-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 NIeRVZCjgOpiflehrdyCSpbRT9m4+iGjpz9N5Y9MnlK54zMeLFqvdyo4FCYbv/IE
 mbGD9vFaf77uPKy6Ym5A9A==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193112-03-000008.txt : 20030905
<SEC-HEADER>0001193112-03-000008.hdr.sgml : 20030905
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030905125623
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193112-03-000008
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030905
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030905

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RAIKES JEFFREY S
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001193112

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-14278
		FILM NUMBER:		03883238

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE MICROSOFT WAY
		CITY:			REDMOND
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98052-6399

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MICROSOFT CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000789019
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-PREPACKAGED SOFTWARE [7372]
		IRS NUMBER:				911144442
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			WA
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE MICROSOFT WAY #BLDG 8
		STREET 2:		NORTH OFFICE 2211
		CITY:			REDMOND
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98052
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4258828080

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE MICROSOFT WAY - BLDG 8
		STREET 2:		NORTH OFFICE 2211
		CITY:			REDMOND
		STATE:			WA
		ZIP:			98052-6399
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-05</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000789019</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MICROSOFT CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MSFT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001193112</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RAIKES JEFFREY S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE MICROSOFT WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>REDMOND</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>WA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>98052-6399</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Group Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>260000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.6133</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>8280334</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndir
ectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This sale was effected pursuant to a 10b5-1 sales plan adopted by the reporting person.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Keith R. Dolliver, Attorney-in-Fact for Jeffrey S. Raikes</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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