Microsoft 365 Outage: What Happened to Outlook, Teams, and Copilot and What to Do if it Fails Again
Thousands of users were left without email or Teams for hours. Microsoft rules out a cyberattack and points to its infrastructure. We explain what happened and how to keep working when the service goes down.
Translated automatically from Spanish. Read the original
On Thursday, November 12, thousands of businesses and users around the world were left without Outlook, Teams, Copilot and other Microsoft 365 services for hours. Incidents skyrocketed on Downdetector in the afternoon in Europe, and the full recovery, especially of Exchange Online mail, was delayed until the next day.
What happened
Microsoft has not yet confirmed the exact cause and has promised a report when the incident is closed. In its notices, it has mentioned:
- servers that did not pass status checks;
- a higher than normal load on part of its infrastructure;
- according to several specialized media outlets, the reversal of a recent change in network configuration that coincided with the start of the problem.
Was it a cyberattack?
Microsoft says that there is no indication of malicious activity. The fact that the outage occurred two days after the monthly security updates (the Patch Tuesday) sparked speculation, but Microsoft has not linked them.
What to do if it happens again
- Check that it's not your issue: consult the official Microsoft 365 status (or ask your IT department) before changing any settings.
- Don't delete or recreate your account in Outlook: it won't fix the issue and may cause problems later.
- Use alternative versions: sometimes the web version works when the app doesn't, or vice versa.
- Have a backup channel with your team (another messaging app or phone) so you don't get left out of touch.
- Emails sent during the outage are usually delivered late when the service returns. If something was urgent, confirm it through another means.
For businesses: how to prepare
- Have a continuity plan with alternative channels and defined responsibilities.
- Activate service status alerts in the Microsoft 365 administration center.
- Keep local copies of critical documents.
Frequently asked questions
Does Microsoft compensate for these outages? Business contracts have service level agreements (SLAs) with possible credits; individuals usually do not.
Were emails lost? Microsoft has not reported losses; retained messages are delivered when the service returns.
How do I know if Outlook is down now? The official Microsoft 365 status and websites like Downdetector show it in real-time.
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