Microsoft Rewards expands benefits and introduces streak protection feature

Microsoft last week announced updates to its Microsoft Rewards program, including new features designed to make earning and redeeming points easier and more rewarding. The announcement comes alongside the program's expansion to over 230 countries and territories, encompassing all seven continents.

Earning and redeeming points

Daily Set Expansion: According to Microsoft, the Daily Set, a collection of tasks that users can complete to earn points, is now available in over 230 countries and regions. This broader availability allows users worldwide to participate in the program and accumulate points.

Streak Bonuses: Microsoft Rewards emphasizes the importance of daily streaks for its members. The program continues to reward users for completing a set of daily activities and offers bonus points for maintaining longer streaks.

Protecting your streak

Streak Restore: Microsoft acknowledges that users might accidentally miss a day, potentially breaking their streak. To address this, the program introduces "Streak Restore." Eligible users can restore their streak once every 60 days if they miss a day. Users with streaks exceeding 100 days can leverage Streak Restore once a month. To utilize this feature, users can visit the Microsoft Rewards support page and submit a request.

Streak Protection: For those planning vacations or anticipating periods without access to their devices, Microsoft introduces "Streak Protection." This feature allows users to activate protection for their streak in advance. With Streak Protection enabled, users receive up to 14 days of coverage per calendar year. Importantly, completing the daily set while Streak Protection is active does not count towards the user's quota. More information about Streak Protection is available on the Microsoft Rewards support page.

Expanded benefits

Free Duolingo Trial: Microsoft partnered with Duolingo, a popular language learning app, to offer Microsoft Rewards members a complimentary three-month subscription to Duolingo Super. To qualify, users must conduct searches using Microsoft Bing on Edge for three consecutive days.

Increased Donation Options: Microsoft Rewards allows users to donate points to charities. The program recently expanded its donation capabilities to over 200 markets, providing users with more opportunities to support causes they care about.

The recent updates to the Microsoft Rewards program demonstrate a focus on improving the user experience. By expanding program availability, offering new ways to earn points, and introducing features like Streak Restore and Streak Protection, Microsoft aims to make the program more rewarding and user-friendly for its global membership base.

What is Microsoft Rewards?

Microsoft Rewards is a loyalty program offered by Microsoft that allows users to earn points for various activities within the Microsoft ecosystem. These points can then be redeemed for rewards like gift cards, subscriptions, and charitable donations.

While earning points incentivizes using Bing for searches, it's important to understand the program's influence:

Not Mandatory for Bing Use: Using Bing is not mandatory to participate in Microsoft Rewards. Users can still earn points through other activities within the program.

Focus on Overall Engagement: Microsoft Rewards seems to prioritize overall user engagement within the Microsoft ecosystem, with Bing searches being one of several point-earning opportunities.

It's important to note that search engines strive to deliver the most relevant results to users, regardless of loyalty programs. This concept is known as search neutrality. While Microsoft Rewards might encourage users to search with Bing, the search engine itself should prioritize returning the best possible results for each query.

Microsoft Rewards offers an incentive to use Bing for searches, but it's just one factor influencing user behavior. Search engines, including Bing, should prioritize search neutrality to ensure users receive the most relevant results for their queries.