Is Microsoft Copilot down?
To check if Microsoft Copilot is down, look at the Microsoft 365 Service health page (for work accounts, via admin.microsoft.com), Microsoft's status posts, or a third-party outage tracker like Downdetector. If those show no issues, the problem is likely local: try signing out and in, clearing your browser cache, or switching networks.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Copilot is a cloud service, meaning it runs on Microsoft's remote servers, not on your device. When you send a prompt, your request travels over the internet to a data center, the model computes a response, and it travels back. An outage can happen at several points along that path, and telling them apart is the key skill.
There are two broad causes. A service-side outage means Microsoft's servers or the underlying AI models are failing, which affects many users at once. A client-side problem means something on your end, your internet connection, browser cache, sign-in token, or a corporate firewall, is blocking you while the service works fine for everyone else.
To diagnose, you check whether others are affected. If an official status page or a crowd-sourced tracker shows a spike of reports, it is a real outage and you simply wait for Microsoft to fix it. If those sources are quiet, the issue is probably local, and the fix is on your side: refresh, re-authenticate, or change networks.
For business users, Microsoft provides an authoritative source: the Service health dashboard inside the Microsoft 365 admin center, where administrators see confirmed incidents and estimated restore times. Consumers rely more on status posts and third-party trackers, since there is no personal admin dashboard.
An example that makes it click
Imagine your TV shows a black screen during your favorite show. Before assuming the channel is off the air, you ask a neighbor: is their TV out too? If the whole street lost the channel, it is the broadcaster's problem and you just wait. If only your TV is black, the issue is your cable box, so you unplug and replug it.
Checking Downdetector or the service health page is asking the neighbors. If lots of people report Copilot down, it is Microsoft's outage. If nobody else complains, jiggle your own cables: sign out and back in, clear the cache, or switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data.
How to do it
- For a work or school account, open admin.microsoft.com and check Health > Service health for Copilot incidents (admin access required).
- Search Microsoft's official status updates or their support/status social posts for any reported Copilot outage.
- Check a third-party tracker like Downdetector for a spike in Copilot outage reports from other users.
- If no outage is reported, sign out of Copilot and sign back in to refresh your session.
- Clear your browser cache or try a private/incognito window, or update the Copilot app.
- Switch networks (for example Wi-Fi to mobile data) to rule out a firewall or connection block.
- If it is a confirmed service outage, wait for Microsoft to restore it; there is no user-side fix.
Key facts
- Copilot runs on Microsoft's cloud servers, so outages can be either service-side or local to your device.
- Business admins can confirm outages on the Service health dashboard in the Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Third-party trackers like Downdetector show whether many users report problems at once.
- Local fixes include signing out and in, clearing cache, updating the app, and switching networks.
- If an outage is confirmed on Microsoft's side, only waiting for a fix resolves it.
Microsoft's assistant across Windows, Edge, and Microsoft 365.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
Wondering if Microsoft Copilot is down? Here's how to know for sure. Copilot lives on Microsoft's cloud servers, so the problem is either on their end or yours, and your job is to figure out which. First, see if other people are affected. If you have a work account, your admin can check the Service health dashboard in the Microsoft 365 admin center for confirmed incidents. Anyone can check a tracker like Downdetector to see if reports are spiking. If lots of people are reporting Copilot down, it's a real outage, and all you can do is wait for Microsoft to fix it. But if nobody else is complaining, the problem is probably on your side. Try signing out and back in, clear your browser cache or open a private window, update the app, or switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data. Most of the time, one of those quick fixes brings Copilot right back.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Where can I officially check if Copilot is down?
Business users check the Service health dashboard in the Microsoft 365 admin center; others can use status posts or a tracker like Downdetector.
Copilot isn't loading, but no outage is reported. What now?
It's likely a local issue. Sign out and back in, clear your cache, update the app, or switch to a different network.
Why does Copilot say it's busy or at capacity?
High demand can temporarily limit responses. Wait a few minutes and try again, or reload the page.
Can my company firewall block Copilot?
Yes. Corporate networks sometimes block AI services, so trying a different network can confirm whether that's the cause.