Microsoft outage hits Outlook and Exchange Online for second day

Microsoft's global outage affecting Outlook, Copilot, and Exchange Online entered its second day Friday, disrupting operations for millions of users worldwide, with the company ruling out any cyberattack as the cause. The disruption began Thursday afternoon, crippling Exchange Online, the engine behind Microsoft's email infrastructure. Many users still cannot access inboxes or send emails Friday morning, though Microsoft reported recovery progress in Europe, Asia Pacific, and North America, with Japan comparatively stable. Microsoft extended its email timeout window to 48 hours to protect delayed messages, allowing backlogged emails until Saturday afternoon to reach recipients. Users also face disruptions to calendars, meeting invites, and scheduling tools beyond email services.