Microsoft timeline | MSFT Alumni Voices

1975

Microsoft Co Founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen

Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the time, Gates was 19 and Allen was 22. Gates and Allen develop their version of the BASIC (Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Code) programming language for the Altair 8800, the first home computer and the machine that sparked the microcomputer revolution. Their goal was to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800, which would allow users to write their own software for the computer. This first product sold for $350 and was distributed on a cassette tape. Gates uses the name "Micro-soft" in a letter to Allen to refer to their partnership.

1976

Bill Gates business card - with the address on it

Microsoft becomes the official name of the partnership and is registered with the Office of the Secretary of State of New Mexico. Bill Gates and Paul Allen lease their first office in the Two Park Central Building at 300 San Mateo Blvd. NE Suite 819 in Albuquerque.

1977

Bill Gates and Paul Allen make their partnership official and Gates takes an extended leave from Harvard to work with Allen and half a dozen other programmers at Microsoft's headquarters near the Altair manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where the company was based from 1976 to 1978. By the end of the year, Microsoft is selling more than $1 million of software annually.

1978

Notable hires include Robert "Bob" O'Rear (right), who helped launch Microsoft UK; and Bill Neukom (left), principal legal counsel for Microsoft.

1980

Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Bob O’Rear ink a legendary contract with IBM to develop the operating system MS-DOS for their upcoming personal computer line. MS-DOS becomes the basis for Microsoft’s rapid expansion. That non-exclusive agreement led Bob to write MS-DOS with Tim Patterson, which the IBM operating system and the bargaining chip with which Microsoft gains market share with other original equipment manufacturers.

1981

Microsoft officially incorporates and begins leasing the Northup Building in Bellevue, Washington, conveniently located next to Burgermaster—which was on everyone's speed dial. You could call them to order a burger, walk next door, and your order would be ready. That was a novelty back in the 1980s. That same year, Microsoft enters the operating systems business. The release of MS-DOS, an acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, is introduced in IBM's personal computer, which also includes BASIC, COBOL, Pascal, and other Microsoft products. By the end of the year, Microsoft's sales break $17 million and the company employs 129 people.

1982

MS-DOS 1.25 released. This version expanded MS-DOS compatibility beyond IBM to other PC manufacturers, contributing to the rise of the "IBM PC compatible" ecosystem. Operating Systems Division photo, on the steps of the Northup Building. Left to right: (Top Row) Gordon Letwin, Mark Bebie, Irvin Shizgal, Marc MacDonald, Greg Post, Hans Spiller, David Basin, Bob Powell; (Middle Row) Aaron Reynolds, Eric Evans, Bob Scheulen, Ross Garmoe, Mike Householder, Anthony Short, Mark Nitzberg, Vic Heller; (Bottom Row) Henry Burgess, Nancy Cedar (Panners-Scheulen), Ellen Aycock-Wright, Paul Butzi, Andy Padawer, Barry Shaw, Alan Whitney.

1983

Word for MS-DOS 1.0 is released in the spring of 1983 and Microsoft announces Multi-Tool Word, which later becomes Microsoft Word.

Photo from the 1983 October issue of PC World Magazine featuring the demonstration floppy disk introducing Word 1.0 for MS-DOS. The Word 1.0 software box and floppy disks are also shown.

Notable hires include Jon Shirley (left), former president, chief operating officer, and director of the Microsoft Corporation; Joachim Kempin (middle), a senior vice president who ran Microsoft's division selling operating software to PC manufacturers; Mike Slade, who served as director of corporate marketing in Microsoft's systems software division; Pete Higgins (right), who was general manager and then vice president of the Analysis Business Unit, before becoming a member of the Office of the President, reporting to Bill Gates; Raymond B. "Buck" Ferguson, former senior director of Investor and Shareholder Relations; and Bernard Vergnes,chairman emeritus of Microsoft EMEA.

1984

Notable new hires this year include Notable new hires include Charles Stevens (top-left), a corporate vice president; Rich Macintosh (top-right), general manager of Microsoft Canada; Marty Taucher (bottom-left), who was director of network communications for Microsoft Network; and Joe Vetter (bottom-right), who held management positions in OEM, sales, and consulting.

1985

Windows 1.0 for MS-DOS box shot. Blue box with gray text. Image was taken in a studio setting with a gray background. Product is positioned upright and angled.

Microsoft introduces the U.S. to the Windows line with the launch the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. It's released as a graphical extension for MS-DOS with user-friendly icons. Windows 1.0 included Microsoft DOS Executive, Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Print Spooler, Reversi, Terminal, Windows Paint, and Windows Write. By the time Microsoft ended its support for Windows 1.0 on December 31, 2001, it was the longest-supported operating system out of all versions of Windows.

1986

Microsoft goes public with an initial public offering of 3,095,000 shares of common stock, priced at $21 per share.

In March, Microsoft makes an IPO. The stock goes public at $21 a share and reaches to $28 by end of the day, bringing in $61 million. On a product standpoint, Microsoft releases the Exchange Server. This is designed as a messaging and collaboration server that provides email, calendar, and contact management.

1987

Microsoft introduces the U.S. to the Windows line with the launch the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0. It's released as a graphical extension for MS-DOS with user-friendly icons. Windows 1.0 included Microsoft DOS Executive, Calculator, Calendar, Cardfile, Clipboard, Clock, Control Panel, Notepad, Print Spooler, Reversi, Terminal, Windows Paint, and Windows Write. By the time Microsoft ended its support for Windows 1.0 on December 31, 2001, it was the longest-supported operating system out of all versions of Windows.

1988

Notable hires include Dave Cutler, a luminary among engineers, who was a Senior Technical Fellow at Microsoft, and Mark Lucovsky (pictured), one of the original engineers Culter recruited to design and build Windows NT. Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, also started in 1988 as a programming intern.

1989

The first version of Microsoft Office hits the market.

Microsoft packages its core productivity applications—Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—into a single offering and introduces first version of the Office suite. The suite initially launches for the Macintosh with the Windows version to come in 1990. By integrating these applications into one package under the Office brand, Microsoft establishes its dominance in office productivity software, as users appreciate the consistency and compatibility among tools.

1990

Windows 3.0 for MS-DOS product box shot. Cropped image with slight gray studio background. Box cover has image of a monitor, keyboard and mouse next to a window with warm light filtering in.

Windows 3.0 launches and gains widespread adoption, making the Windows platform a household name.

1991

In November, the new Microsoft® Windows® logo, a colorful window with trailing rectangular tails in the shape of a fluttering flag, is announced at Fall/COMDEX '91. By the end of the year, sales exceed $1.8 billion and the company employs 8,226 people.

1992

Notable hires include P. Anandan (top-left), Kurt DelBene (top-middle-left), George Heidorn (top-middle-right), Karen Jensen (top-right), Satya Nadella, Harry Shum (bottom-left), Rick Szeliski (bottom-middle), and Jason Zander (bottom-right).

1979

With fewer than 15 employees, Microsoft recognizes the need to recruit top programmers and leases offices on the eighth floor of the Old Bank Building in downtown Bellevue, Washingon, which sets the stage for innovation and growth. At the same time, Microsft advertises in Byte and other publications about technology innovations including the BASIC Compiler.

1993

Windows NT, short for "New Technology," launches on July 27. This is Microsoft’s first operating system to support 32-bit processing and is aimed at business users. It enhances security, stability, and performance compared to the DOS-based versions of Windows. Plug and Play architecture is announced with end-users in mind.

1994

Microsoft BackOffice, a suite of server products designed for small to medium-sized businesses, launches. It provides a complete solution for networking, email, and web services, and it includes Windows NT Server, Exchange Server, SQL Server, and Internet Information Server.

1995

Microsoft launches Windows 95, the consumer focused version of Windows. This launch helps define the future of personal computing. Users are introduced to the Start menu and taskbar, and this cements Windows'’ dominance in the OS market. The release is a major event and turns Windows into an essential platform for personal and professional users.

1996

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95 is available in 22 languages, bringing the browser to the largest international audience of any internet client software. Year-end sales total $8.57 billion and the company employs 20,561 people.

1997

White w/puzzle piece graphic featuring PowerPoint 97, Word 97, Outlook 97 & Excel 97. Blue starburst on upper R w/text reading "The World's Best-Selling Office Studio".

Microsoft Internet Explorer 2.0 for Windows 95 is available in 22 languages, bringing the browser to the largest international audience of any internet client software. Year-end sales total $8.57 billion and the company employs 20,561 people.

1998

1998 marks a changing of the guard. Bill Gates names Steve Ballmer as president, and Bill continues as CEO. Ballmer, a close friend of Gates from their student days at Harvard University, joined Microsoft in 1980, five years after its founding. Before becoming president, Ballmer was executive vice president of sales and support.

1999

Office 2000 launches in 1999, introducing several notable features. Highlights include web integration and HTML support and enhanced collaboration with Office Server Extensions.

2000

Steve Ballmer is appointed CEO of Microsoft in January, 2000. Bill steps down as CEO and remains actively involved as Chairman and Chief Software Architect.

2001

Windows XP and Office XP launch and become known for stability and user-friendly interfaces. Windows XP becomes one of the best-selling OS versions and its release includes the Windows XP Tablet PC edition for OEMs and developers, which evolved to become the Surface.

2002

Microsoft launches the .NET Initiative, which provides a solid foundation for increasing business connectivity and efficiency. It provides the platform for powering connected applications, networks, and Web Services. By the end of the year, revenue reaches $28.37 billion.

2003

Notable hires include Kathleen Hogan, who became executive vice president and chief human resources officer.

2004

The release of "Halo 2" marks the single biggest event in entertainment history up to this point. The game tops $125 million in the first day and sells more than 5 million copies in the first month.

2005

Xbox 360 Tower and Controls : Xbox 360 tower and controls, front and top view. White and silver tower standing on it39;s small end with green circular light on. Control is sitting to the right of the tower with green circular light on. Published in PressPass c2004.

After four engineers from Microsoft's DirectX team—Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase, and DirectX team leader Otto Berkes—envision how Microsoft can compete against the PlayStation 2, Microsoft launches Xbox 360. This next-generation video game platform is optimized for high-definition entertainment and online play.

2006

Microsoft introduces Encarta Premium, which includes interactive features and a partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica to give more credibility and depth to Encarta's content.

Microsoft realigns the company into three divisions: the Microsoft Platforms & Services Division led by co-presidents Kevin Johnson and Jim Allchin (who will retire following the launch of Windows Vista); the Microsoft Business Division led by Jeff Raikes as president; and Microsoft Entertainment & Devices Division, where Robbie Bach serves as president. Notable hires include Kevin Turner, who joins the company as chief operating officer.

2007

With the launches of new versions of flagship Microsoft® Windows® and Office products, including the Windows Vista operating system (code name "Longhorn") and the 2007 Microsoft Office system, 2007 saw the rollout of the biggest wave of business software in Microsoft's history. Key figures in the Vista launch include Jim Allchin, Brian Valentine, and Amitabh Srivastava.

2008

Former Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie announces Windows Azure, Microsoft’s first foray into cloud computing, onstage at the company’s Professional Developers Conference.

Windows Azure, known as "Project Red Dog," is first introduced at the Professional Developers Conference by Ray Ozzie, Microsoft's chief software architect. This platform is an industry-leading move to help developers build the next generation of applications and deliver new experiences across the PC, Web, and phone.

2009

Black desktop wallpaper with bing in blue lights and the dot in the in yellow lights.

Microsoft unveils Bing, a search engine that replaces the Live Search product. Bing is designed as a decision engine—a faster way to make informed choices on purchases, travel, healthcare and finding local businesses. It crawls, analyzes, and indexes billions of webpages and other Internet content and relates all of that to keywords and phrases used by searchers.

2010

Kinect for Xbox 360 launched on November 4, 2010 in North America, followed by releases in other regions later that month. It was a motion-sensing device that enabled players to interact with games using body movements and voice commands, without the need for a controller.

2011

Microsoft bets big on the cloud for businesses and consumers. In 2010, it launches Office 365, a new service where Office meets the cloud. This subscription-based model and cloud-based applications boost the company's shift toward cloud services.

2012

After more than 1.24 billion hours of testing, Microsoft launches Windows 8. This operating system features a new, tile-based interface designed for touchscreen devices. Microsoft also announces a new family of PCs for Windows: Surface and Surface Pro tablets. For fiscal year 2012, revenue grows to a record $73.7 billion.

2013

Xbox One, an all-in-one entertainment system officially hits the market, putting the consumer at the center of games, TV, movies, music, sports, and Skype. This is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox series.

2014

Three generations of Microsoft CEOs celebrate as Steve Ballmer passes the baton to Satya Nadella. Satya began working at Microsoft in 1992 and ushered in an era of openness and innovation for the company. Satya emphasizes a “mobile-first, cloud-first” strategy to guide Microsoft’s transformation within cloud and AI.

The same year, Microsoft introduces Cortana, a digital personal assistant built into Windows Phone 8.1.

2015

shot of Terry Myerson standing on stage at the Windows 10 launch event. Behind him is a projected blue slide with “Windows 7 – Windows 8.1 – Windows Phone 8.1 - Windows 10 Free Upgrade for the First Year”.

Windows 10 launches as a service that unites user experiences across devices and Office 2016 launches as part of the bold mobile-first, cloud-first strategy.

2016

On November 2, 2016, Kirk Koenigsbauer, then Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Office, officially unveiled Microsoft Teams during a special event in New York City. This introduction marked Microsoft's entry into the competitive team collaboration space, positioning Teams as a direct competitor to Slack and other workplace communication tools.

2016 saw all-time highs in Microsoft's stock price as the company advances its "mobile-first, cloud-first" strategy, completes its largest acquisition, adds huge new divisions, releases Microsoft Dynamics 365 and other new products, lands Facebook as an Office 365 customer, shows up on Saturday Night Live, and gets Windows 10 on hundreds of millions of devices. This same year, Microsoft announces that Microsoft Philanthropies will donate $1 billion in public cloud computing for nonprofits around the world.

2017

Office 365 gets a worldwide rollout: more than 100 million people use it commercially and more than 27 million use it on home and personal devices.

2018

Casual portrait of Paul Allen, ca. 1980-1983.

Microsoft mourns the passing of co-founder Paul Allen, who died at 65 from complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Allen was a renowned philanthropist and business leader who played a huge role in how the world uses technology. In a statement, CEO Satya Nadella says, "In his own quiet and persistent way, he created magical products, experiences and institutions, and in doing so, he changed the world."

Microsoft launches its AI for Good program. The program, led by John Kahan, who joined as the Chief Data Analytics Officer for Microsoft’s Corporate, External and Legal Affairs, is designed to use artificial intelligence to tackle the world's biggest challenges, including climate change, global health, and human rights. Part of the program is AI for Humanitarian Action, a global grant program focused on addressing distaster response, refugee protection, and the needs of children.

2019

The great giving machine: driven to make an impact, employees turn giving into a way of lifeIn 2019, Microsoft employees in the United States volunteered 825,000 hours for nonprofits. US-based Microsoft employees and their company match raised $181 million, including more than $20 million of volunteering match dollars that supported 23,5000 nonprofits and schools in 2019.

Microsoft invests $1 billion in a partnership with OpenAI. The partnership is focused on building a platform that OpenAI will use to build new Azure AI supercomputing technologies. Microsoft has a record-breaking year, generating $125 billion in revenue, growing the largest commercial cloud business in the world, and becoming a $1 trillion company—only the third company in the U.S. to pass a market cap of $1 trillion.

2020

Black Teams background with "Microsoft 365" prominently featured with mixed colors of blue, purple, pinks, reds, oranges, and white. Associated images available.

Microsoft introduces Microsoft 365—a rebrand and expansion on theOffice 365 suite. This product brings together Office 365 with advanced AI-driven features across apps like Word, Excel, and Outlook; Windows 10; and Enterprise Mobility + Security.

2021

Microsoft introduces Azure OpenAI Service, bringing GPT-3 to more developers. By this point, Microsoft is using GPT-3 to power GitHub’s Copilot tool that helps developers write code for them. Microsoft generates $168 billion in revenue.

2022

Brad Smith, on stage, speaking in Brussels on how the company's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will increase choice and access for gamers and game developers. Behind him are the logos for Xbox, Activision, Blizzard, King, and MS.

Microsoft's Brad Smith announces plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, Inc., a leader in game development and an interactive entertainment content publisher. The acquisition, valued at $68.7 billion, accelerates growth in gaming across mobile, PC, console, and cloud, and brings the joy of gaming to more people around the world.

2023

Microsoft enters a new era of AI. After making coding more efficient with GitHub, transforming productivity at work with Microsoft 365, and redefining search with Bing and Edge, Microsoft announces Copilot. The technology is marketed as an everyday AI companion.

2024

Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan join Microsoft to form a new organization called Microsoft AI. This program focuses on advancing Copilot and other consumer AI products and research.

Moments that shaped the future