The statement establishes two tiers of diagnostic data collection: required diagnostic data (collected always, covering device information, software, settings, and performance) and optional diagnostic data (user-controlled, covering browsing history in Microsoft Edge, app activity, and enhanced error reporting including memory state at the time of crashes which may contain user content).
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The statement discloses that optional diagnostic data collected through Windows may include enhanced error reports containing memory state at the time of crashes, which may unintentionally contain user content such as parts of files being used when the problem occurred. This creates a potential for incidental collection of personal data through crash reports even when users have not intentionally submitted that content.
Microsoft now discloses that it may contact you by phone for marketing using automated dialers and AI-generated voices if you have consented to marketing communications, which represents a new disclosure of contact method and technology type. The company has also reorganized its data retention policy to state it retains data for broader business purposes including improving products and protecting systems, while removing previous specific examples and retention criteria, making it less clear exactly how long specific types of your data will be kept. You should review your consent settings for marketing communications and verify what contact methods you have authorized, particularly if you have concerns about automated or AI-generated calls.
View change record →Microsoft's privacy policy now provides a less detailed explanation of how long your data is retained. Previously, the policy included specific examples, such as how long deleted emails remain in your system before final deletion, and listed criteria for deciding retention periods. Now those details are consolidated into a more general statement pointing readers to separate product documentation. This means you'll need to consult multiple documents to understand retention timelines for specific services, which reduces transparency at the point of reading the main privacy policy.
View change record →Microsoft's updated retention policy provides greater specificity about how long your data persists and under what conditions it is deleted. The policy now explicitly states that deleted items from OneDrive and Outlook.com may remain in Microsoft's systems for up to 30 days before permanent removal, even after you empty the Deleted Items folder. Additionally, the updated terms clarify that retention periods depend on whether you have an expectation that Microsoft will keep the data until you actively remove it, and whether automated controls exist to let you access and delete data yourself. You can review Microsoft's privacy dashboard to exercise available deletion controls and understand which services retain your data under these criteria.
View change record →⚠ Required diagnostic data will be collected from Windows and other Microsoft products regardless of user preference as described in the terms.
⚠ If optional diagnostic data is enabled, Microsoft may collect browsing history in Edge and crash reports that may include fragments of files in use at the time of a crash.
Cross-platform context
See how other platforms handle Diagnostic Data Collection (Required and Optional) and similar clauses.
Compare across platforms →"Required diagnostic data. The minimum data necessary to help keep our products, apps and services secure, up to date, and performing as expected. This includes information about your device, the Microsoft software you are using, settings, capabilities, and performance. Optional diagnostic data. Additional diagnostic data about your use of a device, application, accessories, or other products and services, which helps us improve our products and detect and fix issues. This may also include data about the websites you browse, device activity (also sometimes referred to as usage), and enhanced error reporting.Excerpt from Microsoft Azure's Microsoft Privacy
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The statement discloses that optional diagnostic data collected through Windows may include enhanced error reports containing memory state at the time of crashes, which may unintentionally contain user content such as parts of files being used when the problem occurred. This creates a potential for incidental collection of personal data through crash reports even when users have not intentionally submitted …
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