What are Data Subject Rights (DSRs)?
Microsoft is committed to giving customers transparency and control over their data. Data Subject Rights (DSRs) are the rights that individuals (or “data subjects”) have to view, correct, export, and delete personal data that companies hold about them. We have built controls into our products and services so you can see what personal data Microsoft has collected and you can make choices about that data.
What personal data does Microsoft collect about me?
Microsoft collects data to help you do more. To do this, we use the data we collect to provide, improve, and develop our products and services, and to provide you with personalized experiences.
If you use products like Outlook.com, Skype, OneDrive, or Xbox, you likely have a personal Microsoft account. To access and delete data associated with these products, you can sign in to your account.
You can learn more about Microsoft and your privacy at privacy.microsoft.com. If you would like more detailed information about the data we collect, you can review the ‘Personal data we collect’ section of the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
How can I view and download personal data Microsoft holds about me?
At Microsoft, we believe privacy starts with putting you in control of your data. Your privacy dashboard is the place where you can view and clear data that Microsoft saves to the cloud. This data includes your browsing and Bing search history, location data, apps and services activity, and more.
If you would like to view and update profile, contact, and security info, you can sign in to your Microsoft account.
If you have personal content that you want to view or download from Microsoft products, you can find tools within those products.
- Bing search history: View and export your search history on your privacy dashboard or within your Bing settings
- OneDrive: View and download your files in OneDrive
- Outlook.com: Export your emails, calendar, and contacts in your Outlook.com Settings>General>Privacy and data. Learn more: Import and export Outlook email, contacts, and calendar
- Skype: Export your Skype chat history and files
- Xbox: Some data is available to view and edit by accessing My Xbox on the Xbox console or on the Xbox.com website
To access other data related to your Microsoft account, you can contact our privacy team. If you are having trouble signing in to your account, see Get help with your Microsoft account.
How can I delete my personal data?
We understand that you may want to delete personal data that Microsoft has collected. Your privacy dashboard is the place where you can view and clear data that Microsoft saves to the cloud. This data includes your browsing and Bing search history, location data, apps and services activity, and more.
If you would like to update and remove profile, contact, and security info, you can sign in to your Microsoft account. To close your Microsoft account and delete the data in the account, see How to close your Microsoft account.
If you have personal content that you want to delete from Microsoft products, you can find tools within those products.
- Bing search history: Delete your search history on your privacy dashboard or within your Bing settings
- Bing content or search results relating to you: Report a concern to Bing via the Bing webform
- OneDrive: Delete your files in OneDrive
- Outlook.com: Delete your emails, calendar, and contacts at Outlook.com Learn more: Delete email in Outlook.com
- Skype: Delete chats and conversations within your Skype app. Learn more: How do I remove an instant message or clear a conversation in Skype?
- Xbox: Some data is available to delete by accessing My Xbox on the Xbox console or on the Xbox.com website
To delete other data related to your Microsoft account, you can contact our privacy team. If you are having trouble signing in to your account, see Get help with your Microsoft account.
I’m a child or teenager. What choices do I have about my data?
At Microsoft, we care about protecting the privacy and safety of young people online.
Depending on your age and where you live, you may need permission from a parent or guardian to create a Microsoft account. Your parent or guardian may also be asked to create a Microsoft family group.
Once you have an account, you can make choices about the data we get and how we use it. For example,
- You can access and delete some of your data through the Microsoft privacy dashboard. Depending on your age and where you live, you may need parental permission to delete your data.
- You can choose whether to receive certain messages from Microsoft.
- Many of our products offer other privacy settings and controls that you can use.
You can find privacy and family safety information on our Privacy for young people page. Complete privacy information can be found on the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
You can contact us about more ways to access or control your personal data. The best way to contact us is by using our web form.
I don’t have a Microsoft account. Can I still find out what personal data Microsoft holds about me?
Yes. If you are looking to view or delete personal data that is not linked to an existing Microsoft account, our privacy team is happy to assist. This may be data collected outside of a logged-in Microsoft account experience, for example, an email address you provided as part of attending an event or using an app. You can submit a request for personal data linked to an email address and other identifiers by contacting our privacy team.
I use Microsoft products at work or school. How can I view and delete personal data collected through my use of Microsoft products at work or school?
In many cases, data collected in relation to your work or school account is owned and controlled by your organization. You should work with your IT administrator for questions related to this data. You can learn more in the ‘Products provided by your organization-notice to end users’ and ‘Enterprise and developer products’ sections of the Microsoft Privacy Statement.
How can I limit the personal data Microsoft collects?
Our products and services offer a number of controls and resources to enable our users to configure the level of privacy appropriate for them. You can manage many of these settings on your privacy dashboard. There you can view, download and clear the most meaningful data tied to your Microsoft account including browse, search history, precise location data, and more. You can also manage apps and services that have permission to access certain data connected to your Microsoft account, choose whether to see interest-based advertising, and update your communications preferences. For Windows users, we have also published detailed information on diagnostic data collection and how you can update your collection settings.
To learn more about how to configure your privacy settings in Microsoft products and services, see our help article: Where can I find privacy settings in Microsoft products?
How can I opt out of personalized advertising?
Some of Microsoft’s services are supported by advertising. To show ads you’re more likely to be interested in, we use data like your location, Bing searches, Microsoft or advertiser web pages you view, demographics, and things you’ve favorited. We don’t use what you say in email, chat, video calls or voice mail, or your documents, photos or other personal files to target ads to you.
You can opt out of personalized advertising on Microsoft sites and services by visiting the Ads settings page on your privacy dashboard. Please note that this option will not prevent you from seeing ads but means the ads you see will be randomized and may not be of interest to you.
How can I opt out of promotional communications from Microsoft?
You can choose whether you wish to receive promotional communications from Microsoft by email, SMS, physical mail, and telephone. If you have a personal Microsoft account, you can manage your communications preferences on your privacy dashboard. If you do not have a personal Microsoft account, you can manage your Microsoft email contact preferences by using this web form.
Who do I contact if I have more questions?
If you have a privacy concern, request, or question, please contact our privacy team. We will respond to questions or concerns as required by law and within a period no longer than 30 days.
If you live in the EU or are a EU citizen, you can also contact the Microsoft EU Data Protection Officer at: Microsoft Ireland Operations Limited, Attn: Data Protection Officer, One Microsoft Place, South County Business Park, Leopardstown, Dublin 18, Ireland. Telephone: +353 1 706 3117.
