Is Microsoft Azure Still Down? These Are All The Services That Might Have Been Affected

Microsoft Azure users worldwide experienced widespread disruption this week after a configuration error in the company's cloud infrastructure temporarily brought down key services including Office 365, Minecraft, and Xbox Live.

The outage, which also affected multiple corporate systems and online platforms, pointed out the scale of dependence on Microsoft's cloud ecosystem across industries.

Microsoft Confirms Azure Outage

On its Azure status page, Microsoft confirmed that a configuration change to its cloud infrastructure caused the outage. The company stated that a fix had been deployed and was being gradually rolled out across affected systems.

Although Microsoft has not disclosed the precise details of the error, it acknowledged that the issue had impacted Azure Front Door, a global content and application delivery service that supports websites and applications around the world. Azure Front Door is a critical part of Microsoft's network, providing routing and performance management for online content.

When the service malfunctioned, it prevented access to various systems reliant on Azure's servers. As a result, users across multiple regions were unable to log into cloud-based platforms or load certain webpages.

Global Impact Across Major Platforms

The scale of the outage became evident through widespread user reports on Downdetector, a website that monitors online service disruptions. Users noted difficulties accessing Office 365 accounts, Minecraft servers, and Xbox Live, among others. The problem extended beyond Microsoft-owned services, affecting businesses such as Costco, Starbucks, and Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines confirmed through its official X account that the outage was responsible for major disruptions to its systems, including check-in and flight operations. The airline described Azure's network instability as the root of the issue, illustrating how dependent industries have become on third-party cloud providers.

The outage struck just hours before Microsoft was due to release its quarterly earnings report, adding pressure on the company's technical teams to restore normal operations swiftly. It also followed a significant Amazon Web Services (AWS) failure the previous week, which had taken down a wide range of digital platforms, from food delivery and finance apps to entertainment and social media services.

Microsoft Rolls Out Fix and Monitors Recovery

Microsoft Azure is the world's second-largest cloud computing provider, following Amazon, with Google Cloud ranking third in most global markets. It operates a vast network of data centres that provide digital infrastructure for businesses, developers, and individuals.

According to Microsoft, the root cause of the outage was identified as a configuration error during a routine infrastructure change. The company deployed a corrective update and began monitoring performance metrics to confirm service stability. The fix was implemented progressively to ensure that restored systems did not experience cascading failures.

Although Microsoft has not yet disclosed the full cost of the disruption, downtime for major cloud providers can result in substantial financial losses. For context, large-scale outages affecting cloud operations can cost millions of pounds per hour, depending on the number of clients and services impacted. Microsoft reassured customers that it continues to review its incident management and change deployment processes. The company said the investigation aims to reduce the risk of similar outages in the future and strengthen failover capabilities across its global network.

Cloud Competition And Reliability Concerns

Amazon remains the dominant force in the sector, but Microsoft has continued to expand its Azure presence rapidly, powering everything from enterprise software to gaming networks.

However, incidents like this raise questions about reliability and contingency planning in a world increasingly reliant on digital infrastructure. As of 30 October 2025, most Azure services have returned to normal operations, with the company confirming that the majority of users should no longer experience access issues.