Microsoft Copilot down? How to fix errors amid massive outage

Microsoft Copilot is currently experiencing an outage on Thursday.

Updated on: May 14, 2026 8:48 PM IST

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Microsoft Copilot is currently experiencing an outage on Thursday. Downdetector, a platform that tracks online outages, showed nearly 200 reports at the time of writing this story. Meanwhile, dozens of users are reporting issues such as ‘Something went wrong’, failed responses, slow loading, authentication errors, and complete unresponsiveness.

A photo taken on May 7, 2026 shows the letters AI for Artificial Intelligence on a laptop screen (top) next to the logo of the Microsoft's Copilot chatbot application on a smartphone screen in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP) (AFP)

The company has not addressed the outage yet. “Microsoft Copilot is down. They don’t have the compute to serve this tool consistently,” one person complained on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“When will Copilot be up again. I am missing out on so much work,” another user added.

5 quick fixes to try right now

Check Official Status

Go to status.office.com or portal.azure.com to see real-time service health. The cuurent message reads: “Service degradation on Microsoft consumer products. See below for more information.”

However, Copilot is ‘operational’.

Hard Refresh & Restart

Press Ctrl + Shift + R (or Cmd + Shift + R on Mac) for a hard refresh.

Close and reopen the browser or Copilot app completely.

Clear Cache & Cookies

Clear cache and cookies for copilot.microsoft.com and bing.com.

On mobile: Go to Settings → Apps → Copilot → Storage → Clear Cache (and Clear Data if needed).

Switch Networks and Disable VPN

Toggle between Wi-Fi and mobile data.

Turn off any VPN or proxy, as they often interfere with Copilot’s servers.

Update or Reinstall

Make sure you’re using the latest version of the Copilot app.

If issues persist, uninstall and reinstall the app.

For Copilot in Windows, restart your PC.

Additional Tips

Try using Microsoft Edge browser — many users report it’s more stable during outages.

Wait 30–60 minutes and try again. Most Copilot outages resolve within a few hours.

As a temporary workaround, use alternatives like Grok, Claude, or ChatGPT.

Microsoft has not yet given an official ETA, but outages of this scale are usually fixed relatively quickly once the root cause is identified. Check status.office.com for the latest updates.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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