Microsoft collects a significant amount of data through Windows, Cortana, Bing, Edge, and other services. You can view and delete most of it through the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard — here’s how.
Short Answer: Go to account.microsoft.com/privacy to view and delete your Microsoft data. From there you can delete browsing history, search history, location history, Cortana’s notebook, voice activity, health data, and app activity. You can also turn off the data collection at the source.
Access the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard
- Go to account.microsoft.com/privacy
- Sign in with your Microsoft account
- You’ll see a dashboard with different categories of data Microsoft has collected
📸 SCREENSHOT NEEDED: Microsoft Privacy Dashboard at account.microsoft.com/privacy showing data categories: Browsing, Search, Location, Voice
What Data You Can Delete
Browsing History (Microsoft Edge)
If you use Edge with a Microsoft account signed in, your browsing history syncs to Microsoft’s servers. To delete it:
- In the Privacy Dashboard → click Browse
- Select the date range → click Clear activity
To stop Edge from syncing browsing history: Edge → Settings → Privacy, search, and services → turn off Browsing history sync.
Search History (Bing)
All searches made via Bing (including from Windows Search bar in some configurations):
- Privacy Dashboard → click Search
- Click Clear all search history
Location History
If location services were enabled on Windows or Windows mobile devices:
- Privacy Dashboard → click Location
- Click Clear all location activity
Voice Activity (Cortana)
Voice searches and Cortana interactions:
- Privacy Dashboard → click Voice
- Click Clear all voice activity
App and Service Activity
Activity from Microsoft apps like Office, Xbox, and Teams:
- Privacy Dashboard → click Apps and services
- Select specific apps and delete activity, or clear all
Priority data to delete:
Search history → Location history → Voice activity → Browsing history → App activity
Turn Off Data Collection at the Source (Windows)
Deleting existing data is only half the job — you should also reduce future collection:
Diagnostic Data
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Diagnostics & feedback
- Set Diagnostic data to Required only (sends less data to Microsoft)
- Click Delete diagnostic data to remove what’s already been sent
Targeted Advertising ID
- Settings → Privacy & Security → General
- Turn off Let apps use advertising ID to show personalized ads
Location Services
- Settings → Privacy & Security → Location
- Turn off Location services or restrict to specific apps only
Delete Your Microsoft Account Entirely
If you want to delete everything and close your Microsoft account:
- Go to account.microsoft.com/account/close
- Review what services you’ll lose access to
- Complete the account closure process
Warning: Closing your Microsoft account will also remove access to Office 365, Xbox, Skype, and any Windows licenses tied to the account. Only close the account if you’re sure you don’t need any of these services.
FAQ
Does deleting data from the Privacy Dashboard remove it permanently?
Yes, it removes it from Microsoft’s servers. Note that some data may remain in backups for up to 30 days before complete deletion, in accordance with Microsoft’s data retention policy.
Can I download my Microsoft data before deleting it?
Yes. In the Privacy Dashboard, click Download your data to export all your Microsoft data as a ZIP file before deleting anything.
Does this delete data from all Microsoft services?
The dashboard covers most services. Xbox activity is managed separately at privacy.microsoft.com. Teams and OneDrive data has separate deletion options within those services.
Quick checklist:
- ✅ Go to account.microsoft.com/privacy to view all collected data
- ✅ Delete search, location, and voice history from the dashboard
- ✅ Turn off diagnostic data in Windows Settings → Privacy & Security
- ✅ Disable advertising ID in Settings → Privacy → General
- ✅ Download your data before deleting if you want a copy
Open Microsoft Privacy Dashboard ↗ ↗More Windows Privacy Tips
Conclusion
Microsoft’s Privacy Dashboard gives you genuine control over most of the data the company holds. Clearing search and location history takes just a few clicks, and turning off data collection at the source ensures less is collected going forward. See our guide on Windows tips and privacy settings for more ways to reduce data sharing on Windows.