Skip to content
OnMSFT.com
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Join our team!
OnMSFT.com
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Join our team!
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11
  • Windows Insider
  • Surface
  • Teams
  • Edge
  • Games and Gaming
  • Xbox
  • How-To
  • OnPodcast
  • More Topics
Photo of Microsoft download your data page

How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data

February 24, 2021June 4, 2019 by James Walker

How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data

To download an archive of your Microsoft account data:

  1. Login to account.microsoft.com.
  2. Click "Privacy".
  3. Click "Download your data".
  4. Click "Create new archive".

Microsoft lets you download an archive of all the data you've created across its services, such as search, browsing and location history. This allows you to backup and store your Microsoft activities, or use the data to extract information about how you use Microsoft services. It could also assist you as you migrate to another technology provider.

To begin, head to your Microsoft Account page at account.microsoft.com. You may be prompted to login to your account; enter your password or acknowledge a Microsoft Authenticator confirmation on your phone.

Screenshot of Microsoft account page with arrow pointing to privacy link

You'll land on your account homepage, which gives you an overview of everything associated with your Microsoft account. Click "Privacy" in the top navigation menu. You'll be prompted to enter your password – or use Microsoft Authenticator – again, due to the sensitivity of these settings.

Screenshot of downloading Microsoft data

The Microsoft Privacy dashboard will display, which lets you control how Microsoft uses your data. The relevant link here is the "Download your data" tab underneath the main banner.

Screenshot of downloading Microsoft data

On the "Download your data" screen, click the "Create new archive" button. You'll see a popup which lets you choose which data types to include in the archive. Available data sources include your browsing history, search history, location history and all spoken voice commands, as well as usage information for apps, services, films and music delivered through the Microsoft Store.

Screenshot of downloading Microsoft data

Tick the checkbox for each data type you'd like to archive and then press the "Create archive" button. The process may take a few minutes to complete, while Microsoft collates all the relevant information. Your download will then begin in your browser.

If you leave the page while your archive is still being created, you'll be able to return to the "Download your data" screen to access it later. It will display under the "Archives" heading once it's ready to download. Archives are automatically removed after "a few days" to help protect your privacy.

You should remember that the data archive isn't intended for direct consumption. The data is delivered as a set of JSON files, which is a structured format for key/value pairs. Although the files are essentially plain text and can be opened in any text editor, some of the values may appear meaningless or be difficult to interpret without some understanding of what they represent and how they're stored.

The data archive does not include any data you create within Microsoft apps and services. Think of it as an archive of everything directly associated with your Microsoft account, not the files you've created with the account. You can usually export data from apps using the apps themselves – for example, to get an archive of your Outlook emails, you can visit outlook.live.com/mail/options/general/export and click the blue "Export mailbox" button.

Screenshot of exporting email from Outlook.com

The ability to create an account data archive ensures Microsoft's services remain GDPR complaint. It allows you to move away from Microsoft's ecosystem, or scrape your own Microsoft data for any insights you're looking for. The data could be used to create custom spreadsheets, databases or applications which help visualise your Microsoft activities, giving you a record of how you used Microsoft services which exists long after the apps themselves are gone.

Share This Post:

  • How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data - OnMSFT.com - June 4, 2019
  • How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data - OnMSFT.com - June 4, 2019
  • How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data - OnMSFT.com - June 4, 2019
  • How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data - OnMSFT.com - June 4, 2019
  • How to download an archive of your Microsoft account data - OnMSFT.com - June 4, 2019
Categories How-To Tags Microsoft Account
Older

Watch the full Minecraft Earth demo from yesterday's WWDC keynote

Qualcomm is working on a cheaper Snapdragon 7cx ARM chip for Always Connected PCs

Newer

Latest OnPodcast

Trending Now

Recent Comments

  1. MichalGee

    MichalGee: Yes 100%! Gamers need to separate themselves from the show a little and look at it as a Sci-Fi TV series, a particularly good one too. It has a plot, a good overall story, characters you care about and action. Without spoiling anything, I really…

    Commented on: Halo co-creator's reaction to the Paramount+ TV series: "Not the Halo I made"

  2. Restore Solutions

    Restore Solutions: Its a great way for MS to fix bugs in their OS. However 150k sounds a lot but dependent on the access the hack can give you, but for zero day exploits around 400k from various government agencies or from much more nefarious sources.Is a…

    Commented on: Microsoft Teams and Windows 11 compromised on the first day of Pwn2Own 2022

  3. yw71

    yw71: Try Python. More jobs

    Commented on: Microsoft Teams and Windows 11 compromised on the first day of Pwn2Own 2022

  4. yw71

    yw71: We need them as a competition in the Olympic Games

    Commented on: Microsoft Teams and Windows 11 compromised on the first day of Pwn2Own 2022

  5. yw71

    yw71: For me - TeamViewer.

    Commented on: Microsoft Remote Desktop just got a massive app update on iOS

onMSFT Logo

© 2022 OnMSFT.com LLC Thanks to GeneratePress and Heather!