AO3 Returns After 17-Day Outage: What's Back, What's Still Down & Password Advice
Archive of Our Own is back online after a 17-day security shutdown, with most features restored, some still disabled, and users urged to change passwords.
Image: Wikimedia Commons / BDC2003
Sunday, November 15, 2026 — Archive of Our Own is back online after 17 days offline, the Organization for Transformative Works said on Sunday, restoring one of the world's largest fanfiction archives after a security incident detected on October 29. Most features work again, but icons, external imports and non-HTML downloads stay disabled.
The return came hours after the archive marked its 17th anniversary. The Organization for Transformative Works had first estimated about two weeks, but said the work could stretch to four.
Key Takeaways
- Archive of Our Own returned on Sunday, November 15, after 17 days offline following a security incident detected on October 29.
- Most features work again; icons, external imports and non-HTML downloads stay disabled.
- No works, bookmarks or kudos were deleted; draft deletion is paused until November 29.
- The Organization for Transformative Works says it has no reason to believe the user database was compromised, but it cannot rule that out, and it urges users to change passwords.
What Is Back on AO3 and What Is Still Disabled
The archive's own status page says the site is up and most of its familiar functions are available again, though high traffic may cause delays. The return follows a week of high-profile service failures, including a global Microsoft 365 outage that left Outlook and Teams users locked out before services were fully restored.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| October 29, 2026 | Archive goes offline after operators detect a security incident, logged at 7:13 a.m. UTC. |
| Early November | OTW estimates about two weeks to restore service, warning it could stretch to four weeks. |
| November 14, 2026 | The archive marks its 17th anniversary while still offline. |
| November 15, 2026 | The site returns with most features working; icons, external imports and non-HTML downloads stay disabled. |
| November 29, 2026 | Draft deletion returns to normal; drafts 30 days old or older will be deleted. |
Is AO3 Safe to Use Now? What the Security Incident Means for Passwords
The Organization for Transformative Works says it has partnered with a security firm to review the incident and study the site to help prevent a repeat. It is sharing no specifics, because the matter is a security incident, but it says it has no reason to believe the user database was compromised, while adding that it cannot rule that possibility out.
As a precaution, the organization recommends that users change their AO3 passwords, check that the email address on their account is up to date, and change the same password on any other site where it was reused. No works, bookmarks, kudos or drafts were deleted while the site was down.
How to Avoid AO3 Copycat Sites and Scams While the Archive Recovers
The shutdown created a second problem beyond the technical failure. Reports emerged of copycat websites using scraped archive content, and of fake mirrors and suspicious donation requests trading on the outage. The Organization for Transformative Works warns users to rely on its official status updates, to treat any site claiming to offer replacement access with suspicion, and never to enter AO3 login details on an unofficial website. The return caps a busy weekend online, including FaZe Clan's 3-0 sweep of DarkZero in Osaka.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Archive of Our Own back online now?
Yes. The archive returned on Sunday, November 15, after 17 days offline. Most features work again, but icons, external imports and non-HTML downloads stay disabled.
Why was AO3 down for 17 days?
Operators detected a security incident on October 29, turning routine maintenance into a prolonged shutdown. The Organization for Transformative Works first estimated about two weeks, warned it could take four, and brought the site back before that worst case.
Did AO3 delete my stories, bookmarks or drafts?
No. The organization says no data was deleted: works, bookmarks and kudos are safe, and no drafts were deleted while the site was down. Draft deletion stays paused until November 29, when drafts 30 days old or older will be deleted.
Should I change my AO3 password after the outage?
The organization recommends it. It says it has no reason to believe the user database was compromised, but it cannot rule that out, so users should change their password, confirm their email address is current, and change the same password anywhere else it was reused.
The Organization for Transformative Works said it will provide further updates when it has them, and draft deletion returns to normal on November 29.
