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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 MI0rImJdjTxGRAwrmBQAoJkXzr99+MKM7mYIIbn49VNGBy6YitKPHUJVlHidjUk0
 G38KqGwaD9htQFTmpJgIXQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001193115-03-000003.txt : 20030905
<SEC-HEADER>0001193115-03-000003.hdr.sgml : 20030905
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030905123012
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001193115-03-000003
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030904
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030905

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			RUDDER ERIC D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001193115

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-14278
		FILM NUMBER:		03883172

	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>2003-09-04</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000789019</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MICROSOFT CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MSFT</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001193115</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>RUDDER ERIC D</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>Senior Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200960</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>6.9141</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>240380</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOf
Ownership><value>Eric D. Rudder and Elizabeth Savage FBO Revocable Living Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>50000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.37</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>190380</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Eric D. Rudder and Elizabeth Savage FBO Revocable Living Tr
ust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.36</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>115380</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Eric D. Rudder and Elizabeth Savage FBO Revocable Living Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction>
<nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>75500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>28.35</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>39880</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Eric D. Rudder and Elizabeth Savage FBO Revocable Living Trust</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeHolding><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTit
le><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>40852</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>Eric D. Rudder and Elizabeth Savage, Joint Tenants</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeHolding><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-07-31</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>5</transactionFormType><transactionCode>F</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>720</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>26.41</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>12880</value></sharesOwnedFo
llowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>6.9141</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-09-04</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>200960</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-07-15</value></exerciseDate><expiratio
nDate><value>2006-07-15</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>200960</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>352000</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">This option was previously reported as covering 276,480 shares at $13.83 per share, but is adjusted to reflect a 2-for-1 stock split effective February 14, 2003.</footnote></footnotes><remarks/><ownerSignature><signatureName>Keith Dolliver, Attorney-in-Fact for Eric D. Rudder</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-09-05</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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