# Microsoft Writing Style Guide, annotated > Microsoft’s writing guide dates every page and gives each banned word a replacement and a reason. Its best rules on voice and words, quoted with notes. - Published by: Microsoft - Format: Website - Date on the guide: Each page shows its own “Last updated on” date - Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/welcome/), checked 2026-11-11 The Microsoft Writing Style Guide is for everyone who writes about computer technology, in Microsoft or outside it. It describes the voice as “warm and relaxed, crisp and clear, and ready to lend a hand”. Most of the guide is a long A to Z of terms. Every page shows its own “Last updated on” date, and few guides do that. ## Best parts, quoted with notes ### Voice and tone > Warm and relaxed—We’re natural. Less formal, more grounded in real, everyday conversations. Occasionally, we’re fun. (We know when to celebrate.) Has: where it applies. Names the trait, then caps the fun at ‘occasionally’. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “Three voice principles”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/brand-voice-above-all-simple-human), checked 2026-11-11. ### Voice and tone > Though our voice is constant regardless of who we’re talking to or what we’re saying, we adapt our tone—from serious to empathetic to lighthearted—to fit the context and the customer's state of mind. Has: where it applies. Separates fixed voice from changing tone and names the range, but gives no cases. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “What do we mean by voice?”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/brand-voice-above-all-simple-human), checked 2026-11-11. ### Voice and tone > Replace this: Invalid ID With this: You need an ID that looks like this: someone@example.com Has: right and wrong. A before and after for an error message. The new message tells the user what to enter. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “Write like you speak”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/top-10-tips-style-voice), checked 2026-11-11. ### Words and style > Avoid this verb, which is specific to using a mouse. Instead, use verbs that work with multiple devices, such as select. It's OK to use click when you need to describe mouse actions specifically. Has: exact value, reason, where it applies. Gives the replacement, the reason, and the one case where the old word is fine. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “click”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/c/click), checked 2026-11-11. ### Words and style > Never use whitelist. Use allow list instead. For more specific usage, safe senders list can be used. Has: exact value, date. A banned word with two replacements, on a page dated 01/15/2026. No reason given. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “whitelist”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/a-z-word-list-term-collections/w/whitelist), checked 2026-11-11. ### Words and style > If you can't write around the problem, it's OK to use a plural pronoun (they, their, or them) in generic references to a single person. Don't use constructions like he/she and s/he. Has: exact value, where it applies. Sets an order: rewrite first, singular ‘they’ second. Bans he/she outright. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “Bias-free communication”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/bias-free-communication), checked 2026-11-11. ### Words and style > Include articles, such as the. Articles help readers and translation software identify the nouns and modifiers in a sentence. Has: reason. The reason counts software as a reader, not only people. Source: [Microsoft Writing Style Guide, “Tips for all global content”](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/global-communications/writing-tips), checked 2026-11-11. ## What it leaves out - The brand voice page lists its three voice principles with no example sentences. The before and after examples are on the separate Top 10 tips page. ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/brand-voice-above-all-simple-human)) - The brand voice page says tone moves from serious to lighthearted but does not say which tone fits which situation. ([source](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/style-guide/brand-voice-above-all-simple-human)) ## What to take from it - Put a date on every page, and not only on the guide. Then readers can see quickly if a rule is new. - Give each banned word its replacement, and the case where the old word is still correct. - Count software as a reader. Rules that help machine translation also help AI agents. --- Source: https://aibrandguidelines.org/examples/microsoft Last updated: 2026-11-11 Published by Annotated Guidelines. Annotated Guidelines is run by the team at Rainbrand.