Microsoft · Microsoft Services Agreement (Legacy)

Governing Law — Washington State

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What it is

Washington State law governs the interpretation of these Terms and applies to claims for breach of them, regardless of conflict of law principles.

Why it matters

Consumers in states with stronger consumer protection laws than Washington — such as California, New York, or Illinois — may lose access to state-law protections that would otherwise apply to their claims against Microsoft.

Consumer impact

Microsoft's Services Agreement governs all major consumer Microsoft products and contains provisions that materially limit consumer rights, including mandatory arbitration and a class action waiver for US users, a broad content license that allows Microsoft to use anything you post or store, and a unilateral right to suspend or terminate accounts with limited notice. Consumers face significant data exposure through Microsoft's broad collection and use practices across services, and limited financial recourse given liability caps set at the amount paid in the prior 12 months. You can opt out of arbitration by mailing written notice to Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 within 30 days of first accepting the agreement.

Applicable agencies

  • State AG
    State Attorneys General in consumer-protection-active states like California, New York, and Illinois may investigate whether Washington State choice-of-law provisions improperly deprive residents of mandatory local consumer protections.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Microsoft Services Agreement (Legacy)
Entity
Microsoft
Document last updated
March 5, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 5, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-002069
Document ID
CA-D-00002
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
0099b077a7c627b606b6d557b5e892880a2254bab6659c33dc99032a0dd51bdd
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Microsoft | Document: Microsoft Services Agreement (Legacy) | Record: CA-P-002069
Captured: 2026-03-05 09:35:26 UTC | SHA-256: 0099b077a7c627b6…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/microsoft/microsoft-services-agreement-legacy/governing-law-washington-state/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
Medium
Categories

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