Microsoft says it’s recovering after Azure outage

Microsoft has confirmed it’s now recovering from a widespread Azure outage that disrupted major services including Microsoft 365, Xbox, and even Starbucks’ point-of-sale systems. The company linked the issue to an “inadvertent configuration change” that caused widespread connectivity problems across its cloud network.

The outage, which hit late Wednesday, left users unable to access emails, log in to gaming platforms, or process transactions. Microsoft says most systems are now stabilizing, but some users may still experience intermittent delays as the fix rolls out globally.

What caused the Microsoft Azure outage?

According to Microsoft’s status update, the Azure outage stemmed from a configuration change that affected Domain Name System (DNS) routing within its global network. This glitch temporarily broke connections between Microsoft’s cloud services and external apps, leading to ripple effects across Microsoft 365, Xbox Live, Minecraft, and several corporate partners such as Capital One, Alaska Airlines, and Starbucks.

Microsoft engineers quickly reverted the change and are now monitoring performance to prevent similar disruptions in the future.

Which services were affected by the Azure outage?

The Azure outage affected nearly all major Microsoft services dependent on its cloud backbone. This included:

• Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive)

• Xbox gaming services

• Minecraft servers

• Enterprise clients like Starbucks and Capital One

While most systems are now operational, some organizations are still reporting partial slowdowns as global recovery continues.

Is Microsoft taking steps to prevent future Azure outages?

Yes — Microsoft says it’s conducting a full post-incident review to strengthen system resilience. The company plans to introduce stricter safeguards and automated rollback protocols to catch misconfigurations before they cascade into full outages.

For now, Microsoft reassures users that all affected services, including Azure, Microsoft 365, and Xbox, are on track for full recovery — a reminder of how deeply integrated cloud infrastructure has become in daily life and global business operations.