Microsoft Writing Style Guide
Microsoft's public guide to writing style and terminology for anything about technology, from UI text to documentation. It replaced the Microsoft Manual of Style, and its top 10 tips on voice and its bias-free and global communication pages are worth reading even if you follow another guide.
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What it is
The Microsoft Writing Style Guide is Microsoft's online guide to style and terminology for all kinds of technical communication: apps, websites, documentation and white papers. It replaced the printed Microsoft Manual of Style. Its stated voice is warm and relaxed, crisp and clear, and ready to lend a hand.
The welcome page points first to three areas:
- Top 10 tips for mastering Microsoft style and voice, a short page that summarises the approach: use bigger ideas and fewer words, write like you speak, get to the point fast and so on.
- Bias-free communication, on inclusive language and examples.
- Global communications, on writing for readers whose first language is not English and for translation.
Beyond those, it has a large A to Z word list and term collections, and guidance on grammar, punctuation, formatting, procedures, UI text and accessibility.
Why it is worth reading
Many technical writers and UX writers use it alongside or instead of the Google guide. The Google developer documentation style guide itself recommends the Microsoft guide as a reference for technical terms that it does not cover. For product managers and developer advocates, the top 10 tips page is a quick way to improve release notes, announcements and in-product text.
The global communications pages are especially relevant if you write for readers around the world, which most software teams do.
How to use it
- Read the top 10 tips and the global communications pages once.
- Use the A to Z word list when you are unsure about a term.
- If your team follows Google style, use this as a secondary reference rather than mixing the two.
Free vs paid
Free to read on Microsoft Learn.
Common questions
Should I follow Microsoft or Google? Follow your team. For personal portfolio work, pick one and be consistent; mention which one you followed.
Does it cover code samples and API docs? It focuses more on general product and UI writing. For API reference conventions, the Google guide and the OpenAPI resources are more specific.
Is it only for Microsoft products? No. It is written for anyone who writes about technology.
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