Hotmail users are struggling to log in as Microsoft services are hit by glitch

Hotmail users around the world have been unable to access their email accounts after an outage struck Microsoft, the free service’s owner.

Users have taken to social media to complain of being unable to log in to their Hotmail accounts, which now form part of Microsoft’s Outlook service, and the technology giant has told customers it is working to fix the issue.

(Andrew Matthews/PA)

The cause has not been confirmed.

In a statement, a Microsoft spokeswoman said: “We are aware of reports that some users are having difficulty signing in to some services. We are investigating this issue.”

In a further response to one customer complaint posted online, the technology giant said it is “currently working on the resolution”.

(Yui Mok/PA)

According to monitoring website DownDetector, several of Microsoft’s other services have also been affected, including its online gaming platform Xbox Live and web calling service Skype.