Microsoft’s research and development expenditure amounted to around **** billion U.S. dollars in its 2026 fiscal year, a record high. Microsoft ranks second among software and computer service companies worldwide in terms of R&D spending, behind only Google’s parent company Alphabet.
Microsoft Corporation
One of the most successful tech companies worldwide, Microsoft, together with its most renowned product, the Windows operating system, has long been a household name. The company's success is reflected in its record spending for research and development, owing to its significant sales growth over the years.
Microsoft's diverse businesses
Some of Microsoft’s major business ventures include the above-mentioned Windows operating system, software packages such as Microsoft Office, various lines of consumer electronics, as well as cloud computing offerings. Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment, which includes products such as Office 365 and LinkedIn, brought in around *** billion U.S. dollars in the 2025 fiscal year.
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Microsoft. (July 29, 2026). Research and development expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from financial year 2002 to 2026 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/
Microsoft. "Research and development expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from financial year 2002 to 2026 (in million U.S. dollars)." Chart. July 29, 2026. Statista. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/
Microsoft. (2026). Research and development expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from financial year 2002 to 2026 (in million U.S. dollars). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 13, 2026. https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/
Microsoft. "Research and Development Expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from Financial Year 2002 to 2026 (in Million U.S. Dollars)." Statista, Statista Inc., 29 Jul 2026, https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/
Microsoft, Research and development expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from financial year 2002 to 2026 (in million U.S. dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/ (last visited October 13, 2026)
Research and development expenditure of Microsoft Corporation from financial year 2002 to 2026 (in million U.S. dollars) [Graph], Microsoft, July 29, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/267806/expenditure-on-research-and-development-by-the-microsoft-corporation/
