My Microsoft Rewards Account is temporarily restricted. How do I fix this?

Question

My Microsoft Rewards Account is temporarily restricted. How do I fix this?

Eric 35

My Microsoft Rewards account has been 'temporarily' restricted for 4 months now and all support tickets I send no matter what title I use or details added they only send me this:

Hello, Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your account that has been restricted. I recognize how important it is to access your preferred rewards without delay, and I’m here to offer clarity on the situation. Upon review, we found that some of your searches did not comply with the Microsoft Services Agreement – Microsoft Rewards section. Specifically:

Good-Faith Participation: Points for searches are awarded only when you perform genuine, manual searches for your own research. Automated or non-personal searches will not count.
Acquisitions: Not all purchases or downloads from Microsoft qualify for points. Please review the offer terms to see what is eligible.
Redemption Limits: Microsoft may limit how many points or rewards you can earn or redeem in a day, per person, or per household.

Any restrictions should be automatically lifted once the system recognizes consistent improvement in search habits. We invite you to follow the guidance in this page to get the most out of Microsoft Rewards: Get the most out of Microsoft Rewards. You may also check out the information on doing searches here: Limiting your searches. I hope this provides clarity on the situation. Thank you for contacting Microsoft Rewards support. Have a good one. We appreciate your patience and understanding. Should you need to contact us back for any other questions, please feel free to let us know by submitting a support request here. Regards, Microsoft Customer Service and Support Learn more about Microsoft Rewards Privacy Statement Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052 Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your account that has been restricted. I recognize how important it is to access your preferred rewards without delay, and I’m here to offer clarity on the situation.

Upon review, we found that some of your searches did not comply with the Microsoft Services Agreement – Microsoft Rewards section. Specifically:

Good-Faith Participation: Points for searches are awarded only when you perform genuine, manual searches for your own research. Automated or non-personal searches will not count.
Acquisitions: Not all purchases or downloads from Microsoft qualify for points. Please review the offer terms to see what is eligible.
Redemption Limits: Microsoft may limit how many points or rewards you can earn or redeem in a day, per person, or per household.

Any restrictions should be automatically lifted once the system recognizes consistent improvement in search habits.

We invite you to follow the guidance in this page to get the most out of Microsoft Rewards: Get the most out of Microsoft Rewards. You may also check out the information on doing searches here: Limiting your searches.

I hope this provides clarity on the situation. Thank you for contacting Microsoft Rewards support. Have a good one.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. Should you need to contact us back for any other questions, please feel free to let us know by submitting a support request here.

Regards,

Microsoft Customer Service and Support
Learn more about Microsoft Rewards
Privacy Statement

Microsoft Corporation
One Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052

This is not helpful and it's clearly an automated message. I'm assuming whatever is making my account restricted is under 1. Good-Faith Participation but I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. What counts as genuine, manual searches and what counts as Automated or non-personal searches?

Does clicking links after typing in a search not count as a geniune manual search? Using microsoft bing app on phone does clicking different news articles not count as a geniune manual search? This is ridiculous that I have to jump through hoops just to try and figure this out.

Eric 35 Reputation points

2025-12-04T19:37:10.29+00:00

Ok that does answer my questions finally but I'm still puzzled about why my account has been temporarily restricted for months now. I don't use anything in the What Does NOT Count (Triggers Restrictions) section so only thing I can think of is your warning to not do too many searches rapidly... just how rapidly though? Most of the time there is a minute spaced between each search but sometimes as low as 30 seconds. Sometimes I search the same things daily.

Also I read that Microsoft Rewards temporarily restricts your account if you switch back and forth from Bing to Google is this true?
Alex-L 12,580 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-09T09:49:00.0266667+00:00
Hi Eric

Thanks for the follow up!

Microsoft doesn’t publish an exact threshold, but based on community feedback and patterns:

30 seconds between searches can sometimes look suspicious if repeated consistently for dozens of queries.

A safer pace is 1–2 minutes per search, with natural variation.

Avoid doing all your daily searches in one sitting, spread them out during the day.

There’s no official rule that says using Google will get you restricted. However:

If you rapidly alternate between Bing and Google in the same session, it might look like scripted behavior.

The algorithm focuses on whether your Bing searches seem genuine, not on whether you use other search engines.

The system waits for a sustained period of “normal” behavior. If it still detects patterns (even mild ones), the restriction doesn’t lift. Unfortunately, support can’t override this because it’s algorithm-driven.

Your best shot to get the ban lifted is to comply with the policy and use the Bing search function for normal daily use, other than toward points only.

Hope it'll help. Have a great day!
mason loggins 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T01:43:09.6033333+00:00

My Account has been restricted since October of last year!

I have sent multiple emails to Microsoft support and have gotten this same exact copy/paste message.

I have tried deleting my Bing app on my phone and not using for a month… That didn’t work.

I have also tried for the past 3 months, only claiming my Bing app daily coins and doing my 3 daily searches, spreading them out from anywhere for 1 to 5 hours in between.

I have never used a bot, and I am 100% sure that I have not broken any terms and service agreements, and am very upset on how a multi-billion dollar company like Microsoft can have such poor customer service.

I have been a loyal customer for many many years and I feel like I have been stabbed in back.

I have rightfully and legally earned these points and I want to redeem them and I should have the right to do so.

If anyone can help me get my account unrestricted with an actual working method please help me, I don’t know what else to do. I currently have over 53,000 points right now and it’s basically worthless.
Fire Agate 0 Reputation points

2026-06-26T15:56:24.9366667+00:00
What Does NOT Count (Triggers Restrictions)

Automated searches using bots, scripts, macros, or browser extensions that generate queries without your direct input.

Repeated or nonsensical queries entered rapidly (e.g., typing random letters just to earn points).

Search loops or patterns that look like farming (e.g., same query over and over in seconds).

Third-party apps or services that promise to boost Rewards points.

VPN or proxy usage that makes your activity look suspicious or outside your region. The system uses automated checks for patterns that look like farming or automation. If your searches appear too fast, repetitive, or unrelated to genuine interest, it flags them. Unfortunately, the review process is algorithm-driven, so support often can’t override it.

So does that mean I should avoid using the Microsoft Rewards Dashboard which basically promotes farming of points by performing searches on items which are often unrelated to my interests or by encouraging constant use by maintaining a daily streak and completing daily punch card tasks for awards? I have been a long time user and never had any problems until I added the dashboard as a startup page and started using it on a regular basis.

Now my account is restricted, it has been for at least for a month or two now, not really sure how long since their is no notification to the user that the account is restricted until they try to redeem something. In my opinion, it is rather odd that the system sees suspicious activity, takes an action to restrict an account, but then does nothing to actually notify the user. I did not find out my account was restricted until I went to claim (for 0 points) my Sea of Thieves - Lustrous Legend Flag award for completing the Sea of Thieves 8th Anniversary Punch Card.

I have attempted multiple times over the last month to resolve the problem via the Rewards Support system, but all attempts always ends with it just sending the same message that Eric posted above. It's all rather frustrating to say the least, now I am in the position of losing my ability to claim the award for the Mortal Kombat movie that I supposedly earned for completing the Mortal Kombat II Punch Card (the ability to claim offer expires at the end of the month). I have requested a manual human review of my account, but it seems if your support request contains the words 'restricted account' in any manner then the system just sends the same response regardless of how you present the problem. Mustafa Suleyman should be able to do better than this, the Bing Support AI system is an embarrassment imo.

Answer accepted by question author

0 additional answers

Your answer

Eric 35 Reputation points

2025-12-04T19:37:10.29+00:00

Ok that does answer my questions finally but I'm still puzzled about why my account has been temporarily restricted for months now. I don't use anything in the What Does NOT Count (Triggers Restrictions) section so only thing I can think of is your warning to not do too many searches rapidly... just how rapidly though? Most of the time there is a minute spaced between each search but sometimes as low as 30 seconds. Sometimes I search the same things daily.

Also I read that Microsoft Rewards temporarily restricts your account if you switch back and forth from Bing to Google is this true?
Alex-L 12,580 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-09T09:49:00.0266667+00:00

Hi Eric

Thanks for the follow up!

Microsoft doesn’t publish an exact threshold, but based on community feedback and patterns:

30 seconds between searches can sometimes look suspicious if repeated consistently for dozens of queries.

A safer pace is 1–2 minutes per search, with natural variation.

Avoid doing all your daily searches in one sitting, spread them out during the day.

There’s no official rule that says using Google will get you restricted. However:

If you rapidly alternate between Bing and Google in the same session, it might look like scripted behavior.

The algorithm focuses on whether your Bing searches seem genuine, not on whether you use other search engines.

The system waits for a sustained period of “normal” behavior. If it still detects patterns (even mild ones), the restriction doesn’t lift. Unfortunately, support can’t override this because it’s algorithm-driven.

Your best shot to get the ban lifted is to comply with the policy and use the Bing search function for normal daily use, other than toward points only.

Hope it'll help. Have a great day!
mason loggins 0 Reputation points

2026-02-24T01:43:09.6033333+00:00

My Account has been restricted since October of last year!

I have sent multiple emails to Microsoft support and have gotten this same exact copy/paste message.

I have tried deleting my Bing app on my phone and not using for a month… That didn’t work.

I have also tried for the past 3 months, only claiming my Bing app daily coins and doing my 3 daily searches, spreading them out from anywhere for 1 to 5 hours in between.

I have never used a bot, and I am 100% sure that I have not broken any terms and service agreements, and am very upset on how a multi-billion dollar company like Microsoft can have such poor customer service.

I have been a loyal customer for many many years and I feel like I have been stabbed in back.

I have rightfully and legally earned these points and I want to redeem them and I should have the right to do so.

If anyone can help me get my account unrestricted with an actual working method please help me, I don’t know what else to do. I currently have over 53,000 points right now and it’s basically worthless.

Answer 1

Hi Eric

Thanks for posting in the Microsoft Q&A Forum!

I understand how frustrating this must feel, especially after months of waiting and getting the same canned response. Let me break down what “Good-Faith Participation” usually means and clarify what counts as genuine searches versus what might trigger restrictions:

What Counts as Genuine, Manual Searches

Typing a query yourself in Bing (desktop or mobile) and pressing Enter.
Clicking on results related to your query (including news articles) after performing a search.
Using the Bing app or Microsoft Edge for normal browsing and searching.
Voice searches initiated manually by you (not automated scripts).

What Does NOT Count (Triggers Restrictions)

Automated searches using bots, scripts, macros, or browser extensions that generate queries without your direct input.
Repeated or nonsensical queries entered rapidly (e.g., typing random letters just to earn points).
Search loops or patterns that look like farming (e.g., same query over and over in seconds).
Third-party apps or services that promise to boost Rewards points.
VPN or proxy usage that makes your activity look suspicious or outside your region. The system uses automated checks for patterns that look like farming or automation. If your searches appear too fast, repetitive, or unrelated to genuine interest, it flags them. Unfortunately, the review process is algorithm-driven, so support often can’t override it.

You can start doing these which may help:

Slow down your searches, avoid rapid-fire queries.
Search for things you actually need or are curious about (varied topics).
Avoid VPNs or automation tools completely.
Use Bing normally for a few weeks, the system should lift the restriction once it sees consistent, natural behavior.

Lastly, have you tried reaching out to the Rewards Support team directly? If you haven't, kindly reach out to them here: https://rewards.bing.com/support

Hope this can clarify a bit more and I hope you'll get this resolved!

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.