Microsoft (UK)

Microsoft Services Agreement — User-Focused Overview

Published: 30 July 2025

Effective: 30 September 2025

Scope: Microsoft consumer services listed in the agreement, including Microsoft accounts, OneDrive, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365 consumer services, Xbox, Skype, Bing, Copilot and related apps. Separate terms may apply to particular products.

1. Data Collection and Use

The Terms refer users to Microsoft’s Privacy Statement, which governs the detail of data processing. It covers:

• Information supplied when creating or using an account, including contact, payment and profile information.
• Data from devices, software, connectivity and usage.
• Communications and files, including emails, chats, calls, photos, documents, videos, livestreams, audio and AI prompts or inputs (“Your Content”).
• Service-specific activity, such as Xbox gameplay, scores, history, friends lists and usage.
• Data exchanged with third-party apps and services that users connect to Microsoft services.

Microsoft may use data and content to provide, secure, monitor, support and improve its services. Automated systems and human reviewers may inspect content for spam, fraud, malware, illegal activity or Code of Conduct violations.

Microsoft states it does not use email, chats, video calls, voicemail, documents, photos or other personal files to target advertising. Advertising-personalisation controls are available through Microsoft’s advertising settings.

Important content licence: You retain ownership, but grant Microsoft a worldwide, royalty-free licence to copy, store, transmit, reformat, display, distribute through service features and otherwise use content as necessary to provide, protect and improve the services. Publicly posted content may also appear in demonstrations or promotional materials.

2. User Rights

Users may generally:

• Close their Microsoft account or cancel individual services.
• Access exportable data through the privacy dashboard or product interface.
• Request help if data cannot be exported.
• Use applicable statutory privacy, consumer-warranty and cancellation rights.
• In Europe and the UK, benefit from mandatory local consumer protections despite Irish governing law.

Risks and limits: Microsoft may restrict exports where security or intellectual-property concerns arise. Closing an account or service may result in deletion or disassociation of data and content, loss of stored files, purchased products, licences, balances and subscriptions. Users should maintain independent backups.

3. Sharing with Third Parties

Data or content may be shared when users direct Microsoft to connect with:

• Independent apps, websites, bots, integrations and service providers.
• Work or school account administrators, who may access and control account data, communications and files.
• Xbox developers, publishers and linked platforms, including gameplay and account information.
• Cortana-connected services, which may receive information such as postcode, queries and responses.
• Payment providers, carriers, support providers and other vendors involved in operating the services.

Third-party services have their own privacy policies and terms. Microsoft disclaims responsibility for their practices and services, so users should review those terms before linking accounts.

4. AI/ML Training

The Terms do not expressly say that Microsoft uses users’ prompts, files or outputs to train general AI models. For AI services, Microsoft says it will process and store inputs and outputs to monitor and prevent abusive or harmful use.

The agreement does expressly prohibit users from using Microsoft AI services or their outputs to create, train or improve another AI system. It also prohibits reverse engineering, scraping and various harmful or high-risk uses.

AI output is not guaranteed to be accurate, original or legally usable. Users remain responsible for checking outputs and handling copyright or other third-party claims.

5. Key User Obligations and Restrictions

Users must:

• Provide accurate account information and protect credentials.
• Keep accounts active—generally signing in at least every two years; Outlook.com and OneDrive generally require annual sign-in.
• Back up content.
• Pay subscriptions on time and cancel before renewal to avoid further charges.
• Obtain required internet access, devices and data plans at their own expense.
• Comply with laws, export controls and the Code of Conduct.

Prohibited conduct includes illegal or harmful content, child exploitation, spam, phishing, malware, fraud, harassment, hate speech, privacy violations, copyright infringement, scraping, circumvention or “jailbreaking.” Microsoft may remove content, restrict features, suspend services or immediately close accounts.

6. Liability and Disputes

Services are generally provided “as is,” “with all faults” and “as available,” without guarantees of uninterrupted, secure, accurate or error-free operation, subject to mandatory legal warranties.

Microsoft generally excludes indirect losses, including lost profits, and is not responsible for user or third-party content. These limits do not override liability that cannot legally be excluded, such as fraud, death or personal injury caused by negligence, or mandatory consumer protections.

For users in the UK, EU, EEA countries and Switzerland, Irish law generally governs, but disputes may be brought in the courts of the user’s habitual residence or, alternatively, Ireland.

7. Changes to Terms and Services

Microsoft says it will provide advance notice of Terms changes through the interface, email or another reasonable method, normally allowing cancellation at least 30 days before effectiveness. Continued use after the effective date constitutes acceptance.

Microsoft may also change, remove or discontinue features and automatically update software. It will provide advance notice where a change causes loss of access to content or materially affects paid services.