Data portability through Microsoft privacy dashboard
Microsoft provides mechanisms via the privacy dashboard or product UI for users to export their data for migration to third-party services.
Supporting quotations
Microsoft provides you with the ability to access your exportable data through the [Microsoft privacy dashboard](https://account.microsoft.com/privacy) (https://account.microsoft.com/privacy) or the product user interface, when authenticated with your Microsoft account. This exportable data can be used to switch to third-party provider services.
Qualifications & exceptions
Subject to security and intellectual property protection restrictions
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
User accountability for conduct and content
Users are accountable for their conduct and content when using the services, including services that create or act with AI.
Supporting quotations
Code of Conduct. You are accountable for your conduct and content when using the Services.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Microsoft account requirement for service access
A Microsoft account is required to access many services and provides unified authentication across Microsoft and partner platforms.
Supporting quotations
You’ll need a Microsoft account to access many of the Services. Your Microsoft account lets you sign in to products, websites and services provided by Microsoft and some Microsoft partners.
Qualifications & exceptions
Required for many services
data: credentials · purpose: authentication
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Account credentials must remain confidential and cannot be transferred
You must keep Microsoft account credentials confidential, cannot transfer those credentials to another user or entity, and are responsible for activity under your account.
Supporting quotations
You cannot transfer your Microsoft account credentials to another user or entity. To protect your account, keep your account details and password confidential. You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your Microsoft account.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Two-year account inactivity threshold and Outlook/OneDrive rules
Microsoft generally requires account sign-in at least every two years, unless the account activity policy or a paid-service offer provides longer. Outlook.com and OneDrive separately require sign-in at least annually to remain active.
Supporting quotations
This means you must sign in at least once in a two-year period to keep your Microsoft account, and associated Services (unless specified otherwise), active, unless a longer period is provided in the Microsoft account activity policy at [https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=2086738](https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=2086738) or in an offer for a paid portion of the Services. If you don’t sign in during this time, we will assume your Microsoft account is inactive and will close it for you. Please see section 4.a.iv.2 for the consequences of a closed Microsoft account. You must sign into your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive (separately) at least once in a one-year period, otherwise we will close your Outlook.com inbox and your OneDrive for you.
Qualifications & exceptions
Longer periods may apply under the account activity policy or a paid-service offer.
Outlook.com and OneDrive have separate annual activity requirements.
Account & Service Control · Procedure
Account closure procedure and 30-to-60-day reactivation grace period
When closing an account, users may choose a 30-day or 60-day suspended period; logging in during this grace window reactivates the account.
Supporting quotations
When you ask us to close your Microsoft account, you can choose to put it in a suspended state for either 30 or 60 days just in case you change your mind. After that 30- or 60-day period, your Microsoft account will be closed. Please see section 4.a.iv.2 below for an explanation as to what happens when your Microsoft account is closed. Logging back in during the suspension period will reactivate your Microsoft account.
Qualifications & exceptions
30-day or 60-day suspended cooling-off window
data: account_data · purpose: account_management
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Enforcement sanctions and forfeiture of content and balances
Violations of policies may result in feature restriction, communication blocking, immediate account termination, and forfeiture of associated content licenses and balances.
Supporting quotations
If you violate these terms or [Policies](https://aka.ms/trustandsafety) (https://aka.ms/trustandsafety), we may take action against your account. This could include limiting access to certain features or Services, stopping providing Services, closing your Microsoft account immediately or blocking delivery of a communication (like email, file sharing or instant message) to or from the Services. Closure of your access to a Service or your account may result in forfeiture of content licenses, associated content, memberships, and Microsoft account balances associated with the account.
Qualifications & exceptions
Sanctions include forfeiture of licenses and balances
data: account_data · purpose: enforcement
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Account closure requirement upon rejecting updated terms
If you reject the new terms, you must stop using the services and close your Microsoft account; parents and guardians must help their minor children close theirs.
Supporting quotations
If you don’t agree to the new terms, you must stop using the Services, close your Microsoft account and, if you are a parent or guardian, help your minor child close his or her Microsoft account.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Xbox services are for personal, noncommercial use
Xbox services, including games, applications, subscriptions and cloud gaming, are limited to personal and noncommercial use.
Supporting quotations
are only for your personal and noncommercial use.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Parents may control minors' Xbox accounts and receive usage reports
For minors using Xbox, parents or guardians may control many account features and receive usage reports. Xbox family controls may not carry over to games or services played on other platforms, so those platforms' settings need separate attention.
Supporting quotations
your parent or guardian may have control over many aspects of your account and may receive reports about your use of the XBOX Services.
please check the parental settings on these devices and platforms.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Store apps update automatically, with settings and online-app exceptions
Microsoft checks for and downloads Store app updates even while the user is signed out. Store or system settings can pause automatic updates, but some online Office Store apps may update without permission, and refusing an update may remove access, support or functionality.
Supporting quotations
Microsoft will automatically check for and download updates to your applications, even if you’re not signed into the relevant Store.
You can change your Store or system settings if you prefer to pause automatic updates to Store applications.
may be updated at any time by the application developer and may not require your permission to update.
your applications may no longer be available, supported, or have previous functionality.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Microsoft family features must not be used to obtain unauthorized information
Creating or joining a Microsoft family commits the participant to using its features for their intended purpose, without unlawfully accessing someone else's information. Family features are limited to Microsoft services and may not operate on other gaming devices or platforms.
Supporting quotations
By creating or joining a family, you agree to use the family in accordance with its purpose and won’t use it in an unauthorized way to unlawfully gain access to another person’s information.
Microsoft Family Features are exclusive to Microsoft Services and are not transferable to other platforms.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Skype, Teams and GroupMe have limited emergency-calling capabilities
Microsoft has limited obligations to provide emergency-service access through these services. Only certain Skype-to-Phone versions in a small set of countries and platforms may support emergency calls; a connected caller must provide their physical location.
Supporting quotations
Microsoft has limited obligations under applicable local or national rules, regulations or law to offer access to emergency services
Only limited software versions of the Skype to Phone feature of Skype may support calls to Emergency Services in a very limited number of countries
you will need to provide the details of your physical location
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Skype permits personal workplace communications but grants no permanent number ownership
Skype is for personal and noncommercial use, with an express allowance for the user’s own business communications at work. A supplied Skype or Skype-to-Go number is not owned by the user and need not be retained forever.
Supporting quotations
The use of Skype is for your personal and noncommercial use. You are permitted to use Skype at work for your own business communications.
you do not own the number or have a right to retain that number forever.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Unlinking a Skype Manager account can forfeit allocations and administrator access
Skype Manager administrators must comply with linked users’ location requirements and applicable data-protection laws. Unlinking an account makes allocated subscriptions, credit and numbers unretrievable and ends the administrator’s access to associated content. Group misconduct may result in suspension.
Supporting quotations
any allocated subscriptions, Skype Credit or Skype Numbers will not be retrievable and Your Content or material associated with the unlinked account will no longer be accessible by you.
You agree to process any personal information of your Linked Account users in accordance with all applicable data protection laws.
Your Skype Manager may be suspended if group members fail to adhere to the Code of Conduct
you are responsible for compliance with any requirements related to the residency or location of your Linked Account users.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
The agreement states that Cortana is no longer supported
Cortana’s stated use is personal and noncommercial. This agreement says Microsoft ceased supporting Cortana services as of 2024.
Supporting quotations
are only for your personal and noncommercial use. As of 2024, Microsoft no longer supports Cortana Services.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Eligible Microsoft accounts are automatically enrolled in Rewards
Microsoft account holders located in participating regions are automatically enrolled in the free Rewards program. Redeeming points requires activating the Rewards account. Only one account per person and six per household are allowed, for personal noncommercial use; location-masking technology may cause cancellation and lost points.
Supporting quotations
If you have a Microsoft account and are located in a participating Region (defined below), you have been automatically enrolled in the Rewards Program
you must first activate your Rewards Program account
You may open and use only one Rewards Account, even if you have multiple email addresses. Each household is limited to six Rewards Accounts.
Use of a virtual private network (VPN) or other technology or service that can be used to mask or obfuscate your geographic location may result in cancellation of your Rewards Account and forfeiture of your accrued Points.
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Canceling Rewards forfeits points, and account inactivity can do the same
Users may cancel Rewards through the opt-out page. Cancellation immediately forfeits earned points; reopening does not restore them. Microsoft may also cancel the Rewards account and forfeit points after 12 consecutive months without signing into the Microsoft account.
Supporting quotations
If you cancel your Rewards Account, you will immediately forfeit all of your earned Points
Microsoft will not reinstate any previously forfeited Points
Your Rewards Account may be cancelled (and your Points forfeited) if you do not log in to your Microsoft account for 12 consecutive months.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Rewards can change or end, with a qualified redemption window on termination
Microsoft may change or cancel Rewards at its discretion without prior notice. If the program ends, it promises reasonable efforts to notify users and provide at least 90 days to redeem points, unless legal or security reasons require immediate cancellation.
Supporting quotations
Microsoft reserves the right to change, modify, discontinue, or cancel the Rewards Program or any part thereof at any time, in its sole discretion, and without prior notice.
we will make reasonable efforts to notify you by email and on the Rewards Dashboard and to provide you with at least 90 days to redeem your accrued Points, unless we determine that such cancellation must take effect immediately for legal or security reasons.
Account & Service Control · Context
App support is the publisher’s responsibility, and documentation may be copied for reference
The standard app license directs users to the publisher to determine whether support is offered. Microsoft, hardware makers and carriers are not responsible unless they are the publisher. Supplied documentation may be copied and used for personal reference.
Supporting quotations
Microsoft, your hardware manufacturer and your wireless carrier (unless one of them is the application publisher) aren’t responsible for providing support services for the application.
you may copy and use the documentation for personal reference purposes.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Conduct rules prohibit exploitation, deception and harm
The rules prohibit harming or threatening children, spam, phishing, malware, inappropriate content, fraudulent or misleading activity, harassment, privacy violations and helping others break the rules. Restrictions also cover AI services operating with varying human involvement.
Supporting quotations
Don’t engage in any activity that exploits, harms, or threatens to harm children.
Don’t send spam or engage in phishing
Don’t engage in activity that is fraudulent, false or misleading
Don’t help others break these rules.
Account & Service Control · Permission or license
Account setup must be truthful and authorized
Account setup cannot use false, inaccurate or misleading information. A third party that created your account may have additional rights over it, including access or deletion; a person creating an account for an entity warrants authority to bind it.
Supporting quotations
You agree not to use any false, inaccurate or misleading information
may have additional rights over your account
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Minors need parental agreement and parents take responsibility
Users must meet the applicable age of majority or have a parent or guardian agree. The agreeing adult is bound and responsible for the minor’s use and purchases, including future minor accounts covered by that consent.
Supporting quotations
parent or legal guardian
Account & Service Control · Restriction or exception
Service notices can use email, text and product messages
Microsoft may send service and verification notifications by email, SMS or other methods such as in-product messages. SMS data or messaging charges may apply.
Supporting quotations
Data or messaging rates may apply when receiving notifications via SMS.
Account & Service Control · Company practice
Support eligibility depends on license and product lifecycle
Support may be unavailable for previews or beta services and varies by lifecycle stage. It requires an eligible, validly licensed service meeting the applicable support requirements; additional support terms may apply.
Supporting quotations
Support may not be available for preview or beta versions of features or Services.
you must have an eligible and validly licensed Service(s)