Microsoft 365 Outage Hits Users as Access Restores

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Microsoft 365 experienced significant outages Thursday, with peak user disruptions reported around 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Many users reported losing access to critical services, notably Outlook, causing widespread frustration.

According to Downdetector, more than 2,000 outage reports flooded in just before 4 p.m., indicating a sharp surge in accessibility issues. Reports dwindled later as several users noted that their access was gradually restored, signaling potential recovery for the affected services.

“We are aware of the issues impacting Microsoft 365 and are actively working to resolve them,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement. The company did not provide immediate details on the cause but assured users that updates would follow.

This outage comes at a crucial time when various businesses and educational institutions rely heavily on Microsoft 365 tools for operations, communications, and collaboration. Users expressed their discontent across social media, highlighting the impact of the interruption on meetings and deadlines.

As the situation unfolded, Microsoft continued to monitor the services while urging users to check the Microsoft 365 admin center for updates. The next few hours will be critical in determining the full extent of the disruption and any necessary repairs, especially for enterprise customers who depend on uninterrupted service.