Is Microsoft Outlook down? Global server outage hits these US states hardest

Microsoft Outlook is experiencing a global outage affecting users' ability to log in, access emails, and connect to servers.

Users around the globe are facing persistent issues with Microsoft’s email services, including Outlook, formerly known as Hotmail. The issue began on Wednesday evening and escalated rapidly by Thursday morning, leaving users unable to log in, access emails, or connect to servers, as per the Associated Press.

A global outage of Microsoft’s email services, including Outlook, began Wednesday evening, impacting login access for many users. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File) (AP)

Widespread Microsoft Outlook failures

The outage, tracked on platforms like DownDetector, showed that over 2,200 users reported problems by 10 am ET. A majority, over 60 per cent, faced login-related errors, including prompts to re-enter passwords, invalid credentials messages, and ‘license not valid’ warnings.

Others reported emails not loading or syncing, with many seeing the dreaded ‘Cannot connect to server’ notification.

Users expressed their frustration on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and others. A user from Manchester said that they tried five times to log in, but kept getting kicked out. “I need access for work, this is beyond frustrating,” the user added.

Which states are most affected in the US?

The Outlook disruption has been reported in major states across the country, with New York, Washington, and Dallas in Texas among the worst-affected regions, as reported by LiveMint. Users in India, Canada, Germany, and Australia have also reported similar issues.

Microsoft's response to the global outage

Microsoft acknowledged the issue in a post on X (formerly Twitter), said, “We identified an issue with the initial fix and we’ve corrected it. We’re continuing to deploy the fix and are monitoring to ensure no further issues.”

Despite this, no official cause has been shared, and users were still experiencing problems as of midday on Thursday

While Outlook is down, Microsoft has confirmed that other services within the Microsoft 365 suite, like Teams and OneDrive, are operating normally. This indicates the outage is isolated to Outlook’s email servers.

Users have been advised not to reset their passwords unnecessarily during the outage and to monitor the official Microsoft 365 Service Health page for real-time updates.

FAQs

Q1. Is Hotmail down or experiencing outages?

Yes. Microsoft’s Hotmail (via Outlook) is currently facing a global outage that has left many users unable to access or use their accounts.

Q2. Why can't I sign in to my Hotmail account?

Users are encountering errors like invalid credentials, repeated password prompts, or license errors. Microsoft is working on a fix, but issues persist.

Q3. Why are my emails not syncing or loading?

The outage has disrupted normal mail syncing and access. Users may find their inboxes frozen or unable to load due to server-side problems.

Q4. Why am I receiving a "Cannot connect to the server" error?

This error is part of the ongoing outage affecting Outlook servers globally. It indicates your device cannot reach Microsoft’s mail servers at this time.