Microsoft software engineer interview: stages, coding round and rules
Microsoft's careers site describes a process of application review, an interview stage with typically 2-4 conversations of up to an hour each, then an offer. Software engineering interviews are problem-solving focused: coding, design and testing, in a short 45-minute round. The exact loop depends on the team and level, and Microsoft says candidates must work without outside assistance unless it is explicitly permitted. Everything below is limited to what Microsoft publishes on its own pages; details it does not publish are marked "not confirmed".
The stages Microsoft publishes
On its "How we hire" page, Microsoft lists seven stages: explore open jobs, submit application, application review, interview, offer, pre-onboard, and hired. That is the whole official outline. The page does not publish a fixed number of rounds, a fixed calendar timeline, or a scoring rubric, so any exact "five rounds in three weeks" claim you read elsewhere is not confirmed by Microsoft. What the page does say is that after your interviews your recruiter will share the timeline for next steps.
Microsoft also notes that because of application volume it is typically unable to provide individualized feedback to candidates who are not selected for a screen or interview. In some cases a recruiter may schedule a short screening conversation after the resume review; the exact form of that screen varies and is not standardized in the public text.
What the interview loop looks like
Microsoft states that interviews may take place over the phone, on Microsoft Teams, or in person, and that most include 2-4 conversations with potential teammates and cross-functional colleagues, each lasting up to an hour. Treat this as the official baseline rather than a guarantee: the number of conversations and who you meet depend on the role, level and organization.
- Format: phone, Teams or in person, chosen by the team.
- People: potential teammates plus cross-functional colleagues, not only engineers.
- Length: up to an hour per conversation.
- Student and early-career roles: the student page says there is an initial interview and, if selected, a second final interview, and that all student interviews are virtual. A virtual interview day includes 1:1 meetings with Microsoft employees and a break between interviews.
The student page also says the process varies depending on the role, and that candidates should prepare for both behavioral and functional/technical questions.
What the technical rounds test
Microsoft's technical interviewing page names four evaluation areas: problem solving, design, coding and testing. It says you should know the details of at least one n*log(n) sorting algorithm, preferably two, and be ready to explain Big O complexity. For data structures it lists arrays and strings, queues and lists, linked lists, trees and tries, hash maps and hash sets, and graphs, and asks you to know when to use each and the trade-offs. Other topics depend on the role and can include system design, AI/ML, data science and computer networking.
Three practical details are also stated. The round is short: Microsoft calls it "the short 45-minute interview round" and asks you to manage your time. You code in a third-party tool where you can run and compile your code, so syntax and compile errors are visible. And you are asked to code only in a language you are strong in, not pseudocode.
Whether a given role starts with an online coding assessment, and which vendor runs it, is not confirmed on these pages. If your recruiter sends an assessment link, read its instructions and ask what tools and resources are allowed.
How to approach a 45-minute coding round
The official tips are short and sensible: ask clarifying questions and plan before coding, practice a lot, test your work before saying you are done, point out edge cases, and aim for code that is clean, concise and bug free. In practice that translates into a simple rhythm.
- Minutes 0-5: restate the problem, confirm input sizes, edge cases and expected output.
- Minutes 5-10: describe a brute-force approach and its complexity, then a better one, and agree on it before typing.
- Minutes 10-35: code in your strongest language, narrating decisions.
- Minutes 35-45: walk through examples, run the code if the tool allows, name edge cases (empty input, duplicates, overflow) and state final complexity.
Drills for this rhythm are in our guides to live coding interviews, explaining your code out loud and solving LeetCode-style problems in a real interview. For design questions use the system design interview framework.
Behavioral and "past experience" questions
Microsoft tells candidates to expect to back up qualifications with specific past examples, explain their reasoning and show how their experience transfers to the role. Prepare four to six real stories with a clear situation, your own action and a measurable result; our guides on the STAR method and behavioral questions cover the structure. Microsoft does not publish a list of the behavioral questions it asks, so a "leaked question list" is not confirmed and not worth building your prep around.
The rules on AI and outside help
Microsoft's wording is specific. It encourages candidates to use AI tools responsibly and ethically during preparation, and says that during assessments and interviews candidates should demonstrate their own skills without outside assistance unless explicitly permitted. So the line is: practice with AI as much as you like; in the live round, use only what the recruiter has said is allowed.
If you are unsure, ask the recruiter in writing before the interview which resources, notes and tools are permitted. If you want a tool for rehearsal, a desktop overlay such as Interview Copilot can listen to a mock call and suggest answers, and it has a free plan without a card. On macOS and Windows the window asks the OS to stay out of screen capture, and on Linux it stays visible, so test any screen share privately. None of that changes the rule above: use it in a live Microsoft interview only if the recruiter has permitted it. See also how the invisible mode works.
A two-week preparation plan
- Days 1-4: arrays, strings, hash maps; two timed problems a day, 45 minutes each, in your strongest language.
- Days 5-8: linked lists, trees, tries, graphs; write the traversals from memory.
- Days 9-11: sorting and complexity; explain one n*log(n) sort and Big O aloud, then add testing: write three test cases for every solution.
- Days 12-13: system design or role-specific topics, plus your behavioral stories.
- Day 14: a full mock loop with a friend; check your microphone, camera and the Teams setup.
Compare how other companies structure theirs in our Google, Amazon and OpenAI guides.
Sources
- Microsoft Careers, How we hire: stages, interview format, AI and outside-assistance rule
- Microsoft Careers, Technical interviewing: topics, 45-minute round, coding tool
- Microsoft Careers, Student interviewing: initial and final interview, virtual format
Checked 13 November 2026. Microsoft updates these pages; confirm details with your recruiter.
FAQ
What are the stages of the Microsoft interview process?
Microsoft lists seven stages: explore jobs, submit application, application review, interview, offer, pre-onboard and hired. Within the interview stage most candidates have 2-4 conversations of up to an hour. The number of rounds for your role is not published, so ask your recruiter.
How many interview rounds does Microsoft have for software engineers?
Microsoft says most interviews include 2-4 conversations with potential teammates and cross-functional colleagues. Student and early-career roles typically have an initial interview and, if selected, a second final interview. A fixed round count for every engineering role is not confirmed.
How long is a Microsoft technical interview?
Microsoft's technical interviewing page refers to a short 45-minute interview round, and its general page says each conversation lasts up to an hour. Plan your time: clarify, design, code, then test.
What does Microsoft test in a coding interview?
Problem solving, design, coding and testing. Microsoft expects you to know at least one n*log(n) sort, explain Big O, and know arrays, strings, lists, trees, tries, hash maps and graphs. Role-specific topics such as system design can be added.
Can I use AI in a Microsoft interview?
Microsoft encourages responsible AI use during preparation, but during assessments and interviews candidates should demonstrate their own skills without outside assistance unless explicitly permitted. Ask your recruiter in writing what is allowed before the interview.
Is the Microsoft interview in person or virtual?
Microsoft says interviews may take place over the phone, on Microsoft Teams, or in person. For students, it says all interviews are virtual. The format for your role is set by the team.
Does Microsoft use Codility or another online assessment?
Not confirmed on Microsoft's public hiring pages. Some roles may include an assessment before interviews; your recruiter's email will say which tool is used and what is allowed.