Privacy Statements for Windows Technical Preview

Last update: August 2014

Thank you for choosing to participate in the pre-release program for our next version of Windows! The purpose of the program is to enable you to provide usage data and feedback to Microsoft while trying out Microsoft’s pre-release software and services. Your participation is important and will provide us with data that we can use to improve our products and services. This privacy statement applies to the pre-release Microsoft Windows software and related experiences, such as program websites and enhanced software updates that display or link to this notice (the “Program”).

The Program enables you or, if you are an organisation, your end users to purchase, subscribe to or use other products and services from Microsoft or third parties with different privacy practices. Your use of other products and services is governed by their privacy statements and policies.

Data We Collect

Microsoft collects many kinds of information in a variety of ways in order to operate effectively and provide you with the best products, services and experiences we can. We may combine this data with information that is linked to your user ID, such as information contained in your Microsoft account.

When you acquire, install and use the Program, Microsoft collects information about you, your devices, applications and networks, and your use of those devices, applications and networks. Examples of data we collect include your name, email address, preferences and interests; browsing, search and file history; phone call and SMS data; device configuration and sensor data; and application usage. For example, when you:

  • install the Program, we may collect information about your device and applications and use it for purposes such as determining or improving compatibility;

  • use voice input features, such as speech-to-text, we may collect voice information and use it for purposes such as improving speech processing;

  • open a file, we may collect information about the file, the application used to open the file and how long it takes and use it for purposes such as improving performance; or

  • enter text, we may collect typed characters and use them for purposes such as improving auto-complete and spell check features.

The Program contains Internet-enabled features and social functionality. When these features are used, they transmit certain standard computer information ("Standard Computer Data") to Microsoft. Standard Computer Data may include information about the Program computing environment such as IP address, network status, operating conditions and information about devices and software used with the Program.

The Program contains Internet-enabled features that transmit performance or usage information to Microsoft (“Experience Data”). Experience Data may include information about the Program’s performance and reliability, such as how quickly the Program responds when you click a button or how many problems you experience with the Program. Experience Data may also include information about your use of the Program, such as the features used most often or how frequently you launch programs. Experience Data may be collected through the use of cookies or similar technologies. Learn more below.

How We Collect Data

You may provide information, such as your name and email address, to Microsoft for a specific purpose, such as a request for support. We also use a number of methods and technologies to gather data, such as:

  • Web-enabled features in the Program that transmit information to Microsoft; and

  • Technologies like cookies and web beacons. Microsoft may use cookies (small text files placed on a device’s hard disk by a web service) or similar technologies to provide the Program. For example, cookies may be used to store a user’s preferences and settings, to gather Experience Data, to authenticate a user or to detect fraud.

How We Use Data

Microsoft uses data we collect from the Program to operate, improve and personalise the Program and other Microsoft products and services. Some data is stored on your device and some data is transmitted to Microsoft. Microsoft shares some data with our partners to improve how their products and services work with Microsoft’s products and services. We use your contact information to communicate with you; for example, to inform you about the Program, updates and related products and services. We use information about your preferences to configure Program features. For example, we use information we learn about your interests to help make the ads we show you more relevant, and we use your voice data to improve speech recognition.

We use information about the devices and software used with the Program to improve Microsoft products and services, including, for example, troubleshooting, analysis, quality, machine learning and usability and feature testing.

Controlling the Transmission of Data

Use of the Program is at your discretion. Many features that transmit data to Microsoft are enabled automatically. You may not have the option to turn off the transmission of data for certain features in the Program.

To stop the transmission of all data, you must completely uninstall the Program from all of your devices. This may require you to reinstall your device’s operating system.

For more information about the features and functionality that enable you to control the transmission of data, please review the Program’s product documentation.

Disclosure of Data

We will share your data with your consent, including as necessary to complete any transaction or provide any service you have requested or authorised. For example, we share your content with third parties when you use the Program to do so, such as when you share photos and documents on OneDrive or link accounts with another service. When you provide payment data to make a purchase, we will share payment data with banks and other entities that process payment transactions or other financial services, and for fraud prevention and credit risk reduction. We share some data collected in connection with the Program with third parties. For example, we may share data about the performance of a particular hardware or software component on your device with the manufacturer of that component to enable them to improve how their component works with Microsoft products and services.

We may share or disclose information about you with other Microsoft-controlled subsidiaries and affiliates, and with vendors or agents working on our behalf. For example, companies we have hired to provide customer service support or assist in protecting and securing our systems and services may need access to personal information in order to provide those functions. In such cases, these companies must abide by our data privacy requirements and are not allowed to use the information for any other purpose. We may also disclose information about you as part of a corporate transaction, such as a merger or sale of assets.

Finally, we may access, disclose and preserve information about you when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to:

  • comply with applicable law or respond to valid legal process from competent authorities, including from law enforcement or other government agencies;

  • protect our customers, for example to prevent spam or attempts to defraud Microsoft’s customers, or to help prevent the loss of life or serious injury of anyone;

  • operate and maintain the security of our products and services, including to prevent or stop an attack on our computer systems or networks; or

  • protect the rights or property of Microsoft, including enforcing the terms governing the use of the services. However, if we receive information indicating that someone is using our products or services to traffic in stolen intellectual or physical property of Microsoft, we will not inspect a customer’s private content ourselves, but we may refer the matter to law enforcement.

Data Handling

Microsoft is committed to protecting the security of your personal information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. For example, we store the personal information you provide on computer systems that have limited access and are in controlled facilities. When we transmit highly confidential information (such as a credit card number or password) over the Internet, we protect it through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

If a password is used to help protect your accounts and personal information, it is your responsibility to keep your password confidential. Do not share it. If you are sharing a computer, you should always log out before leaving a site or service to protect access to your information from subsequent users. Personal information collected by Microsoft may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country where Microsoft or its affiliates, subsidiaries or service providers maintain facilities. Microsoft abides by the U.S.-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the U.S.-Swiss Safe Harbor Framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use and retention of data from the European Economic Area and Switzerland. To learn more about the Safe Harbor programme, and to view our certification, please visit http://www.export.gov/safeharbor/.

Microsoft may retain personal information for a variety of reasons, such as to comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

Accessing Your Data

To access your data, please use the Web Form in the “How to Contact Us” section below.

Changes to this Privacy Statement

We will occasionally update our privacy statements to reflect customer feedback and changes in our products and services. When we post changes to a statement, we will revise the "last updated" date at the top of the statement. If there are material changes to the statement or in how Microsoft will use your information, we will notify you either by posting a notice of such changes before they take effect or by directly sending you a notification. We encourage you to periodically review the privacy statements for the products and services you use to learn how Microsoft is protecting Online Services information.

How to Contact Us

If you have a privacy question or a question for the Chief Privacy Officer of Microsoft, or want to request access to your personal information, please contact us by using our web form.

  • By post: Windows Pre-Release Privacy, Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052 USA

  • By phone: 425-882-8080

To find the Microsoft subsidiary in your area, go to http://www.microsoft.com/worldwide/.