Microsoft · Microsoft Privacy Statement (Legacy) · View original document ↗

Personal Data Collection Categories

Medium severity High confidence Explicitdocumentlanguage Rare · 2 of 325 platforms
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Recent governance activity Microsoft recorded 3 documented changes in the last 30 days.
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Document Record

What it is

Microsoft collects personal data you provide directly, data generated by how you use its products, and data obtained from third parties. The specific data collected depends on which Microsoft products you use and your privacy settings.

This analysis describes what Microsoft's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology

ConductAtlas Analysis

Why it matters (compliance & governance perspective)

The statement describes a broad range of collected data categories including identifiers, device and configuration data, browsing and search history, location data, voice and audio recordings, and content and communications, which affects users across all Microsoft products and services.

Recent Activity

This document changed recently

Medium Apr 19, 2026

The updated policy establishes additional grounds on which Microsoft may retain personal data. While the prior version tied retention to specific user expectations and available deletion controls, th…

Medium Apr 1, 2026

The updated policy now grounds data retention in five broad business purposes: operating the business, meeting contractual and legal obligations, improving and developing products and services, prote…

Medium Mar 13, 2026

The updated Privacy Statement removes previously stated language about additional rights available to European Economic Area users, narrowing the policy's explicit protections in that region. Simulta…

Consumer impact (what this means for users)

Users of any Microsoft product may have identifiers, device information, usage data, location, and content data collected, with the specific categories varying by product and settings. The statement also discloses collection of data from third parties, which users may not directly observe.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Export Your Data
    Visit account.microsoft.com/privacy and use the Privacy Dashboard to review what data Microsoft has collected, adjust collection settings, or request a copy of your data.

How other platforms handle this

Egnyte Medium

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, contact us for support, sign up for marketing emails, or otherwise communicate with us. The types of information we may collect include your name, email address, postal address, phone number, company name, job tit...

ClickUp Medium

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, use our Services, make a purchase, or contact us for support. The types of information we may collect include your name, email address, password, phone number, credit card and other payment information, and any ot...

Ledger Medium

At Ledger, earning and maintaining our users' trust is a top priority. That's why we are deeply committed not only to protecting your privacy and securing your personal data, but also to being fully transparent about how we handle it.

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Monitoring

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▸ View Original Clause Language DOCUMENT RECORD
"
Microsoft collects data from you, through our interactions with you and through our products. You provide some of this data directly, and we get some of it by collecting data about your interactions, use, and experiences with our products. The data we collect depends on the context of your interactions with Microsoft and the choices you make, including your privacy settings and the products and features you use. We also obtain data about you from third parties.

— Excerpt from Microsoft's Microsoft Privacy Statement (Legacy)

ConductAtlas Analysis

Institutional analysis (Compliance & governance intelligence)

REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision engages GDPR transparency requirements including Articles 13 and 14 on notice at collection; CCPA disclosure obligations for categories of personal information collected; and COPPA for data collected from children under 13. Enforcement authorities include EU data protection authorities, the UK ICO, the FTC, and state attorneys general. GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The breadth of data categories described requires comprehensive data mapping by compliance teams. The inclusion of third-party sourced data adds complexity to data lineage documentation. JURISDICTION FLAGS: GDPR requires specific legal basis identification for each processing purpose; CCPA requires disclosure of categories collected and the business purpose. Illinois BIPA may be relevant where voice or biometric data collection occurs in Illinois. CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Organizations deploying Microsoft products should assess whether the data categories described in this statement are reflected in their vendor data processing agreements and internal records of processing activities. COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should maintain and update data maps reflecting the full set of categories described; assess third-party data sourcing against applicable consent and notice requirements; and review whether product-specific supplemental notices are needed.

Full compliance analysis

Regulatory citations, enforcement risk, and due diligence action items.

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Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    The FTC has authority over unfair or deceptive data collection practices affecting U.S. consumers and has jurisdiction over technology companies' privacy representations.
    File a complaint →

Applicable regulations

EU AI Act
European Union
BIPA
Illinois, USA
CCPA/CPRA
California, USA
Connecticut Data Privacy Act Amendments
US-CT
CAN-SPAM
United States Federal
DMA
European Union
ePrivacy Directive
European Union
FTC Act Section 5
United States Federal
GDPR
European Union
Indiana Consumer Data Protection Act
US-IN
Kentucky Consumer Data Protection Act
US-KY
TCPA
United States Federal
UK GDPR
United Kingdom
Universal Opt-Out Mechanism Expansion 2026
US

Provision details

Document information
Document
Microsoft Privacy Statement (Legacy)
Entity
Microsoft
Document last updated
March 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
April 28, 2026
Last verified
May 12, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-010868
Document ID
CA-D-00001
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
Content hash (SHA-256)
9e697464d17b7148c787f07099c60e30370abb2b13a7f2a910f607e31ec13158
Analysis generated
April 28, 2026 08:11 UTC
Methodology
Evidence
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Hash verified
Citation Record
Entity: Microsoft
Document: Microsoft Privacy Statement (Legacy)
Record ID: CA-P-010868
Captured: 2026-04-28 08:11:57 UTC
SHA-256: 9e697464d17b7148…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/microsoft/microsoft-privacy-statement-legacy/personal-data-collection-categories/
Accessed: May 13, 2026
Permanent archival reference. Stable identifier suitable for legal filings, compliance documentation, and research citation.
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

Other risks in this policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does Microsoft's Personal Data Collection Categories clause do?

The statement describes a broad range of collected data categories including identifiers, device and configuration data, browsing and search history, location data, voice and audio recordings, and content and communications, which affects users across all Microsoft products and services.

How does this clause affect you?

Users of any Microsoft product may have identifiers, device information, usage data, location, and content data collected, with the specific categories varying by product and settings. The statement also discloses collection of data from third parties, which users may not directly observe.

How many platforms have this type of clause?

ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 2 platforms. See the full comparison.

Is ConductAtlas affiliated with Microsoft?

No. ConductAtlas is an independent monitoring service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft.