Data collection summary for Xbox - April 2023

Important

Xbox consoles provide fast, powerful hardware, the ability to connect with millions of gamers in the Xbox Community, and the best value in games and entertainment. This summary applies to the Xbox One generation of consoles as well as the Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.

Overview of Required and Optional data

Microsoft is dedicated to being transparent with our customers and giving them more control over their data. As part of this work, we’re moving our major products and services to a model where the personal data we collect from customers as they use their devices will be classified as either Required or Optional. This will make it easier for our customers to find information about the data we collect and how we use it, and to make informed choices about their privacy.

This article provides an overview of the types of data that are Required and Optional, the specific categories of personal data that are collected by the Xbox console, and how our customers can change their privacy settings to customize the data they share with Microsoft.

Required data

Data in the Required category is necessary to keep our products safe, secure, up to date, and performing as expected. Required data includes things like:

• Details of errors that might prevent Xbox services from enabling games and apps
• Details of Xbox console setup success and failure to diagnose issues that would keep you from using the console
• Details of Xbox mobile app update success and failure, as well as other errors

In some cases, a customer can control whether Required data is collected by deciding whether to use the product features or functions that depend on that data. For example, if you use the Xbox Store on the console to buy a digital game, we will collect the Required diagnostic data to track that the purchase was successful. Instead, you might choose to buy a disk from a retailer if you would prefer not to have Required diagnostic data collected about the Xbox Store purchase.

We’re developing additional privacy settings that will give you more control over the collection of data that’s required for certain features or functions. Our goal is to create privacy settings that make sense to you and we’re always open to feedback on what might work better for you.

Required diagnostic data summary

Required service data

Xbox consists of client software applications and connected experiences to enable you to find, buy, and play solo and multiplayer games and share in social experiences on the Xbox network. As you use the Xbox network, data is sent to and processed by Microsoft. This data is crucial to our ability to deliver these connected experiences.

Required service data includes things like your name, age, gamertag, country, and other information needed to provide connected experiences and keep underlying services secure, up to date, and performing as expected. Required service data can also include information needed by a connected experience to perform its task, such as licenses to launch multiplayer games and enable cloud gaming.

Optional data

Data in the Optional category is not essential to the product or service experience. Optional refers to a broader set of data collected from customers to power features or analysis that goes beyond providing the required set of baseline functionality. Optional data includes things like:

• Actions you take while using the console
• Enhanced error reporting (detailed diagnostic data for conditions causing errors and crashes)
• Console performance data

Because Optional data isn’t necessary to provide our products and services, customers can decide whether to allow us to collect this type of data. Customers can make this decision during the initial setup for our major products and services or, after setup, by using the privacy controls noted below.

Although sharing Optional data isn’t required, this data helps us develop new, richer, and better experiences for our customers. There are compelling reasons for our customers to share this data with us, but our products and services will keep working as expected no matter what they decide. This is our customers’ data and we’re committed to respecting the decisions they make about their privacy.

Optional diagnostic data summary

Privacy information and settings

Microsoft offers choices about how your data is collected. See below to learn more about the data that Microsoft collects and the controls available to consumers.

• What data gets collected and why
• Manage settings for Optional data sharing
• Manage Xbox online safety and privacy settings for your family group
• Xbox privacy & online safety settings
• Microsoft privacy dashboard