cannot access my hotmail account on my computer - or get updated emails on my phone through outlook account

A widespread Microsoft 365 and Outlook disruption is affecting users today, so monitor Microsoft’s service-health page and wait for Outlook service to recover before changing or deleting account settings.^1^

What to do now

1. Check the official Microsoft service-health page for Outlook updates.^2^
2. If Outlook shows an incident or degraded service, wait until Microsoft reports recovery. The failure on both your computer and iPhone is consistent with the current service disruption.
3. Do not delete the account from your iPhone during the outage; doing so is unlikely to restore service and could require a complete setup afterward.
4. Once service is restored, open Outlook.com on the computer and select Sign in using the Hotmail address and Microsoft account password.^3^

If the iPhone still reports a server connection failure afterward

The exact “Cannot Get Mail — The connection to the server failed” error can require account reauthentication:

1. Open Settings on the iPhone.
2. Select Apps → Mail → Mail Accounts. On some iOS versions, the path is Settings → Mail → Accounts.
3. Select the Outlook/Hotmail account.
4. Tap Account Settings or the Password field, depending on the iOS version.
5. Enter the current Microsoft account password and tap Done.
6. Reopen Mail and confirm that new messages download.^4^

If you use the Outlook app rather than Apple Mail, go to Outlook → profile picture → Settings → Accounts → Hotmail account → Reset Account. If resetting fails after Microsoft reports normal service, remove the account from the app and add it again.^5^

If only the desktop remains affected

After service recovery:

1. Enter the Outlook.com address directly rather than using the old bookmark.
2. If the direct address works, delete the old bookmark and create a new one.
3. If it still displays a moved-page or access error, use Microsoft’s account sign-in troubleshooter. Microsoft may also request identity confirmation after unusual activity, travel, or use of a new device.^6^

References

1. Microsoft 365, Outlook down for thousands of US users, Downdetector shows
2. Microsoft service health status
3. How to sign in to Hotmail | Microsoft Support
4. iOS & iPadOS users may experience issues accessing their Outlook and Hotmail accounts from the iOS/iPadOS default Mail app | Microsoft Support
5. [iOS Mail](https://support.microsoft.com/outlook/can-t-sync-calendar-and-contacts-with-my-phone-or-tablet)
6. How to sign in to Outlook.com | Microsoft Support