Inquiry Regarding Accidental Entry of Personal Information in Bing Search Queries

Question

Inquiry Regarding Accidental Entry of Personal Information in Bing Search Queries

藤田剛太朗 20

I was unsure which contact channel would be most appropriate for this inquiry, so I am reaching out here regarding Bing Search.

I would appreciate your guidance on the following matters.

Removal of Personal Information from Search Logs

If personal information is accidentally entered into a Bing search query and submitted, is it possible to have that information removed from Microsoft's search logs or any related records?

If such removal is possible, I would be grateful if you could advise me on the relevant process and any steps required to submit a request.

Confirmation of My Understanding

I would also like to confirm whether the following understanding is accurate:

・Search queries entered into Bing may be processed and retained by Microsoft for purposes such as service operation, security, and quality improvement.

・Such search queries are maintained as internal logs and are not ordinarily disclosed to other Bing users through search results, search history, or any other public-facing functionality.

・Therefore, although personal information that is accidentally entered into a search query may be processed or retained by Microsoft, it would not normally be disclosed to third parties or other Bing users.

Could you please confirm whether the above understanding is correct?

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Answer 1

Carl-L 22,155 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello 藤田剛太朗,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

Regarding your statements, all of them are generally correct. While data given during a search query will be retained for a while and used, it will not be disclosed to any other third party through search results or history. Also, your search history is also private and cannot be accessed by other users.

For now, I'd highly suggest that your clear the search history from your profile. A deleted search history will be removed from the data after a while. However, if the data is extremely sensitive and need to be done as soon as possible, please submit a privacy request to the Privacy Portal. I hope this helps.

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藤田剛太朗 20 Reputation points

2026-07-09T07:13:31.23+00:00

@Carl-L
Thank you for your reply. I’m glad there’s no discrepancy in my understanding.
Your help was very helpful. Thank you very much.
Carl-L 22,155 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-09T13:39:13.19+00:00

Hello 藤田剛太朗,

It's good to hear that it helps.

Feel free to let me know if you have any other questions.
藤田剛太朗 20 Reputation points

2026-07-10T02:14:13.27+00:00

@Carl-L
Thank you for your assistance. I would like to ask an additional question regarding this matter.

Based on the information provided above, I understand that data entered in a search query is retained for a period of time.

If there is any available guidance, I would appreciate it if you could clarify approximately how long such data is typically retained.
Carl-L 22,155 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-07-14T13:03:59.5333333+00:00

Hello 藤田剛太朗,

Unfortunately, I cannot find any official statement or articles regarding how long your search query may be retained. However, based on this article, the period shouldn't be longer than 18 months, since at that time the system won't use the cookies for personalized search anymore. You can also ask that when you raise a ticket to the privacy portal if needed.
藤田剛太朗 20 Reputation points

2026-07-15T00:05:01.94+00:00

Hello @Carl-L

Thank you very much for your response. I sincerely appreciate your support and assistance.

I understand the information you have provided, and this addresses all of my questions.

Thank you again for your help. Your assistance has been extremely valuable.