Our Commitment to Your Privacy
At Microsoft, we are committed to protecting your privacy and providing you with choices about how your information is used. This Privacy Statement explains how Microsoft collects, processes, and shares your personal data when you use our products and services, including those accessible through MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network).
We understand that privacy is important. This document details our practices concerning the personal data we gather and the controls you have over that data. We strive to be transparent about our data practices.
What This Statement Covers
This statement applies to Microsoft websites, services, and products that display or link to this statement. It does not apply to third-party websites, services, or products that may be linked from Microsoft services, or that may be accessible via our developer resources.
Information We Collect
Microsoft collects information to operate effectively and provide you with the best experiences with our services. You provide some of this data directly, such as when you create a Microsoft account, submit a query, or contact support. We also get some of it by collecting data about how you interact with our services, for example, by using error reports or usage data collected from the software on your device.
- Information you provide: This includes your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, passwords, and payment information. It also includes feedback and information you provide to customer support, and data you provide to participate in surveys or promotional activities.
- Information we collect automatically: When you use our services, we automatically collect information about your device and your use of the services. This may include IP addresses, device identifiers, browser types, operating system information, referring URLs, language preferences, and information about the apps, browsers, and websites you use and how you interact with them.
- Information from third-party sources: We may receive information from third parties, including publicly available sources and trusted partners.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- To provide and improve our services.
- To personalize our services and make recommendations.
- To provide customer support.
- To communicate with you about our services, including promotions and updates.
- To protect our services and our users.
- To comply with legal obligations.
Sharing Your Information
Microsoft does not sell your personal data to third parties. We share your information only as described in this statement or when we have your consent.
- With your consent: We will share personal information outside of Microsoft when we have your consent.
- For legal reasons: We may access, transfer, disclose, and preserve personal information if we believe it is necessary to comply with legal obligations or respond to lawful requests from government authorities.
- With service providers: We may share information with third-party vendors or service providers who perform services on our behalf. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.
Your Choices and Controls
You have choices about the data we collect and how we use it. You can review and update your privacy settings through your Microsoft account dashboard.
- Accessing and controlling your data: You can access and update your personal information through your Microsoft account.
- Communication preferences: You can manage your email subscriptions and communication preferences.
- Cookies and tracking technologies: You can manage your preferences for cookies and other tracking technologies through your browser settings.
Security of Your Information
We are committed to protecting your personal data. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal data from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.
Changes to This Statement
We will update this privacy statement when necessary to reflect changes in our services or how we process data. If there are material changes to this statement, we will notify you either by prominently posting a notice of such changes or by sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review this statement to learn how Microsoft is protecting your information.
For more detailed information, please visit the full Microsoft Privacy Statement.