Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational technology company founded by Bill Gates and the late Paul Allen on April 4, 1975. It is known for the Microsoft Windows operating systems, the Microsoft Office suite, the Internet Explorer and Microsoft Edge web browsers, Xbox video game consoles, and the Microsoft Surface line of tablet computers. Microsoft is the largest company by market capitalization, having a peak value of US$3.125 trillion in February 2024.
Traf-O-Data
1972–1975
Designer:
Miles Gilbert
Typography:
Clarendon
Launched:
June 13, 1972
Microsoft started as Traf-O-Data in 1972 as a traffic computer manufacturer for traffic lights for the Washington state roads. The company was working for the government at the time (these operations would since be merged into Microsoft). The logo was designed by Miles Gilbert, brother of Paul Gilbert, one of the company's co-founders.[1]
Microsoft
1975–1980
Designer:
Andrea Davis
Typography:
Aki Lines
Launched:
April 4, 1975
1980–1982, 2023
Designer:
Simon Daniels (original logo) Unknown (48th birthday variant)
Typography:
New Zelek (modified)
Launched:
1980
This logo was reused on social media to celebrate Microsoft's 48th birthday.
Microsoft launched its most well-known logo on February 26, 1987,[5] and since then, has been cherished by many. Up until 2012, multiple variations of this logo was on Microsoft's website and was used on the website even after the 2010 variant below was introduced. It was designed by Scott Baker.
It's still used on older products and some portals (most notably the Windows/Microsoft Update website and boot screen in Windows XP, the Microsoft Update site in Windows Vista, the documentation page for Windows XP Professional, the Xbox 360, the vast majority of pre-2011 Microsoft Game Studios games, and some others, to name a few).
“The new logo, in Helvetica italic typeface, has a slash between the o and s to emphasize the "soft" part of the name and convey motion and speed.”
— Scott Baker, designer of the 1987 Microsoft logo.
2010–2012
Designer:
Unknown
Typography:
Helvetica Italic Black (modified)
Launched:
November 7, 2010
On July 22, 2010, a new tagline, "Be What's Next." was revealed at that year's Microsoft Global Exchange (MGX) event.[6][a] It was officially launched later on November 7 of the same year, when the Microsoft logo was altered slightly, reducing the slant.[7] This logo was the shortest-lived of the company, only being used for 21 months until August 22, 2012. This logo was never used on Microsoft's website, having the previous logo until it was replaced with the current one.
2012–present
Designer:
Jason Wells
Typography:
Segoe Semibold
Launched:
August 23, 2012
Microsoft launched its new logo on August 23, 2012, which includes the colorful 2×2 square grid historically been used for Windows with each color representing a specific product (Office, Xbox, Windows and Bing, respectively). This happened around the time Windows 8 was previewed, whose respective logo is fully blue, so the old Windows colors would be brought to the Microsoft logo. However, it isn't entirely new as the square grid was recycled from the one featured in Windows 95 commercials from the mid-90s that would also be used as the original logo of the now-defunct physical Microsoft Store in 2009, when the store would start operating.
Notes: 1 Became independent before becoming a Sony Interactive Entertainment subsidiary in 2022 2 Were moved to work on other Microsoft Software departments 3 consolidated 4 Sold to Take-Two Interactive, later being defunct
Notes: 1 Became independent before becoming a Sony Interactive Entertainment subsidiary in 2022 2 Were moved to work on other Microsoft Software departments 3 consolidated 4 Sold to Take-Two Interactive, later being defunct
Notes: 1Nokia phone brand licensing was sold to Human Mobile Devices in 2016. The original Nokia company continues to exist. 2Developer Kit hardware was discontinued in 2023. Azure Kinect technologies continued to be licensed to its partners.