What do workers do when Microsoft's outage means they can't send emails? Make memes, of course.

What do workers do when Microsoft's outage means they can't send emails? Make memes, of course. Microsoft suffered a global outage on Thursday and Friday. Hugh R Hastings/Getty Images Millions of workers have been unable to use their email and other core tools after a Microsoft outage.Microsoft first flagged the disruption midday Thursday, and problems continued into Friday. By 9 a.m., issues persisted, but the tech giant said it had "significantly reduced" the backlog of emails waiting to be delivered.It also said there was no evidence of malicious activity.Meanwhile, people around the world have been left with a relatively quiet end to the working week.How else do you cope, or celebrate, but by making memes?One X post with 300,000 views shared a clip from HBO's "Succession" in which Roman Roy, played by Kieran Culkin, receives a flurry of panicked emails — before awkwardly ignoring them.One user joked that when the outage hit, they were just about to complete a task that would've turned their life around. Honestly.i was just about to send the email that was going to change everything— richard (@richard_normal) November 12, 2026 Without email, other netizens joked about reverting to old comms methods. If something goes drastically wrong, maybe the Beacons of Gondor from "The Lord of the Rings" would be a handy backup …… Or how about a good old-fashioned handwritten letter, with ink and a quill? For most people, though, it was reason for celebration — especially on a Friday.Many felt a sense of peaceful bliss after disconnecting from Outlook.…Or undisguised joy.It wasn't good news for everyone, though. People whose offices use Google's suite of products, including Gmail and Google Meet, were instead forced to look on with jealousy.The outage also prompted some people to think of simpler days. Before AI, and before the world of work for many, Microsoft Office used the animated paperclip, Clippy, as a helpful assistant for users. It was discontinued in 2007.Sadly, with Microsoft saying that issues had declined just as the US workday began, it may soon be time to stop making memes and get to work. Read next Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know Pete Syme is an aviation reporter for Business Insider, based in London.He writes about all things related to the industry, from aviation safety and CEO interviews to route reveals and airplane tours. Pete also uses data for industry analyses and to visualize breaking news events.Before joining Business Insider in 2022, he graduated with an MA in Newspaper Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English from the University of Exeter. Microsoft memes