password resets before realizing the issue was system-wide.

This incident follows a series of service disruptions Microsoft has experienced in recent months, including a major outage in November 2024 that left Outlook and Teams inaccessible for over 24 hours. Given the increasing reliance on Microsoft 365 for business and personal communications, ensuring service stability remains a priority for the company. Users are encouraged to follow Microsoft’s official channels for real-time updates and further developments regarding service reliability and future improvements.