On Wednesday, October 29, Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and its associated productivity software experienced a significant global outage, affecting thousands of users and a wide array of services. Downdetector.com, a platform that tracks online outages, reported over 16,600 users affected by Azure downtime and nearly 9,000 experiencing issues with Microsoft 365, with peak reports reaching over 18,000 for Azure.

The tech giant confirmed that the disruption stemmed from an inadvertent configuration change to a portion of its Azure infrastructure, specifically impacting the Azure Front Door service and its Domain Name System (DNS). Azure Front Door is Microsoft’s global network designed to route traffic across its expansive cloud environment, and DNS failures can entirely block users from reaching applications and cloud services. Microsoft stated the issue began around 16:00 UTC (12 p.m. ET).

The outage had far-reaching consequences, extending beyond Microsoft's direct services. Users reported issues with Office 365, Minecraft, X-Box Live, Copilot, and delays in accessing the Microsoft 365 admin center. Network connectivity and add-in problems were also noted in Outlook. Due to Azure's foundational role for countless online platforms, the disruption rippled through several critical industries and businesses globally, affecting clients like Starbucks, Kroger, Costco, Alaska Airlines (which reported its website and app were down), Vodafone UK, and Heathrow Airport. This incident underscored the interconnectedness and potential fragility of modern digital infrastructure.

In response, Microsoft initiated recovery deployment, confirming that teams were investigating issues affecting the Azure Front Door service and working to resolve access disruptions. The company began deploying its “last known good” configuration to restore services and rerouted access to the Azure management portal away from Azure Front Door to minimize impact. Customers unable to access Azure via the web portal were advised to use PowerShell or CLI tools as temporary alternatives. Microsoft also temporarily blocked customer configuration changes while mitigation efforts continued.

This major cloud service disruption came just over a week after a similar, massive outage of Amazon Web Services (AWS), which took down a broad range of online services including Reddit and Snapchat. These recent incidents, alongside last year’s CrowdStrike malfunction, highlight the increasing vulnerability of the world’s digital infrastructure and the widespread impact when dominant cloud providers like Amazon and Microsoft experience technical difficulties. Microsoft’s Azure troubles notably occurred hours before the company was scheduled to release its quarterly earnings report.