Email services for millions of users worldwide were disrupted on Thursday due to a major outage in Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, the company confirmed as it continued efforts to restore access. The outage, affecting Microsoft 365 and related services, caused significant disruptions for businesses and individuals reliant on the platform. Microsoft stated it was gradually recovering services but did not provide a timeline for full restoration.

The incident began around midday Thursday and impacted users across multiple regions, with some reporting complete loss of access to email and collaboration tools. The outage affected both personal and professional users, leading to delays in communication and operational challenges for organizations. Microsoft acknowledged the issue and advised users to check for updates on service status.

This is the second major outage affecting Microsoft's cloud services in less than a year. Previous incidents have raised concerns about the reliability of critical infrastructure, prompting calls for greater transparency and improved contingency measures. As the tech giant works to stabilize its systems, the incident highlights the growing dependence on cloud-based platforms for daily operations.