It allows you to move away from Microsoft's ecosystem, or scrape your own Microsoft data for any insights you're looking for. The ability to create an account data archive ensures Microsoft's services remain GDPR complaint. You can usually export data from apps using the apps themselves – for example, to get an archive of your Outlook emails, you can visit /mail/options/general/export and click the blue "Export mailbox" button. Think of it as an archive of everything directly associated with your Microsoft account, not the files you've created with the account. The data archive does not include any data you create within Microsoft apps and services. 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 is delivered as a set of JSON files, which is a structured format for key/value pairs. You should remember that the data archive isn't intended for direct consumption. Archives are automatically removed after "a few days" to help protect your privacy. It will display under the "Archives" heading once it's ready to download. 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.
Your download will then begin in your browser. The process may take a few minutes to complete, while Microsoft collates all the relevant information. Tick the checkbox for each data type you'd like to archive and then press the "Create archive" button. 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. You'll see a popup which lets you choose which data types to include in the archive. On the "Download your data" screen, click the "Create new archive" button. The relevant link here is the "Download your data" tab underneath the main banner. The Microsoft Privacy dashboard will display, which lets you control how Microsoft uses your data.
You'll be prompted to enter your password – or use Microsoft Authenticator – again, due to the sensitivity of these settings. Click "Privacy" in the top navigation menu. You'll land on your account homepage, which gives you an overview of everything associated with your Microsoft account. You may be prompted to login to your account enter your password or acknowledge a Microsoft Authenticator confirmation on your phone. To begin, head to your Microsoft Account page at. It could also assist you as you migrate to another technology provider. This allows you to backup and store your Microsoft activities, or use the data to extract information about how you use Microsoft services. Microsoft lets you download an archive of all the data you've created across its services, such as search, browsing and location history.