Microsoft Outlook outages today: Is email down, when will it be fixed, and how to check server status now?

Microsoft Outlook is experiencing widespread outages today, leaving millions unable to access their emails across desktop, web, and mobile platforms. Reports indicate the issue began around 5 a.m. ET and has escalated throughout the morning, disrupting work for Outlook’s 400+ million users globally.

Microsoft has acknowledged the outage and deployed a fix, but service restoration may take time. Users are encountering login failures and licensing errors, even with active subscriptions. This marks the second major Outlook disruption in 2025, following a similar outage in March.

While Microsoft monitors the deployment, affected users can check the company’s status page for updates. The outage also impacts related Microsoft 365 services, including Teams and Exchange.

Is Microsoft Outlook down today? Current outage status and affected regions

Microsoft Outlook is currently experiencing widespread outages affecting users globally. According to outage trackers, reports began spiking around 5 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 10, 2025, with nearly 2,200 user complaints registered by 10 a.m. ET. The issues appear to be impacting Outlook.com, Outlook Mobile, and desktop clients across multiple continents.

The primary problems users are reporting include:

• Inability to log into email accounts
• Server connection failures
• Sync issues between devices
• Calendar and contact access problems

Microsoft’s status page confirms the ongoing issues, stating: “Users may be unable to access their mailbox using any connection methods.” The company has not provided an estimated resolution time as of publication.

Are Hotmail accounts affected too?

The outage appears to be impacting both Outlook.com and legacy Hotmail accounts, as they share the same underlying infrastructure. Many Hotmail users have reported identical login and connection issues during this outage event.

How long will the Microsoft Outlook outage last? Previous downtime patterns analyzed

While Microsoft hasn’t announced an estimated restoration time, examining previous outages may provide some insight. In November 2024, a similar Outlook outage lasted approximately 8 hours before full service was restored.

Several factors suggest this could be a significant outage:

• The global scale of reports
• Multiple service components affected
• Microsoft’s acknowledgment of widespread issues

Based on past incidents and the current scope, I’d predict restoration within 6-12 hours unless they’re facing unprecedented technical challenges.

That seems so long! Isn’t Microsoft supposed to have super reliable cloud infrastructure?

How to check Microsoft Outlook server status right now (3 reliable methods)

If you’re experiencing issues, there are several ways to verify whether the problem is on Microsoft’s end or your local setup:

1. Microsoft 365 Service Health Status Page – The official source for outage confirmations
2. DownDetector – Tracks user reports geographically
3. Twitter/X – Search #OutlookDown for real-time user experiences

Interestingly, some users report intermittent access or partial functionality, suggesting Microsoft may be implementing rolling fixes across their server farms.

Workarounds when Outlook email is down: How to access critical messages

For those who desperately need email access during the outage, consider these temporary solutions:

The most reliable workaround appears to be using cached local copies of emails if you’ve previously accessed them through a desktop client configured for offline use.

Why does Outlook keep going down? Infrastructure vulnerabilities exposed

This marks at least the third significant Outlook outage in the past 12 months, raising questions about Microsoft’s cloud reliability. Several factors may contribute to these recurring issues:

• Increasing complexity of integrated services
• Growing user base (now over 400 million)
• Security update complications

The November 2024 outage was attributed to authentication system failures, though Microsoft hasn’t disclosed the current outage’s root cause.

Business impact of email outages

For enterprises relying on Microsoft 365, these outages can cost thousands in lost productivity per hour. Many companies are now maintaining backup communication systems for critical operations.

Should I switch from Outlook? Comparing alternative email providers

For users frustrated by repeated outages, several alternatives exist:

• Gmail – Google’s service has comparable features with different outage patterns
• ProtonMail – Privacy-focused option with good reliability
• Apple Mail – iCloud users may prefer this integrated solution

Before jumping ship, consider that all major providers experience outages – Microsoft’s are just more visible due to their market share.

But shouldn’t we expect better uptime when paying for Microsoft 365? Maybe they need better competition!

Microsoft Outlook outage compensation: Can users get refunds?

For paying Microsoft 365 customers, extended outages may qualify for service credits under Microsoft’s Service Level Agreement (SLA). Key points:

• Typically requires ≥4 continuous hours of downtime
• Must file claim within 30 days
• Credits are percentage of monthly fee (not cash)

Consumer Outlook.com users generally aren’t eligible for compensation as it’s a free service. However, prolonged outages have occasionally prompted Microsoft to offer premium feature trials to affected users.