What's new?

This table shows a history of recent updates to the Microsoft Writing Style Guide.

Date	Article	Change
MAy 9, 2024	Accessibility terms	Added guidance to avoid the use of "special needs."
April 19, 2024	Copilot, copilot	Created new topic with information on how to use Microsoft Copilot versus third-party copilots in naming and descriptions.
April 18, 2024	Militaristic language	Created new topic with guidelines on avoiding overly violent and militaristic language.
February 26, 2024	see, see also, and similar phrases	Created new topic regarding visual-based phrases and accessibility.
February 22, 2024	Formatting titles	Streamlined guidance to generally recommend sentence-casing; updated to recommend bold instead of italics for titles for enhanced readability and accessibility.
February 22, 2024	multi-	Updated to only include examples where the MWSG deviates from the American Heritage Dictionary.
December 22, 2023	notification area	Updated guidance to reflect that this now only applies to OS versions prior to Windows 11.
December 22, 2023	system tray	Updated guidance to reflect change with Windows 11.
November 15, 2023	enable, enables	Updated guidance to avoid use of enable, provided links to related topics.
November 15, 2023	percent, percent sign (%), percentage	Streamlined guidance, removed examples to focus on exception to the percent rules.
November 15, 2023	Windows 10, Windows 11	Updated guidance and title to reflect the deprecation of Windows 7 and 8.
June 20, 2023	Accessibility terms	Updated guidance concerning neurodiversity.
June 6, 2023	Bluetooth	Updated guidance to use registered trademark symbol on first mention.
May 22, 2023	disable, disables (functionality)	Changed topic title to separate out functionality from accessibility meaning. Updated guidance to suggest alternatives for functionality. Provided an exception for admin use cases.
May 22, 2023	disabled (person)	Changed topic title to separate out functionality from accessibility meaning. Updated guidance to reflect people-first language is preferred, but not always required if context is provided.
May 22, 2023	turn on, turn off	Updated guidance to suggest as a replacement for enable, disable.
February 22, 2023	Accessibility terms	Updated guidance to align with Accessibility (nuanced discussion of identity-first language); created new table of examples; adopted new table formatting for screen-reader compatibility.
February 22, 2023	objectives and key results (OKR)	Created new topic.
February 22, 2023	key result (KR)	Created new topic.
February 22, 2023	key performance indicator (KPI)	Created new topic.
October 18, 2022	Formatting text in instructions	Clarified the guidance on using dialog.
June 24, 2022	Date and time terms	Reverted guidance (removed mention of ratio symbol in clock time).
June 24, 2022	Colons	Reverted guidance (removed mention of ratio symbol in clock time).
June 24, 2022	Nouns and pronouns	Added guidance regarding capitalization of proper nouns; added link to Person section for discussion of using pronouns in product UI.
June 24, 2022	Person	Revised guidance to move away from first-person singular pronouns (with one notable exception when distinguishing ownership of content in shared visual space); updated examples for use of first- and second-person pronouns to reflect more use cases in UI; added guidance about pronouns in AI-generated content.
May 13, 2022	Lists	Added another example of a bulleted list. Expanded the Exception and added examples to address gaps in guidance regarding lists that do not complete an introductory phrase, but whose items are all short, complete sentences.
May 13, 2022	Periods	Added link to Lists topic in guidance.
May 13, 2022	Numbers	Added new section on phone numbers.
May 13, 2022	phone, phone number	Changed title of topic to include "phone number." Revised guidance to include mobile phones and to address phone number formatting.
December 15, 2021	Cloud-computing terms	Revised guidance to terms in the cloud-computing collection.
December 9, 2021	SQL, SQL server	Revised guidance to use the article "a" with SQL and updated examples.
August 26, 2021	multi-	Added multicloud exception to guideline.
August 26, 2021	touch-sensitive	Added new topic.
August 25, 2021	Bias-free communication	Added inclusive language section.
August 12, 2021	colons	Updated guidance on use of colons in clock time.
August 11, 2021	numbers	Replaced colons with ratio symbols.
August 10, 2021	date and time terms	New section on clock time.
May 31, 2021	workstream	New guidance on spelling and use.
May 31, 2021	wellbeing	New guidance on spelling and use.
April 30, 2021	invite	New topic.
April 30, 2021	dark mode	New topic.
April 30, 2021	SMB	New topic.
March 31, 2021	bits and bytes	Updated guidance on when to abbreviate certain terms.
March 31, 2021	dialog box, dialog, dialogue	Updated guidance on use.
March 29, 2021	check, checkbox, check mark	Updated guidance on use.
March 26, 2021	dropdown	Updated guidance on spelling and use.
March 16, 2021	Welcome page	Updated Welcome page.
January 15, 2021	blacklist	Updated guidance on spacing for alternative term, blocklist.
January 15, 2021	environment variable	Updated topic guidance.
January 15, 2021	whitelist	Updated guidance on spacing for alternative term, allowlist.
November 24, 2020	Accessibility terms	Updated topic to include guidance on using words such as "see", "read", and "look".
November 24, 2020	global	Updated guidance wording to be more clear.
November 24, 2020	URLs and web addresses	Updated example in References to specific sites and domains section.
November 24, 2020	worldwide vs. international	Updated topic's wording and added example.
August 4, 2020	Bias-free communication	Updated guidance regarding unconscious racial bias and associated examples.
August 4, 2020	blacklist	Updated guidance regarding usage and examples.
August 4, 2020	master/slave, master/subordinate	Updated topic name, guidance, and examples.
August 4, 2020	whitelist	Updated guidance regarding usage and examples.
June 30, 2020	above	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	below	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	destination	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	earlier	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	Formatting punctuation	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	hot link	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	hot spot, hotspot	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	jump	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	later	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	navigate	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
June 30, 2020	shortcut, shortcut menu	Updated guidance by replacing hyperlink with link.
April 29, 2020	Describing alternative input methods	Updated example.
April 29, 2020	either/or	Updated example.
April 29, 2020	Formatting text instructions	Revised table. Clarified wording for Dialogue boxes entry.
April 29, 2020	mixed reality, mixed-reality	Updated topic; removed acronym guidelines.
April 29, 2020	pane	Added guidelines regarding preposition use; "Use the preposition on when referring to the contents of a pane."
March 31, 2020	Capitalization	Added guidance for hyphenated compound words
March 31, 2020	Hyphens	Updated list of examples.
March 31, 2020	later	Updated list of examples.
March 31, 2020	multifactor authentication	Added guidance for multifactor authentication.
March 31, 2020	Nouns and pronouns	Added guidance for they.
March 31, 2020	Numbers	Updated guidance on comma usage.
March 31, 2020	runs vs. runs on	Updated list of examples.
March 31, 2020	Units of measure terms	Updated examples on Speed frequency. Also updated comma exceptions and examples.
September 21, 2019	Mouse and mouse interaction term collection	Added guidance for scroll.
September 21, 2019	Start button, Start menu	Updated the guideline for when to use bold formatting for Start.
September 21, 2019	Describing interactions with UI	Deleted press and hold. Clarified that select and hold is the correct term to use to describe pressing and holding a UI element. Added examples.
September 18, 2019	Numbers	Added guidelines for using K, M, and B as abbreviations for thousand, million, and billion.
September 17, 2019	Microsoft	Added a guideline about when to include Microsoft in references to product names.
September 13, 2019	Bias-free communication	Clarified and expanded the guidelines for gender-neutral writing.
August 16, 2019	registry, registry settings	Updated the examples.
August 8, 2019	author	Expanded this topic to say don't use author as a verb when you mean in general "to make something." Use a more precise verb.
August 8, 2019	Code examples	Clarified the approach to creating code examples, including planning for and writing. (No change to the guidelines themselves.)
August 8, 2019	Formatting developer text elements	Added updated examples and fixed some errors.
August 8, 2019	Reference documentation	Updated contents. Updated and added more examples.
July 25, 2019	Describing interactions with UI	Clarified the use of select and enter in describing user actions in instructions. Added examples.
June 27, 2019	and so on	Clarified that these terms shouldn't be used. Added examples of alternative wording.
June 27, 2019	sign in, sign out	Added sign into and log into to the list of terms that shouldn't be used. Updated the examples.
May 28, 2019	"appears, displays" and "displays, appears"	Deleted these topics from the A–Z word list. Microsoft style no longer makes a recommendation for these terms.
May 28, 2019	hard-code, hard-coded, hard-coding	Renamed the "hard-coded" topic so that the guideline applies to the additional word forms.
May 28, 2019	passwordless	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
May 6, 2019	Names and contact information	Added global considerations for content that addresses the customer by name, such as in email or the product UI.
April 4, 2019	Date and time term collection	Added guidelines for abbreviating days of the week. Changed the guideline for month abbreviations to say don't use a period.
April 1, 2019	mixed reality, mixed-reality	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
April 1, 2019	fail over, fail back, failover, failback	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
April 1, 2019	single sign-on (SSO)	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
March 11, 2019	Commas	Added guidelines for when to use a comma in a series of two or more adjectives that precede a noun.
February 28, 2019	Computer and device term collection	Added guidelines for using desktop as a hardware term. Updated the guidelines for computer, PC, machine, and other device terms.
February 27, 2019	blade	Clarified what the UI element called a blade is. Deleted the guideline to define blade on first mention.
February 22, 2019	AI and bot term collection	Changed the name from "Bot term collection." Updated the guidelines for bot, chatbot, virtual agent, and AI. Added new guidelines for the terms intelligent/intelligence and Microsoft AI.
February 1, 2019	Formatting developer text elements	Clarified the guideline for how to format UI text and updated the examples.
February 1, 2019	Formatting common text elements	Clarified the guidelines for how to format error messages and UI text and how to refer to error messages in text. Updated the examples.
February 1, 2019	Formatting text in instructions	Added guidelines for how to refer to palettes and toggles when they're referenced in instructions.
February 1, 2019	toggle	Clarified the guideline for how to refer to toggle keys and switches.
February 1, 2019	palette	Clarified the guideline for how to refer to palettes and updated the examples.
January 18, 2019	Internet of Things (IoT)	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
December 12, 2018	toggle	Updated the guidance for using switch, turn on, and turn off when describing actions involving toggle switches and toggle keys. Added examples.
November 27, 2018	Mouse and mouse interaction term collection	Updated the guideline to say that hover over is an acceptable alternative to point to and that hover is OK as an adjective. Added examples.
November 26, 2018	drill down, drill up, drill through	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
November 26, 2018	avg	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
November 8, 2018	e.g.	Updated to say that for example, such as, and like are all OK to use instead of e.g.
November 7, 2018	Formatting text in instructions	Changed the guideline for key names, combinations, and sequences to say don't put a space around the plus sign (+) in keyboard shortcuts. Also, use bold formatting for key names and keyboard shortcuts when they appear in instructions.
October 6, 2018	Tables	Clarified that a table must have two or more rows and two or more columns. Otherwise, use a list.
October 4, 2018	Mouse and mouse interaction term collection	Changed the guideline to say that mice is the preferred plural of mouse, not mouse devices.
September 11, 2018	org, organization	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
September 11, 2018	company vs. organization	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.
September 10, 2018	e-sports	Added a topic to the A–Z word list.