Microsoft Cloud Services Stable in Australia, No Widespread Outages
SYDNEY, 23 January 2026 – Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure in Australia is currently operating normally, with no widespread outages affecting Azure or Microsoft 365 services. This follows a significant global service disruption that impacted millions of users worldwide earlier this week.
Current Status: All Systems Operational
According to real-time monitoring data from status aggregators, Microsoft Azure’s Australian data centres in both the Southeast and Central regions are functioning normally. All core components, including API Management, App Service, Azure Active Directory, and Azure Communications Gateway, are reporting a healthy status.
Similarly, the Microsoft 365 suite, encompassing Outlook, Teams, Exchange Online, SharePoint, and OneDrive for Business, is showing no signs of active service degradation for Australian users.
Analysis of the Recent Global Outage
On Thursday, 22 January 2026, Microsoft experienced a major global outage that affected its Microsoft 365 and Azure cloud services. The incident began around 11:00 am Pacific Time (7:00 pm UTC) and peaked shortly after, causing widespread disruption to business communications, online collaboration, and access to essential applications.
The outage primarily impacted users in North America but generated reports from numerous other regions, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, India, Japan, and Brazil.
Key Facts & Timeline of the Global Incident
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Primary Cause | A portion of service infrastructure in North America that was not processing traffic as expected. |
| Key Services Affected | Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Store, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft Azure. |
| Peak User Reports | Over 14,000 users reported issues with Microsoft 365 overall; over 11,000 reports were for Outlook alone. |
| Common Error | ‘451 4.3.2 Temporary server error’ when sending or receiving emails. |
| Microsoft’s Response | Identified and fixed the underlying infrastructure issue. Restoration required further load balancing and traffic redirection. |
| Infrastructure Status | Restored to a ‘healthy state’ as of late Thursday afternoon (Eastern Time). |
Australian Azure Service Health
Monitoring data for the past 24 hours shows zero reported outages for Microsoft Azure’s Australian regions. The last recorded incident affecting the Australian Southeast region was on 29 October 2025, lasting approximately nine hours.
Historical data indicates that Microsoft Azure has maintained a high level of service reliability in Australia over the past 90 days, with only one incident recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Microsoft’s services currently down in Australia?
No. As of 23 January 2026, both Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 services are operational and functioning normally across Australia.
How can I check the real-time status of Microsoft Azure?
The most reliable method is to check the official Microsoft Azure status page at https://status.azure.com. Third-party aggregators like IsDown.app also provide real-time monitoring and historical data for specific regions like Australia Southeast and Australia Central.
What should I do if I suspect a localised issue?
If you are experiencing problems, the first step is to verify whether the issue is widespread or isolated to your connection or organisation. You can use third-party sites like Downdetector to see if there is a spike in reports. If you are an IT administrator, you should check your organisation’s specific Microsoft 365 Admin Center for service health updates and incident IDs.
What caused the recent global Microsoft outage?
Microsoft identified a portion of its service infrastructure in North America that was not processing traffic correctly. The issue affected load balancing and service availability, leading to the widespread disruption.
Is there any ongoing impact from the outage?
Microsoft has confirmed that the underlying cause of the global outage has been fixed. However, the company noted that some Microsoft 365 apps and services may still face ongoing impact as engineers work to rebalance traffic and fully stabilise the environment.