How does Microsoft Rewards's Refer and Earn Work

Question

How does Microsoft Rewards's Refer and Earn Work

Michael Madrid 40

How does the Refer and Earn feature on Microsoft Reward work? I've tried doing it with a friend where I copy the link that was given to me: User's image

And I send it and my friend does the same. But when we click the link, we get this: User's image

So I don't know how this works. I honestly don't know what the "Due to unusual search activity, your ability to earn points or refer others to this program may be limited" means but I don't know if it has to do with anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Daksh 0 Reputation points

2025-12-26T09:55:36.33+00:00

how many maximum points can we earn through referrals daily through single referral
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Philip Edaili 0 Reputation points

2026-03-05T00:23:27.5533333+00:00

can someone tell me the link its not showing up
Kiev 0 Reputation points

2026-03-14T07:42:46.86+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for your explanation. From what I observed, the limitation appears mainly when my friend clicks the referral link and tries to start using Microsoft Rewards. My friend successfully created an account using my referral link, but the referral points have not appeared on my side yet.

We are both using valid Microsoft accounts and the searches are being done normally, not automated. However, my friend sometimes receives the message about unusual search activity, which might be the reason why the referral points are still pending or not credited.

Could you please confirm if the referral points will only appear after Microsoft verifies my friend’s searches, or if there are additional steps required to make sure the referral is counted correctly?

Thank you for your assistance.

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Daksh 0 Reputation points

2025-12-26T09:55:36.33+00:00

how many maximum points can we earn through referrals daily through single referral
Deleted

This comment has been deleted due to a violation of our Code of Conduct. The comment was manually reported or identified through automated detection before action was taken. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for more information.
Philip Edaili 0 Reputation points

2026-03-05T00:23:27.5533333+00:00

can someone tell me the link its not showing up
Kiev 0 Reputation points

2026-03-14T07:42:46.86+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for your explanation. From what I observed, the limitation appears mainly when my friend clicks the referral link and tries to start using Microsoft Rewards. My friend successfully created an account using my referral link, but the referral points have not appeared on my side yet.

We are both using valid Microsoft accounts and the searches are being done normally, not automated. However, my friend sometimes receives the message about unusual search activity, which might be the reason why the referral points are still pending or not credited.

Could you please confirm if the referral points will only appear after Microsoft verifies my friend’s searches, or if there are additional steps required to make sure the referral is counted correctly?

Thank you for your assistance.

Answer 1

Hey Michael,

The Refer and Earn program only works for new sign-ups so if your friend is already using Microsoft Rewards the referral link won’t generate points for you. The system is designed to reward bringing in new users rather than existing ones.

As for the message you’re seeing “Due to unusual search activity your ability to earn points or refer others to this program may be limited” this means your account has been flagged for activity that appears automated or outside normal usage patterns. This can happen if there have been a very high number of searches in a short time, if scripts or VPNs are being used or if there’s a mismatch in location or device behavior. When this happens certain features like Refer and Earn can be temporarily disabled it doesn’t necessarily mean you did something wrong it’s simply a safeguard.

To resolve this make sure you’re signed in with a valid Microsoft account, avoid automated searches or VPN usage and if the limitation persists reach out to Microsoft Rewards Support through the Help section in your dashboard.

Best regards,

Marcelo

Answer 2

Hello Michael,

Thank you for reaching out with your question about how the Microsoft Rewards Refer and Earn program works I understand how confusing it can be when you try to share your referral link with a friend and encounter a message about unusual search activity. It can feel frustrating when you are not sure if the issue is related to the way the program functions or if it is something specific to your account.

The way the program is designed is that you copy your unique referral link and share it with your friends. When they sign up through that link and begin using Bing search as part of Microsoft Rewards you earn points for their verified searches. These points often remain in a pending state until Microsoft confirms that the searches are genuine and not automated. If you or your friend see the message about unusual search activity it usually means the system has flagged the account for behavior that looks automated or outside normal usage. This is a safeguard to protect the integrity of the program and prevent abuse.

To resolve this make sure both you and your friend are signed in with valid Microsoft accounts, that searches are being done naturally and that you are following the program’s terms of use. If the restriction continues it may take some time before the system clears the limitation or you may need to contact Microsoft Rewards support for further assistance.

Have you noticed if the limitation appears only when your friend clicks the link or does it also show up when you use your own account?

I hope this answer is helpful if you have further questions feel free to reply back

Regards,

Marcelo

Michael Madrid 40 Reputation points

2025-11-24T03:43:10.23+00:00

What if my friend is already using Rewards? Will it still work? Also the message only appears whenever I click Refer and Earn in Rewards Dashboard.
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How does Microsoft Rewards's Refer and Earn Work

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