← Back to Browse

Microsoft

Technology

Source-backed from Microsoft Privacy Policy

364
reviewed findings
15
key findings
3
free to read here
8
verified controls

Privacy Snapshot

What the published policy covers, and how much we found under each. Tap one to read it.

  • Location 26 findings
  • Camera & Photos 8 findings
  • Microphone & Audio 15 findings
  • Contacts 3 findings
  • Messages 9 findings
  • Biometrics 6 findings
  • Sensitive Data 13 findings
  • Tracking 19 findings
  • Advertising & Profiling 46 findings
  • Sharing 55 findings
  • Controls & Permissions 108 findings
  • Other 56 findings

3 findings, in full

The first 3 of this report’s 15 key findings, complete — claim, reasoning, and the policy’s own wording.

Controls & Permissions Privacy control available Windows Settings lets you choose which apps can reach the camera, microphone and more

What this means

The capabilities named are camera, microphone, location, calendar, contacts, call history and messages. Each has its own privacy settings page in Windows Settings.

Windows Settings allows you to manage which apps can access device capabilities such as camera, microphone, location, calendar, contacts, call history, and messages.

Why this matters

App permissions are granted one capability at a time, so a single app can hold some and not others.

What the policy says

Windows Settings also allows you to manage which apps can access various device capabilities such as the device’s camera, microphone, location, calendar, contacts, call history, messages and more, while controlling access to your personal data. Each capability has its own privacy settings page in Windows Settings, so you can control which apps can use each capability.

From Microsoft Privacy Policy

Source captured on

What you can do

A verified privacy control can reduce this.

Plainlyst Premium shows where to find it, what it changes, what it doesn’t change, and what may stop working.

View in Privacy Tune-Up
Advertising & Profiling Sharing optional diagnostic data may let Microsoft use app and device data for offers

What this means

That data may include how you use apps and features, plus information about the health of your device. Offers may also be personalized locally, without the data leaving the device.

If you share optional diagnostic data, Microsoft may also use information about how you use apps and features, plus additional information about the health of your device, to personalize offers.

Why this matters

An optional setting can change what a company may draw on, rather than only what it stores.

What the policy says

If you have decided to share optional diagnostic data, the data used to personalize offers may also include information about how you use apps and features, plus additional information about the health of your device. We may also use information about your device and your activity to personalize offers locally on your device, even when the data does not leave your device.

From Microsoft Privacy Policy

Source captured on

What you can do

A privacy control may reduce part of this practice.

Plainlyst Premium shows where to find it, what it changes, what it doesn’t change, and what may stop working.

View in Privacy Tune-Up
Sensitive Data Microsoft tries to remove some sensitive data from Bing searches before sharing

What this means

Social security numbers and credit card numbers typed into search terms are the examples. It requires those third parties to keep the data secure and use it only for the purpose provided.

Before sharing de-identified data from Bing and Bing-powered experiences with third parties, Microsoft attempts to remove certain sensitive data users may have included in search terms, such as social security numbers or credit card numbers.

Why this matters

A search box can receive anything, including details it was never meant to hold.

What the policy says

Before we do so, we run the data through a process designed to remove certain sensitive data that users may have included in the search terms themselves (such as social security numbers or credit card numbers). We require these third parties to keep the data secure and to not use the data for purposes other than for which it is provided.

From Microsoft Privacy Policy

Source captured on

12 more key findings a free account opens, by topic

  • Advertising & Profiling 2
  • Camera & Photos 2
  • Biometrics 1
  • Contacts 1
  • Controls & Permissions 1
  • Location 1
  • Messages 1
  • Microphone & Audio 1
  • Sharing 1
  • Tracking 1

Create a free account to read all 15

And every key finding for every company you use, with your companies saved and a dashboard of what is worth seeing across them, plus your Privacy Tune-Up. An email and a password — no card.

Create a free account I already have one

Unlock the complete Microsoft report

A free account opens all 15 key findings. 349 additional reviewed findings are available in the complete report.

  • Location 25 more
  • Camera & Photos 6 more
  • Microphone & Audio 14 more
  • Contacts 2 more
  • Messages 8 more
  • Biometrics 5 more
  • Sensitive Data 12 more
  • Tracking 18 more
  • Advertising & Profiling 43 more
  • Sharing 54 more
  • Controls & Permissions 106 more
  • Other 56 more

  • Complete report

    349 additional reviewed findings, each shown with the policy wording behind it, like the 15 above.

  • Privacy Tune-Up

    8 verified privacy controls, 4 of them high-impact — where each one is, what it changes, and what may stop working.

  • Stay protectedPlanned

    Told when the policy changes.

View Premium plans Annual $19.99 · 44% off monthlyFounding lifetime $39.99

Nothing is charged from this page — the button opens the plans, where Premium is bought.

Plainlyst simplifies selected disclosures from privacy policies. It does not claim to capture every statement or practice in a policy, and it is not legal advice.

Plainlyst

Operated by JC RESERVE LLC

james@plainlysthq.com

Official sources only. Every finding quotes the company’s own policy, and every record names the document behind it. We do not grade anybody.