Microsoft throttles parts of Office 365 to meet demands during coronavirus pandemic
Microsoft has to make some “temporary changes” to meet the current demand for Office 365.
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What you need to know
Microsoft announced today that Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial services will experience “temporary changes” due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. OneNote, SharePoint, and Stream will be affected by the changes, which include reducing video resolution in SharePoint and changing the size and sync frequency of file attachments within OneNote.ZDNet points out the changesout outlines all the ways that services will be affected.
Here’s the list of changes that people can expect, as reported by ZDNet:
OneNote:
SharePoint:
Stream:
Microsoft posted warnings about “temporary feature adjustments” on March 16. That warning told customers that Microsoft was “making temporary adjustments to select non-essential capabilities,” as reported by ZDNet.
The changes don’t seem like they’ll create a large difference in the overall experience of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial services. Microsoft has seen an unprecedented rise in service using during the coronavirus outbreak. Last weekMicrosoft Teams reached 44 million daily users. That number could easily be higher as travel restrictions increase, and more people begin to work and study from home. Other Microsoft services have potentially seen increases in use as well, requiring Microsoft to make these changes.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
