Version history

Microsoft updated its privacy statement in an update detected on September 10, 2026, restructuring how it describes Copilot data usage and user controls. The revised language expands device data collection to explicitly include 'interactions with our websites and apps', removes references to Microsoft 365 Copilot as a distinct consumer product, and replaces specific opt-out language with a broader personalization control framework. Users signed into Microsoft Copilot can now manage memories and personalization settings, but the updated terms also introduce the ability for Microsoft to personalize the service using data from other Microsoft products like Bing and Edge without explicitly stating this requires prior opt-in.

Microsoft updated its Privacy Statement in an update detected on August 1, 2026, making changes primarily to document structure, formatting, and specific product disclosures. The document now includes a table of contents and updated navigation structure. The substantive change adds explicit language stating that Microsoft may share age group information with Microsoft apps, services, and third-party apps to apply safeguards and tailor experiences. Additionally, new language describes the Screenshot feature in Sticky Notes, clarifying that users can capture, view, edit, and annotate content from other apps within the note application.

Microsoft's privacy policy table of contents was updated on June 30, 2026, with a single sentence modification. The specific textual change involved updating a reference in the document navigation, replacing 'Window' with 'MSN Windows Mixed Real' in the product-specific details section. This appears to be a minor organizational or product categorization update with no material change to privacy rights, data practices, or user obligations.

Microsoft's Privacy Statement table of contents was reorganized on June 28, 2026. Several product and feature references were relocated or renamed within the document structure: 'Microsoft Family' became 'Microsoft Family Safety', 'Phone Link - Link to Windows' became 'Linked Mobile Experiences on Windows', and several other entries were repositioned. The substantive privacy disclosures and policies themselves remain unchanged; this appears to be a reorganization of how products and features are presented in the navigation structure.

Microsoft substantially reorganized and rewrote its privacy statement on June 26, 2026. The company removed detailed explanations of specific third-party data sources it previously disclosed (data brokers, public social media posts, location services, co-branded partners, and developers), replaced them with more general language about data collection, and restructured the document's table of contents and navigational framework. The privacy statement now discloses less specific information about how Microsoft obtains data from third parties, though the company states it has 'refreshed' the document to make it 'easier to read, navigate, and understand.'

Microsoft modified its data retention policy language on April 19, 2026. Previously, the policy described specific retention criteria including whether customers expected data to be retained until they removed it, and whether automated deletion controls existed. The updated language simplifies retention guidance by stating that Microsoft retains personal data to provide services, fulfill transactions, and for legitimate purposes including legal obligations, business operations, and dispute resolution. The revised policy removes granular examples (like email deletion procedures) and instead directs users to product documentation, while adding new retention justifications around improving products, protecting systems, and customer safety.

Microsoft's Privacy Statement was updated on April 8, 2026, with 2 sentences added, 11 sentences removed, and 10 sentences modified. The document previously contained specific language across these sections that has now been condensed or reworded. Without access to the specific sentence-level diffs, the precise operational changes cannot be determined from this summary alone, though the net reduction in removal count suggests consolidation or simplification of certain privacy disclosures.

Microsoft revised its data retention policy language on April 1, 2026. Previously, the policy outlined specific retention criteria including whether customers expected data retention until deletion, whether automated deletion controls existed, and whether data was sensitive in type. The updated terms consolidate retention rationale into a broader set of purposes: operating the business, meeting contractual and legal obligations, improving products and services, protecting system and customer safety, and resolving disputes. The policy now directs users to product documentation for specific retention periods rather than describing retention criteria in the main policy.

Microsoft updated its Privacy Statement in March 2026 with two substantive changes: removal of language describing additional rights for European Economic Area users, and addition of language authorizing contact via auto-dialer and prerecorded voice for marketing purposes if users consent to phone communication. The removal of EEA-specific rights language represents a narrowing of stated protections in that region, while the marketing contact provision establishes explicit permission to use automated calling technology.