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Fallback Plan if Microsoft Office 365 Exchange Online Cloud Services Outage

Follow below fallback plans when there’s an outage or breakdown in Microsoft Office 365 cloud services to keep on working until the problem resolved. Those fallback plans also applies to anyone with cloud based email storage, Office 365, Exchange Server, Gmail or other.

Microsoft Office 365 Outage

Microsoft Office 365 Outage

Content Summary

Fallback Plan 1: Alternative Access Method to Mailbox
Fallback Plan 2: Keep Offline Copy
Fallback Plan 3: Alternate Mailbox

Microsoft Office 365 Exchange Server hosting outages and disconnecting Outlook software from the server. The Register reports that users could continue working via web browser interface, only ActiveSync connection used by Outlook software was affected.

We’re working to address an issue preventing some UK customers from connecting to Exchange Online. In the meantime, customers may be able to access services by refreshing their connections.

Microsoft spokesperson told

This isn’t the first time Office 365 server outages. Back in mid of November, some Office 365 users reported login problem due to multi-factor authentication MFA failure.

Fallback Plan 1: Alternative Access Method to Mailbox

There are other ways to access the same Office 365 or Exchange Server mailbox such as:

  • Outlook desktop Windows or Mac via ActiveSync
  • Outlook apps on phone or tablet
  • Outlook Web App/Access (OWA)
Outlook Web App sign in page

Outlook Web App sign in page

Office365 Mail Account

Office365 Mail Account

  • IMAP
  • POP3/SMTP

Fallback Plan 2: Keep Offline Copy

Override Microsoft’s default caching in Outlook for Windows in order to keep a copy of all messages, calendar and contacts on computer.

Step 1: Go to Account Setting > mail account > Change.
Step 2: Check Use Cached Exchange Mode option.
Step 3: Move Mail to keep offline slider to right.

Check Use Cached Exchange Mode and move Mail to keep offline to right

Check Use Cached Exchange Mode and move Mail to keep offline to right

Fallback Plan 3: Alternate Mailbox

Setup second mailbox as alternative email account with different provider such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail or Outlook.com account.

Alex Lim is a certified IT Technical Support Architect with over 15 years of experience in designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex IT systems and networks. He has worked for leading IT companies, such as Microsoft, IBM, and Cisco, providing technical support and solutions to clients across various industries and sectors. Alex has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the National University of Singapore and a master’s degree in information security from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the author of several best-selling books on IT technical support, such as The IT Technical Support Handbook and Troubleshooting IT Systems and Networks. Alex lives in Bandar, Johore, Malaysia with his wife and two chilrdren. You can reach him at [email protected] or follow him on Website | Twitter | Facebook

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