Microsoft is struggling to restore its services following a major global outage that has disrupted Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Copilot and other Microsoft 365 applications, leaving businesses and individuals facing problems accessing email, files and workplace tools. The company says the incident was not caused by a cybersecurity attack, but its initial recovery efforts have not gone entirely as planned.
Key Points
Microsoft 365 services, including Outlook, Teams and Copilot, have experienced widespread connectivity problems.
Downdetector recorded nearly 140,000 reports of Outlook problems globally at the peak on Thursday.
Microsoft says the incident is not believed to be related to a cyberattack.
Initial recovery measures encountered difficulties as some restarted servers became unresponsive.
Microsoft has reported encouraging signs of improved server stability, although full recovery has not been confirmed.
What Happened in the Microsoft Global Outage?
The disruption began on Thursday, November 12, and initially affected users in the United States before spreading across other regions, including parts of Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Outlook users reported difficulties opening inboxes, sending emails and receiving messages. Other customers experienced problems accessing Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive and the company’s AI assistant, Copilot.
According to the BBC, reports of Outlook problems on Downdetector peaked at nearly 140,000 globally at approximately 18:00 GMT on Thursday. These figures represent user-submitted reports rather than a confirmed count of affected individuals. BBC News+1
Why Did Microsoft’s Services Stop Working?
Microsoft has identified a technical problem involving infrastructure supporting its online services.
The Guardian reported that a server-side process responsible for establishing secure connections became overwhelmed, causing affected servers to stop processing requests. Microsoft has been investigating configuration changes and other recovery measures to restore normal operations. The Guardian+1
Importantly, Microsoft has said it does not believe the outage resulted from a cybersecurity incident. There is currently no verified evidence that hackers caused the disruption.
Why Has Recovery Taken So Long?
One of the most significant aspects of the outage is the difficulty Microsoft has faced bringing affected servers back online.
The company initially attempted to restart servers and redirect traffic away from affected infrastructure. However, some servers reportedly became unresponsive again when traffic returned.
Microsoft subsequently explored alternative recovery measures. Later updates indicated positive results in improving server stability, although service degradation remained an issue. The Guardian+2
This distinction matters: improved server stability does not automatically mean every customer can access every affected service normally.
Businesses and Other Technology Companies Also Affected
The disruption extended beyond ordinary Microsoft 365 customers. Reuters reported that connectors used by OpenAI and Anthropic were also experiencing problems, demonstrating how Microsoft’s infrastructure supports services operated by other technology companies. Investing.com
The Associated Press also reported disruption affecting businesses and government operations in several countries, highlighting the wider consequences of relying on shared cloud-based infrastructure. AP News
For organizations that depend heavily on cloud email, collaboration software and online productivity platforms, the incident is another reminder that a problem at one major technology provider can affect many seemingly independent services.
Is Microsoft Outlook and Teams Working Again?
Microsoft has reported encouraging progress in its recovery efforts, but a complete restoration should not be assumed.
Users experiencing problems should check Microsoft’s official service-status updates rather than relying on social media claims or unofficial messages promising an instant fix.
The company has not established that every affected service and customer has returned to normal operation.
For now, the key question is not simply when Microsoft can restart its servers, but how quickly it can restore consistent access across its wider ecosystem.
Reporting note: This article reflects information available on November 13, 2026. Service availability and Microsoft’s recovery status may change as further updates are released.
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