Microsoft Layoffs
Industry Other · Location Seattle · United States · Subscribe (RSS)
Microsoft has 20 publicly reported layoff rounds on record between May 5, 2009 and September 8, 2025. A total of about 30,141 employees were affected across these rounds.
Layoff history
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in September 8, 2025. Approximately 42 roles were eliminated.
Source: bizjournals.com
In early July 2025, Microsoft said it would lay off about 9,000 employees, close to 4% of its workforce, in one of its larger rounds of the year. The cuts spanned multiple divisions, levels and geographies, including parts of the sales organization and the Xbox and gaming business. Management was working to flatten layers and rein in costs even as it kept pouring money into AI and data-center capacity.
Reason: Reducing management layers amid heavy AI investment
Source: cnbc.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in June 24, 2025.
Source: bloomberg.com
Microsoft filed a WARN notice with Washington state on June 2, 2025 disclosing 305 additional job cuts in Redmond, with separations classified as permanent and scheduled to begin August 1. The filing pushed the company's Washington state layoff total for the year to nearly 2,300. A spokesperson said the cuts reflect "organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace" and described the 305 as "significantly less" than 1% of Microsoft's total workforce. The Redmond filing came weeks after Microsoft's larger May 2025 round, in which the company eliminated roughly 6,000 positions globally, including nearly 2,000 in Washington state. No specific teams or severance details were disclosed in connection with the June WARN notice.
Reason: Ongoing organizational restructuring following larger May 2025 reduction
Source: geekwire.com
Microsoft said in May 2025 that it would cut about 6,000 jobs, roughly 3% of its global workforce, its largest round in more than two years. The company described the reductions as an effort to flatten management layers and simplify how the organization is structured. According to Microsoft, the cuts hit employees across levels, teams and locations and were not tied to performance. The timing was notable: the company kept up heavy capital spending on AI infrastructure even as it trimmed headcount.
Reason: Flattening management layers while AI spending stayed high
Source: cnbc.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in January 14, 2025.
Source: businessinsider.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in January 7, 2025.
Source: businessinsider.com
Microsoft cut 650 jobs from its gaming division on September 12, 2024, the third round of gaming layoffs since the company closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, told staff in a memo that the decision was made to align the post-acquisition team structure and manage the business for "long term success." The cuts fell mostly on corporate and supporting functions, and Spencer confirmed no game cancellations or studio closures would follow. Bringing the total gaming headcount reductions to more than 2,550 since the Activision deal, the September round underscored how heavily Microsoft has consolidated the enlarged organization. The January 2024 round alone had removed 1,900 gaming employees.
Reason: Post-acquisition restructuring and team realignment
Source: ign.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in July 3, 2024.
Source: geekwire.com
Microsoft cut around 1,000 employees from its mixed reality and Azure units on June 3, 2024, marking the second significant reduction in those divisions within 18 months. The layoffs hit the Mixed Reality organization, the Azure for Operators team, and the Mission Engineering group, which had handled government cloud products and quantum computing projects. Microsoft confirmed it would continue selling and supporting HoloLens 2 and remain committed to the U.S. Department of Defense's IVAS augmented-reality program, but the restructuring effectively wound down new consumer and commercial HoloLens development. The company had already shut down AltSpaceVR, discontinued next-generation HoloLens work, and converted its Mixed Reality Toolkit to open source. The cuts came as Microsoft was managing higher capital spending to build out AI infrastructure while maintaining profit margins.
Reason: restructuring of mixed reality and Azure units; AI infrastructure cost management
Source: theverge.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in January 25, 2024. Approximately 1,900 roles were eliminated.
Source: theverge.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in July 18, 2023. Approximately 1,000 roles were eliminated.
Source: businessinsider.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in May 10, 2023. Approximately 158 roles were eliminated.
Source: geekwire.com
Microsoft said in January 2023 that it would cut 10,000 jobs, just under 5% of its workforce, by the end of its third fiscal quarter. CEO Satya Nadella pointed to customers reining in their spending amid broader economic caution and the need to realign resources toward priority areas, including the next generation of AI. The company recorded a $1.2 billion charge tied to severance, changes to its hardware portfolio and office-lease consolidation. Even with headcount falling overall, management said hiring would continue in strategic areas.
Reason: Economic caution and a shift of resources toward AI.
Source: usatoday.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in October 17, 2022.
Source: cnbc.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Seattle operations in July 12, 2022.
Source: cnbc.com
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Hauppauge, NY operations in September 18, 2014. Approximately 1 roles were eliminated.
Reason: N/A
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Hauppauge, NY operations in July 17, 2014. Approximately 32 roles were eliminated.
Reason: N/A
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its Islandia, NY operations in December 6, 2012. Approximately 27 roles were eliminated.
Reason: N/A
Microsoft disclosed a workforce reduction affecting its New York, NY operations in May 5, 2009. Approximately 26 roles were eliminated.
Reason: N/A
Data for Microsoft is compiled from public WARN Act filings and reporting linked above. See our methodology.