A widespread service outage struck Google on Wednesday, November 12 (US time), crippling access to core productivity tools like Google Drive, Docs, and Sheets. The disruption left users locked out of their cloud-stored files, halting school assignments, business operations, and daily workflows across the United States and beyond. Reports from Hong Kong and other Asian regions also surfaced, with intermittent connection glitches affecting services such as Google Search, Maps, and Gmail.
The incident, confirmed by Google, began around 12:25 PM Eastern Time (ET) in the US, escalating rapidly by 1:00 PM. Monitoring site Downdetector logged nearly 3,000 user complaints within the US alone, with about half citing server connection failures and roughly one-third unable to open personal files or cloud data. Major cities including New York, Boston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco bore the brunt, amplifying the chaos during peak business hours.
Google acknowledged the "service outage" impacting Drive, Docs, and Sheets via its official Workspace Status Dashboard. "Our engineering teams are working around the clock to investigate the issue, and we apologize to all affected users," the company stated. No temporary fixes or estimated time for full resolution were provided at the time, leaving frustrated users in limbo.
Social media platform X lit up with complaints as the outage unfolded. "Fix Google already! We've got homework and deadlines piling up!" vented one user, while a student lamented, "School account files won't load, but my personal one does—total meltdown." Attempts by some to troubleshoot—switching browsers, clearing caches, or checking networks—yielded little success. Error messages like "Unable to open file—check your network connection" or SSL protocol failures (ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR) persisted, pointing to server-side issues beyond user control. IT experts noted that such SSL errors stem from failed secure handshakes on Google's end, rendering self-repairs futile.
In Hong Kong, the ripple effects hit early Thursday morning local time (around 4:00 AM HKT), with users reporting delays or load failures on Search, Maps, and email services. Local IT analysts speculated the root cause could lie in anomalies at Google Cloud's server nodes, a network backbone that spans global regions and explains the trans-Pacific spread.
By approximately 2:00 PM ET (3:00 AM HKT), some users briefly regained access, only for connections to drop again shortly after. As of early Thursday in Hong Kong—following spot checks around 4:00 AM—services appeared to have stabilized, though Google has yet to disclose a definitive cause or confirm a complete fix.
The outage underscores the vulnerabilities in our cloud-dependent world. Google Drive, a cornerstone of collaborative work with features for real-time editing and seamless storage, boasts over 2 billion daily active users worldwide. For many, it's not just a tool—it's the vault for irreplaceable documents, photos, and projects. Incidents like this serve as stark reminders of the need for robust backups and diversified digital strategies.
Google has not commented further on the incident's origins, but the swift engineering response suggests a high-priority resolution. Users are advised to monitor the Workspace Status Dashboard for updates and consider offline alternatives in the interim.