Microsoft prohibits users under age 13 from creating accounts or using its services. This minimum age requirement applies across all Microsoft consumer services covered by this agreement.
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
This provision establishes Microsoft's stated compliance with COPPA's minimum age threshold by prohibiting account creation for users under 13, but the enforcement mechanism and verification process are not detailed in this provision.
Users under 13 are prohibited from creating Microsoft accounts or accessing covered services. Parents and guardians of minors should be aware that the agreement does not describe a verification mechanism to enforce this restriction.
How other platforms handle this
Our Services are not directed to children under 13. If you learn that anyone younger than 13 has unlawfully provided us with personal data, please contact us at privacy@medium.com.
The Service is intended for general audiences and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information without your cons...
To access and use the Services, you must be at least the age of majority in the state, province, or territory where you live or at least 18 years of age. If you are under the age of 13, you may not use the Services and you should not be visiting the Sites or using the Services.
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"Microsoft's Services are not for use by anyone under the age of 13. If you are under 13, you may not create a Microsoft account and should not attempt to use any of the Services.— Excerpt from Microsoft's Microsoft Services Agreement (Legacy)
1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: This provision directly engages COPPA, which prohibits collection of personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. The FTC is the primary enforcement authority for COPPA compliance. The EU's GDPR sets age of digital consent at 16 (with member states permitted to lower it to 13), creating a higher threshold for EU users in jurisdictions that have not lowered the age. The UK GDPR sets the age of consent for data processing at 13. 2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The prohibition is stated but the document does not describe an age verification mechanism, which is an area of active regulatory focus by the FTC and EU data protection authorities. Absence of described verification may create compliance exposure. 3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU member states where the GDPR age of consent has been set above 13 (such as Germany at 16, France at 15, and others) create heightened exposure for Microsoft's consumer services operating in those jurisdictions. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Rule's requirements for verifiable parental consent apply to US operations. 4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Educational institutions and organizations with minor users should assess whether consumer Microsoft accounts are appropriate for their populations and whether FERPA or COPPA obligations require separate contractual arrangements such as Microsoft's education-specific agreements. 5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams supporting services used by or near minors should evaluate whether Microsoft's consumer agreements are adequate for their use cases or whether education or family-specific Microsoft offerings with COPPA-compliant consent mechanisms are required.
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This provision establishes Microsoft's stated compliance with COPPA's minimum age threshold by prohibiting account creation for users under 13, but the enforcement mechanism and verification process are not detailed in this provision.
Users under 13 are prohibited from creating Microsoft accounts or accessing covered services. Parents and guardians of minors should be aware that the agreement does not describe a verification mechanism to enforce this restriction.
ConductAtlas has identified this type of provision across 2 platforms. See the full comparison.
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