A global Microsoft outage on Wednesday shut down access to major websites such as Heathrow, NatWest, and Minecraft. The disruption lasted for several hours, affecting users and businesses around the world before systems were restored later in the evening.
Millions struggle to access key websites
Outage tracker Downdetector reported thousands of complaints from users who could not load or log into essential websites. Pages froze, emails failed to send, and online services slowed dramatically across multiple regions.
Microsoft confirmed that users of Microsoft 365 faced serious delays in Outlook and other tools. By 21:00 GMT, the company said many websites were back online after engineers reversed a recent update.
Azure failure ripples through the global web
Microsoft’s Azure cloud network, which supports much of the world’s online infrastructure, reported “service degradation” around 16:00 GMT. The company said the root cause was “DNS issues,” the same problem that led to a major Amazon Web Services outage just a week earlier.
Amazon confirmed its own platforms continued running smoothly throughout the incident.
In the UK, websites for Asda, M&S, and O2 were temporarily down. In the US, customers struggled to access Starbucks and Kroger online services.
Companies scramble to manage disruption
Microsoft acknowledged that business customers using Microsoft 365 were heavily affected. Some of its websites displayed an error message reading, “Uh oh! Something went wrong with the previous request.”
The company used its X account to post updates after users reported they couldn’t reach the official service status page.
NatWest said its website was briefly unavailable but confirmed that mobile banking, live chat, and phone support remained fully functional.
Consumer experts urge clear communication and support
Consumer watchdog Which? said companies must keep customers informed and compensate them when necessary. “Customers should keep evidence of any failed or delayed payments in case they need to make a claim,” said Which? consumer law specialist Lisa Webb. She advised anyone concerned about missed bills to contact providers directly and ask for late fees to be waived.
Scottish Parliament forced to pause proceedings
In Scotland, parliamentary business was suspended after technical problems hit the online voting system. The outage forced a delay in a key debate on land reform legislation. The proposed law would allow the government to intervene in private property sales and require the breakup of large estates.
A senior parliamentary insider said the disruption was believed to be linked to Microsoft’s global failure.
Dependence on tech giants raises concerns
Experts say the total scale of the impact remains uncertain, though Microsoft Azure holds roughly 20% of the global cloud market. Microsoft said the outage was caused by “an inadvertent configuration change,” meaning an internal system adjustment had unforeseen effects.
Dr Saqib Kakvi from Royal Holloway University warned that reliance on a few cloud providers creates widespread vulnerability. “When Microsoft, Amazon, or Google go down, hundreds or even thousands of services collapse,” he said. He added that the trend toward consolidation makes the digital ecosystem increasingly fragile.
Fragile internet infrastructure exposed again
Professor Gregory Falco of Cornell University said the incident highlights the weakness of modern online systems. “Azure and AWS look like unified technologies, but they’re actually thousands of connected components,” he explained. Some are managed internally, while others rely on third-party services such as CrowdStrike, whose faulty update last year disrupted millions of Microsoft-based computers.
Falco warned that even small internal errors can trigger massive global outages, proving how delicate and interdependent the internet truly is.
