Microsoft outage in Norway. Email is returning, but messages may arrive later
Microsoft reports improved service performance across much of Europe, but has not yet announced that the outage has been fully resolved. Users may experience problems accessing email and delays in message delivery. In Norway, public authorities are also feeling the effects – Balsfjord municipality confirmed difficulties contacting employees on Friday.
An email outage may hinder work and contact with public authorities. Illustrative photo.
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What is working, and what problems remain?
According to Microsoft’s statement from 13 November, 13:58 CET, service restoration is progressing, but some users are still experiencing access interruptions and email delays. The company is working to stabilise the infrastructure and reduce backlogged message queues.
The problems affect Exchange Online, the email service used by, among others, companies and institutions. Accessing mailboxes through Outlook in a web browser, the desktop application or a mobile device may be difficult.
This does not mean that all Teams functions have stopped working. Microsoft says that most core functions, including calls, meetings and chats, remain available. Disruptions affect, among other things, the email-linked calendar, invitations and meeting changes. They may also affect Copilot features that use work data.
Read also: Microsoft outage in the Norway Report – earlier reports and updates
The problems affect Exchange Online, the email service used by, among others, companies and institutions. Accessing mailboxes through Outlook in a web browser, the desktop application or a mobile device may be difficult.
This does not mean that all Teams functions have stopped working. Microsoft says that most core functions, including calls, meetings and chats, remain available. Disruptions affect, among other things, the email-linked calendar, invitations and meeting changes. They may also affect Copilot features that use work data.
Read also: Microsoft outage in the Norway Report – earlier reports and updates
No response from a public office may have a technical cause
On 13 November, Balsfjord municipality reported that employees were unable to log in to their email or the official inbox. Some people also had problems connecting their phones. At the same time, the municipality noted that the telephone switchboard was operating normally.
This is a confirmed example of the outage’s local effects. It does not mean that all Norwegian public offices are unavailable or that every contact channel with a given municipality has stopped working. Balsfjord publishes current information in a notice on its website.
If the matter is urgent, check the institution’s official website and the contact method indicated there. For a message you have sent, pay attention to any error message, sending status and possible delivery confirmation. A lack of response alone does not determine whether the recipient received the email.
This is a confirmed example of the outage’s local effects. It does not mean that all Norwegian public offices are unavailable or that every contact channel with a given municipality has stopped working. Balsfjord publishes current information in a notice on its website.
If the matter is urgent, check the institution’s official website and the contact method indicated there. For a message you have sent, pay attention to any error message, sending status and possible delivery confirmation. A lack of response alone does not determine whether the recipient received the email.
Is it a cyberattack?
Microsoft says that at this stage there is no evidence of malicious activity related to the incident. The company has announced a full report after the consequences have been resolved. This is not a basis for calling the current outage a confirmed cyberattack.
It should also not be automatically linked to the separate ePUAP issue in Poland. In both cases, readers may encounter difficulties handling matters online, but these involve different systems and different statements from the institutions concerned.
Read also: Cyberattack on ePUAP. What should Poles in Norway know?
The current status of services can be checked on the official Microsoft Service Health Status page. This article expands on an earlier post in the Norway Report. Information status: 13 November 2026, Microsoft’s statement from 13:58 CET and Balsfjord municipality’s statement from that day.
It should also not be automatically linked to the separate ePUAP issue in Poland. In both cases, readers may encounter difficulties handling matters online, but these involve different systems and different statements from the institutions concerned.
Read also: Cyberattack on ePUAP. What should Poles in Norway know?
The current status of services can be checked on the official Microsoft Service Health Status page. This article expands on an earlier post in the Norway Report. Information status: 13 November 2026, Microsoft’s statement from 13:58 CET and Balsfjord municipality’s statement from that day.
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