Microsoft Privacy Statement
Last updated: October 26, 2023
This Privacy Statement explains how Microsoft and its affiliates (collectively, "Microsoft") collect, use and share your personal information when you use Microsoft services.
Microsoft is committed to protecting your privacy. We understand that you entrust us with your personal information, and we want you to know how we handle it.
1. Personal Information We Collect
We collect information to operate effectively and provide you with the best experiences with our services. You provide some of this information directly, such as when you create a Microsoft account, submit a search query to a Microsoft search engine, or contact us for support.
- Information you provide: This includes information you provide when you create an account, purchase services, fill out forms, or provide feedback. This may include name, email address, phone number, postal address, and payment information.
- Information we collect automatically: We automatically collect information about your use of our services, such as device type, operating system, IP address, browser type, pages visited, and interactions with our services. We use cookies and similar technologies to gather this information.
- Information from third-party sources: We may receive information about you from other sources, such as public databases, social media platforms, and our partners.
2. How We Use Your Personal Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide and improve our services: To deliver the services you have requested, personalize your experience, and develop new services.
- Communicate with you: To send you updates about our services, respond to your inquiries, and provide customer support.
- Personalize advertising: To show you ads that are more relevant to your interests.
- Ensure security and safety: To protect our services, our customers, and the public from fraud, abuse, and security risks.
- Comply with legal obligations: To meet our legal and regulatory obligations.
3. Sharing of Your Personal Information
We do not share your personal information with unaffiliated third parties for their own marketing purposes unless you consent to such sharing.
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
- With your consent: We will share your personal information with companies, organizations, or individuals outside of Microsoft when we have your consent to do so.
- For external processing: We may share information with trusted businesses or persons to process it for us, based on our instructions and in compliance with our Privacy Statement and any other appropriate confidentiality and security measures.
- For legal reasons: We will share personal information if we have a good faith belief that access, use, preservation, or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or enforceable governmental request; to detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security, or technical issues; or to protect against harm to the rights, property, or safety of Microsoft, our users, or the public as required or permitted by law.
4. Your Choices and Control
You have choices regarding the personal information we collect and how we use it. You can manage your privacy settings through your Microsoft account dashboard.
- Accessing and updating your information: You can access and update your personal information by signing in to your Microsoft account.
- Opting out of communications: You can choose to stop receiving marketing communications from Microsoft.
- Cookie controls: You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
5. Security of Your Personal Information
Microsoft uses a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
6. Changes to This Privacy Statement
We will update this Privacy Statement from time to time. We will post any privacy policy changes on this page and, if the changes are significant, we will provide a more prominent notice.
7. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Statement or Microsoft's privacy practices, please contact us:
privacy@microsoft.com