Microsoft Rewards Secrets Most Users Never Notice

The expiry clock got shorter, and many pages never caught up

For years, the standard answer was that Microsoft Rewards points expire after 18 months without activity. You will still find that number on Microsoft's own "how to earn" support page and in countless guides.

But Microsoft's summary of changes to the Services Agreement records an update that shortened the window: unredeemed points now expire if you don't earn or redeem any points for 12 consecutive months. The current agreement, effective September 30, 2026, keeps that 12-month rule.

Signing in is a separate rule from earning

There is a second clock that runs alongside the points clock. The agreement says your Rewards account may be cancelled, and your points forfeited, if you don't sign in to your Microsoft account for 12 consecutive months.

On top of that, the general Microsoft account rules say you must sign in at least once every two years to keep the account itself active, or Microsoft may treat it as inactive and close it. A forgotten Xbox profile or an old Outlook address you only used for Rewards is exactly the kind of account that slips past both deadlines.

Some points don't count until you claim them

Many members assume every point lands automatically. Most do. But the agreement says that after you complete certain offers, you may have to claim the points on the Rewards Dashboard before they're added to your account, and that failing to claim within Microsoft's time limit can mean losing them.

Xbox players see a version of this often. Microsoft's Rewards on Xbox support page describes activating and claiming points for Xbox activities, which is why a quick look at the dashboard after a gaming session is worth the ten seconds.

Microsoft has a precise definition of a "search"

In the Rewards terms, a search isn't just anything typed into Bing. It is a person manually entering text in good faith to get results for their own research. Queries not meant for genuine personal research, and anything entered by a bot, macro or other automated method, don't qualify.

Microsoft tightened this language in a recent update, adding that points are awarded only for searches used for genuine, good-faith personal research. In regions that moved to the new level system, reporting on the monthly Bing Star Bonus describes it as being for genuine search needs too.

Your level is a monthly status, not a lifetime badge

Under the long-running two-level system, Microsoft's Xbox Rewards support page explains that you earn and keep Level 2 by reaching 500 points each month, and that points from any source count. Fall short in a month and your perks can drop with it.

In 2026, Microsoft began replacing that model in many countries with three levels: Member, Silver and Gold. Reports describe a staged rollout, with Canada, Australia and the Philippines notified for January 2026 (the system was already live in places like New Zealand, Mexico, Colombia and India) and the UK and parts of Europe following around May. Early coverage said U.S. availability had not been confirmed.

Figures come from Microsoft's member emails as reported by TrueAchievements, Windows Central and others. Microsoft says it may keep adjusting the program, so treat your own dashboard's level page as the source of truth.

Your inbox is the delivery truck

When you redeem, the agreement says the reward is emailed to the address tied to your Microsoft account, so you need to keep it current. The part people miss: rewards that can't be delivered won't be reissued, which means they're forfeited.

A few related rules are easy to overlook. Once you redeem, you generally can't cancel or return the reward for points (defective products and legal requirements aside). Some redemptions ask for a phone number, and Microsoft specifies one that isn't VoIP or toll-free. And the reward itself can carry its own clock: Tom's Guide, citing Microsoft, reported that a promotional Xbox credit redeemed from points has to be used within 90 days.

There is a yearly ceiling on redemptions

Almost no casual member will hit it, but it's there. The agreement caps how many points you can redeem per calendar year, with separate limits for third-party rewards and for Microsoft's own products and services, unless Microsoft allows more.

Microsoft also notes that some rewards are limited in number and handed out first come, first served, and that it may set daily or per-household limits on earning and redeeming. That's why a popular gift card can show as unavailable even when you have plenty of points.

The household and location rules are stricter than people think

The agreement is plain about it: you may open and use only one Rewards account, even if you have several email addresses, and each household is limited to six Rewards accounts. The program is for personal, non-commercial use, and points can't be transferred to another person.

Location matters too. You must live in a participating region, and the terms warn that using a VPN or any service that masks your location may lead to account cancellation and loss of your points. Microsoft's community support threads list VPNs, multiple accounts and automation among the most common reasons members see suspension notices.

Your searches can quietly fund a nonprofit

Give with Bing is one of the least-known corners of Rewards. You pick a nonprofit, and the points you earn from Bing searches, up to your daily maximum, are donated to it automatically each month. Microsoft's Give with Bing page lets you choose from more than a million organizations.

The clever part is what it doesn't touch. Microsoft notes that points from shopping, gaming and dashboard offers still go into your regular balance for the rewards catalog. So you can give your search points away while saving everything else. Separately, the Redeem page lets you donate points to listed nonprofits whenever you like. Availability varies by market.

The quiet value math behind every redemption

Microsoft's support pages say it usually takes about 5,000 points to redeem something worth $5. That works out to roughly a tenth of a cent per point. The agreement adds that points have no cash value, are Microsoft's property rather than yours, and can't be bought.

The "about" matters. Prices vary by region, by level and over time, and some redemptions stretch further than others. Windows Report, for example, found that Xbox Auto Redeem priced a Game Pass month at 10,500 points versus 12,000 for a regular redemption at the time of its report. Members on higher levels have also historically seen discounts on certain Microsoft-brand rewards.

You can earn without ever opening Bing.com

Microsoft lists several earning routes beyond the search page. Searching through the search box on the Windows 10 or Windows 11 taskbar counts. On phones, setting Bing as your default, using the Bing app or the Microsoft Edge app all qualify. Purchases in the Microsoft Store can earn points, with the rate tied to your level, and Microsoft notes that store purchases on Xbox may not earn points in every country.

One more line on Microsoft's earning page surprises people: it mentions getting personal Rewards points from a work or school account. If your employer or school uses Microsoft accounts, it's worth reading that support page to see whether it applies to you.

Quizzes and the Daily Set change more often than you'd guess

Microsoft says the opportunities on its earn page, such as quizzes and trivia, are updated daily, so checking in regularly matters. What fewer people notice is how often the point values shift. In early 2026, Microsoft cut Daily Set values and then reversed course; reports from April 2026 said Daily Set tasks had returned to 10 points each.

That pattern of testing, adjusting and sometimes rolling back changes ran through the whole year. Coverage from Windows Central and others described quietly higher gift-card prices, relocated activities and a redesigned dashboard, depending on region. The lesson isn't that Rewards is broken. It's that yesterday's guide may already be out of date.