Tech · November 13, 2026
Microsoft reports progress as it works to recover email and other services in a global outage
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Microsoft is currently working to restore services after a global outage began on Thursday, November 12, 2026. The disruption has affected Microsoft 365 tools including Outlook, Teams, and the AI assistant Copilot, impacting businesses, government agencies, and schools across more than 70 countries. Microsoft has confirmed the event was not the result of a cyberattack, but rather a technical issue involving server health checks and high processor usage. While the company reports encouraging progress in service recovery, some users continue to experience intermittent access and delivery delays as of Friday afternoon.
Read the original coverage
- NewsweekMainstream
Microsoft's Self-Inflicted Outage Follows Plan to Cut Quarter of Workforce
Read at Newsweek ↗ Microsoft’s Global Outage and Fixes: What We Know
Read at The New York Times ↗- Washington TimesMainstream
Microsoft reports progress as it works to recover email and other services in a global outage
Read at Washington Times ↗ - PBS NewsNonprofit
What to know about Microsoft's outage and why it takes so long to restore email services
Read at PBS News ↗
Reported by multiple outlets
- The outage began on Thursday, November 12, 2026.
- Services affected include Microsoft 365, Outlook, Teams, and Copilot.
- The disruption impacted over 70 countries and territories.
- Microsoft confirmed the outage was not a cyberattack or result of malicious activity.
- The company reported service improvements and recovery progress by Friday.
Reported by only some outlets
- The outage followed a plan to offer voluntary buyouts to more than a quarter of Microsoft's workforce.
- Technical causes cited include failing automated server health checks and elevated processor usage.
- The outage disrupted police emergency calls and court operations.
- Downdetector reported over 140,000 users were affected.
Industry-friendly coverage frames it as…
Most coverage focuses on Microsoft's recovery efforts, official company statements regarding progress, and the technical resilience of cloud-based productivity suites.
Skeptical / consumer coverage frames it as…
Highlight the timing of the outage relative to massive workforce buyouts, suggesting that personnel reductions may have compromised technical stability.
Numbers that differ
- Number of users affected: The New York Times reports 'millions of users'; Newsweek specifies 'more than 140,000 users' cited Downdetector.
- Number of countries affected: The New York Times reports 'more than 70 countries'; Newsweek reports '74 countries'.
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CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.