Green hills with a blue sky - the Windows XP desktop image

Timeline

With almost 50 years in the tech industry and 40 in the UK, we've continuously focussed on helping everyone achieve more. Explore a timeline of our journey.

1975

APR 4, 1975 Microsoft founded

1980

1981

AUG 12, 1981 IBM introduces its personal computer with Microsoft's 16-bit operating system MS-DOS 1.0

1982

1982 Microsoft UK launches

1985

1985 First version of Windows announced

A computer screen of the first version of Windows

1987

1989

1989 First version of Office announced

1995

AUG 24, 1995 Launches Windows 95

Bill Gates presenting Windows 95 on stage

DEC 7, 1995 Bill Gates outlines Microsoft's commitment to supporting and enhancing the internet

2000

JAN 13, 2000 Steve Ballmer named president and CEO for Microsoft

2001

OCT 25, 2001 Launches Windows XP

Windows XP desktop background of a green hill and blue sky

NOV 15, 2001 Xbox launched - Discover the history of Xbox

2002

JAN 15, 2002 Bill Gates outlines Microsoft's commitment to trustworthy computing

2009

MAY 28, 2009 Microsoft unveils Bing

OCT 22, 2009 Launches Windows 7

2011

JUN 28, 2011 Office 365 launches

2012

JUN 18, 2012 Surface devices launched

JUN 30, 2012 Michel Van der Bel becomes Microsoft UK CEO

OCT 26, 2012 Windows 8 launched

2014

FEB 4, 2014 Satya Nadella becomes Microsoft CEO - Read Satya's bio and latest news

2015

JAN 21, 2015 HoloLens, the world's first holographic headset is announced View Video

JUL 29, 2015 Windows 10 launched

2016

JUN 30, 2016 Cindy Rose becomes Microsoft UK CEO

SEP 29, 2016 Microsoft Research AI launched

2017

JUL, 2017 AI for Good announced to help empower those working to solve humanitarian issues - Discover how

person in an airline hangar looking at a tablet device

2018

MAY 16, 2018 Microsoft unveils Xbox Adaptive Controller

JUN 1, 2018 Underwater data centre deployed

2019

JUL 11, 2019 London flagship store opens

A crowd of people wait outside Microsoft Store at Oxford Circus

2020

JAN 16, 2020 Microsoft announces goal to be net zero by 2030

A person stands on a rock overlooking a glacier lake with a forest and mountains in the distance

APR 15, 2020 Microsoft announces plan to help protect biodiversity of the world's ecosystems

APR 4, 2020 Microsoft's 45th anniversary

JUL 2020 Microsoft helps British manufacturers unite to build ventilators for the NHS in just 12 weeks View Video

NOV 10, 2020 Launches Xbox Series X

OCT 1, 2020 Clare Barclay announced as Microsoft UK CEO

OCT 13, 2020 Microsoft launches 5-year campaign to help 1.5 million people build tech careers in the UK - Read about Get On

2021

JUL 14, 2021 Microsoft unveils Windows 365

OCT 5, 2021 Windows 11 launches

OCT 11, 2021 First digital billboards to feature BSL in the UK to showcase our commitment to accessibility

People walking in a train station with Microsoft's BSL digital billboards

NOV 2021 Microsoft is the primary partner at COP26

NOV 18, 2021 The Duke of Cambridge visits Microsoft's UK headquarters to hear about Project SEEKR

2022

JAN 17, 2022 Hector Minto, Lead Evangelist for Accessibility at Microsoft UK announced as Government Disability and Access Ambassador for Tech and Web

JAN 2022 Microsoft unveils accelerator for startups that use technology to help the planet

FEB 2022 Chancellor Rishi Sunak visits Microsoft's UK HQ and highlights impact of apprentices on economy

MAR 2022 Microsoft appoints Musidora Jorgensen to UK leadership team

JUN 2022 Launch of Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability

SEP 2022 Campaign to raise awareness of how technology can help with Dyslexia

DEC 2022 Announced 10-year strategic partnership with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)

2023

JUN 2023 A new five-year deal delivers Microsoft 365 productivity tools to NHS England

Doctor accessing a patients details using a touch screen computer in the clinic

OCT 2023 Microsoft expands its UK skilling programme to equip 1 million people for the AI-based economy

Clare Barclay, CEO of Microsoft UK speaking at Envision UK