Microsoft offers voluntary buyouts to up to 60,000 employees

In short: Microsoft says up to 60,000 employees can take a voluntary buyout, which is a paid offer to leave the company.

What happened

Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to up to 60,000 employees across the US, the UK, Canada, and India. The company says the offer includes financial support and career planning resources.

Amy Coleman, Microsoft’s chief people officer, wrote in a message to employees that the program is meant to reduce staff without another round of layoffs. A buyout is different from a layoff because the employee chooses whether to leave, like being offered a deal to end a contract early.

Sources familiar with the situation told The Verge that many teams across Microsoft are eligible. These include groups working on AI experiences, Copilot (Microsoft’s AI assistant), CoreAI, Windows and Devices, Xbox, finance, and human resources. The sources said some other parts of the company are only partly included, and some teams, such as marketing and security, are not participating.

The move follows layoffs earlier this year. The Verge reported that Microsoft laid off 4,800 employees in July 2026, mainly affecting Xbox and commercial sales. The new voluntary exit offer does not target the commercial sales teams, and Coleman said it is a new kind of program for Microsoft.

Why it matters

For workers, buyouts can be a safer on ramp to a new job than a sudden layoff, but they can also signal that a company expects to run with fewer people. For customers, staffing changes can affect how quickly products are built, updated, and supported.

Source: The Verge AI