Private messages on Microsoft Q&A

Private messages on Q&A enable Microsoft moderators (support engineers employed by Microsoft,) to privately message question authors. The purpose of private messaging functionality is to allow Microsoft moderators to privately engage with question authors in scenarios where troubleshooting steps might contain PII (Personally identifiable information.) We never want users to post PII publicly on the platform, so private messages allow question authors and Microsoft moderators to exchange necessary information in a private, safe way!

Question authors – How to reply to a private message

From email notification

1. View email notification about new private message.
2. Click button to view and reply to private message.
3. Question thread with private messages modal opens on Microsoft Q&A.
4. Enter reply into rich-text editor.
5. Click "Send" button.

From question thread with private messages

1. Go to a question you asked that has a private message.
2. Open private messages modal – by clicking link in blue banner or private messages button.
3. Private messages modal opens
4. Enter reply into rich-text editor.
5. Click "Send" button.

Text editor

We use the same text editor for private messages that we use elsewhere on the Q&A platform! You can utilize the full rich-text editor while exchanging private messages, including attachment and draft autosave functionality.

New filters – View questions with private messages

There is a new filter available allowing users to filter by questions with private messages. This will be critical for Microsoft moderators to manage ongoing conversations with multiple users. NOTE: You must be signed into your Learn profile to use this filter.

Notification

Adjust your email preferences within Learn settings.

1. Click on “Settings” through the user menu.
2. Navigate to “Q&A preferences”.
3. There is a setting called "Private message notifications."
4. Toggle on/off to enable/disable instant email notifications for private messages from Microsoft moderators.

Privacy

We take steps to protect any sensitive data! In compliance with privacy regulations, we delete all private messages in a conversation 30 days following the first message sent by a Microsoft moderator. We do not keep fragments of a conversations and delete message by message, and instead we delete the entire conversation after 30 days from the first message the Microsoft moderator sent to the question author.

Frequently asked questions

Who can view my private messages?

The questions author and any Microsoft moderators.

What is approved to be discussed in private messages?

This is not an exhaustive list of approved topics to discuss in private messages.

1. Email address
2. Support ticket ID
3. Logs, fiddler trace, and HAR files etc (where possible, please scrub any PII before uploading to minimize risk.)
4. Key vault keys information
5. Code snippets
6. Azure subscription ID or tenant ID
7. Teams meeting details, if needed to troubleshoot

Why can't I view a private message?

Sometimes, you may click "Reply" from an email notification about a private message, and the message won't open! This is because the private message(s) has been deleted. There are two potential reasons for this:

1. Microsoft moderator deleted their message.
2. 30-day private message retention period: All private messages in a conversation are deleted 30 days after the Microsoft moderator sends the first private message.

Can I edit my private message?

Yes, you can edit any of the private messages you have sent within the 30-day retention period.

1. Open private message modal from email notification, banner on question thread, or button on question thread.
2. Click the overflow menu for the message you would like to edit.
3. Make desired changes to the content.
4. Click "Save" button.

Can I delete my private message?

No; at this time, only Microsoft moderators can delete their own private messages. We eventually plan to support question authors deleting their own private messages.

What happens to my private messages if I delete my account?

If the question author involved in a private conversation deletes their account within the 30-day retention period, we immediately close and delete the conversation for all participants, instead of waiting until the 30 days to delete.