What is Microsoft Rewards?

It seems like every day another company is prompting its customers to sign up for a loyalty program or points system. While loyalty programs can mean earning points toward free gear and services, it can be hard to keep up with what each brand offers. Microsoft Rewards is one of those loyalty programs that has flown under the radar since it launched in 2016. The points system makes it super easy to rack up freebies by doing things you’re already doing online. All you have to do is sign up and let the rewards come your way.

Looking to get a better understanding of how the Microsoft Rewards system actually works and how you can rack up and redeem points as quickly as possible? Below, we lay out everything you need to know about Microsoft Rewards and how to make the most of the loyalty program:

Is Microsoft Rewards legit?

It might seem counterintuitive or even a little questionable to receive points for doing things you’re already doing online—but Microsoft Rewards is a totally legitimate loyalty program created specifically for Microsoft users by Microsoft itself. The program was designed to keep you using Microsoft-specific hardware and software, from purchasing Microsoft products to using Microsoft-branded programs.

Microsoft Rewards was created in November 2005, but back then the program granted “Xbox Live Points.” The system began as a form of digital currency that could be used on the company’s Xbox and Zune products but eventually spun off into something that any Microsoft user could take advantage of. As of September 2013, Microsoft Rewards were available to collect by anyone with Microsoft products.

How to get Microsoft Rewards points fast

There are plenty of ways to earn Microsoft Rewards points—from shopping on the Microsoft Store to using Microsoft-branded products—but the easiest and cheapest way to earn Microsoft Rewards points fast is to set your default homepage to Microsoft Bing. The Microsoft-owned search engine is the third most popular search engine globally and basically functions the exact same way as Google or Yahoo Search—but unlike the latter two, Microsoft will actually pay you in points to search with Bing.

As long as you’re using Microsoft Edge or Cortana, every single time you search for anything on the Microsoft Bing search engine you’ll receive five points. You’d be surprised how quickly points will start to accumulate by simply switching your search queries from Google or Yahoo Search to Bing.

Another quick and easy way to earn points is by logging onto your Xbox. That’s right—you’ll begin racking up points just by playing the select games on your Xbox One, Series S, or Series X. Make sure to download the rewards app onto your device before getting started so you know exactly which games will earn you the most points.

How to redeem Microsoft Rewards

Redeeming Microsoft Rewards points is even easier than earning them. Once you’ve collected enough points to earn the rewards you want, the products or services will light up on the Redeem page to let you know that you’re now eligible to snag them. If you see that the item you want has lit up, all you have to do is click on the Redeem button and you’ll be prompted to exchange your points for the product or service you’re after.

The process is extremely easy and foolproof from start to finish, so you won’t have to worry about keeping track of every point collected or going searching for missing points. Microsoft Rewards keeps all of your information logged in the Rewards page. Any time you want to check in on how many points you’ve collected or what you can redeem, all you have to do is visit the Redeem page.

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