Global disruption as Microsoft outage hampers email and collaboration tools

Microsoft confirmed that its 365 services, including Teams, Outlook and the Copilot AI tool, are experiencing connectivity problems, affecting users in at least 74 countries. In the United States, staff in the House of Representatives said their legislative work was halted, with one employee noting the loss of access to Outlook and calendars. The City of Austin, Texas, posted that employees could not send or receive email, though phone lines and emergency services remained operational. In Canada, Unity Health Toronto reported email difficulties for its hospital network but said patient care continued.

In Japan, companies resorted to fax machines after email became unavailable, and Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said the government’s shared IT platform was disrupted. Singapore’s courts and emergency services reported email issues and advised telephone contact for urgent matters, while the Philippines’ Supreme Court warned of possible delays. Indian financial firms described challenges in accessing research reports and conducting Teams calls, and Chinese businesses expressed frustration as Outlook remains a key communication channel.

Australia’s security agencies acknowledged email disruptions but said the impact was limited. European stock market operator Euronext advised listed companies to use phone communication, and in the United Kingdom, general practitioners, police forces and pharmacies reported email problems, with MPs noting loss of access to parliamentary Microsoft accounts. A parliamentary spokesperson said officials are working with Microsoft to resolve the issue quickly.