When a user runs an Office app, such as Word or Excel, diagnostic information is collected and saved to log files on the user’s device. These log files contain information about the processes and components running in the application, and can help detect, diagnose, and fix issues and help make improvements to Office.
This information is very similar to optional diagnostic data that may already be collected on the user’s device, depending on what privacy settings have been chosen. But this information is more detailed and helps provide more context about technical issues that might occur when using Office apps. For example, the additional information in these log files could help us identify the underlying reason why a user has a problem saving a file to the device running Office. In those situations, it would be beneficial for those log files to be sent to Microsoft.
Sending the log files to Microsoft
These log files can be sent to Microsoft automatically if you have chosen to enable the collection and processing of optional diagnostic data by Microsoft. Note that even when you’ve enabled the processing of optional diagnostic data, Microsoft may not always collect these log files. We would process these files only in those situations where we think the additional information could be useful in resolving an issue.
The following table shows which Office apps might send these diagnostic log files to Microsoft.
|
Operating system |
Office apps |
Version |
|---|---|---|
|
Windows |
|
Version 2008 and later |
|
Android |
|
Version 16.0.13417.* and later |
In the coming months, Office apps running on macOS and iOS will be included. We’ll update the table when that happens.
Viewing the log files
You can use the Diagnostic Data Viewer (DDV) to see when these log files are sent to Microsoft. The DDV will show an event named Office.Diagnostics.DiagnosticLogsUploaded. This event shows the location on the user’s device where you can find a copy of the log files that are sent to Microsoft. These log files are retained for up to 24 hours. For more information about the DDV, see Using the Diagnostic Data Viewer with Office.
Log files on devices running Windows
There are separate log files for each Office app, such as Word or Excel. The total size of all the log files for each app will not exceed 120 mb. As new log files are created, older log files will be deleted.
A copy of the log files that are sent to Microsoft are usually found in the %temp%\Diagnostics\UploadCache folder.
These files are text files, which can be viewed with most text editors.
Log files on devices running Android
There are separate log files for each Office app, such as Word or Excel. The location of the copy of the log files that are sent to Microsoft will vary, depending on the version of the Android operating system installed on the device, and will be different for each app.
For example, the location could be something like the following folder:
/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/<PackageName>/files/Diagnostics/UploadCache.
You can navigate to the files by using the file system viewer that comes with the Android operating system.
These files are text files, which can be viewed with most text editors.
The copy of the log files that are sent to Microsoft will be deleted after a day. The copy can be up to a few megabytes in size, depending on the length of the sessions that you use the apps for.
What data is sent to Microsoft?
These log files don’t include a user’s name or email address, the content of the user’s files, or information about apps unrelated to Office.
The diagnostic log files are structured like a table, with the following column headers for each row.
|
Field |
Description |
Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Timestamp |
The date and time of the particular event being logged. |
02/12/2020 20:05:02.17 |
|
Process |
The name of the app where the event occurred, accompanied by a numerical ID that clarifies which instance of the app the event is from (if there are multiple instances of the app running). |
WINWORD (0x9D40) |
|
TID |
Thread ID. An ID number that identifies the specific thread in the app which correlates to this event in the process. |
0xa94 |
|
Area |
The long name of the app this event occurred in. |
Microsoft Word |
|
Category |
The internal component, within the application, that is associated with this event. |
Telemetry Event |
|
EventID |
A unique ID that identifies a single event in the log. |
b7vzq |
|
Level |
Indicates how significant this specific event is likely to be in the error report. |
Medium |
|
Message |
The actual event message. |
SendEvent {"EventName": "Office.FileSystem.File.CreateFileError", "Flags": 28147506277843457, "InternalSequenceNumber": 46, "Time": "2020-02-12T20:05:02Z", "Data.Error": 32} |
|
Correlation |
A unique identifier used to correlate events within the logs. This field may be blank. |
BCCE51EC-E7D7-4544-AD99-7216790952B6 |
Sending the log files when you send feedback to Microsoft
For devices running Windows
For Version 2103 and earlier of Office on devices running Windows, you also have the choice to include these diagnostic log files when you send feedback from an Office application. If you choose File > Feedback > I don’t like something option, you can include these log files by selecting the Attach my logs to help troubleshoot check box.
In some cases, you won’t see this check box. For example, if you've chosen to turn off connected experiences. Or, if you’re an admin for an organization, you've chosen to not send required or optional diagnostic data to Microsoft.
For Version 2104 and later of Office on devices running Windows, these log files will be included automatically with your feedback when you choose the I don’t like something option. You won’t see the Attach my logs to help troubleshoot check box, but you will see a message informing you that these log files will be sent to Microsoft. These log files are only sent if you, or your admin, has chosen to send optional diagnostic data to Microsoft. If you’re not sending optional diagnostic data to Microsoft, or if you've chosen to turn off connected experiences, these log files won’t be sent.
For devices running Android
For Version 16.0.14026.20298 and earlier of Office on devices running Android, you also have the choice to include these diagnostic log files when you send feedback from Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. If you choose Settings > Send feedback to Microsoft > I don’t like something option, you can include these log files by selecting the Attach diagnostic logs check box.
In some cases, you won’t see this check box. For example, if you've chosen to turn off connected experiences. Or, if you’re an admin for an organization, you've chosen to not send required or optional diagnostic data to Microsoft.
For Version 16.0.14131.20180 and later of Office on devices running Android, these log files will be included automatically with your feedback when you choose the I don’t like something option in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. You won’t see the Attach diagnostic logs check box, but you will see a message informing you that these log files will be sent to Microsoft. These log files are only sent if you, or your admin, has chosen to send optional diagnostic data to Microsoft. If you’re not sending optional diagnostic data to Microsoft, or if you've chosen to turn off connected experiences, these log files won’t be sent.
Sending the log files when you use the in-app support experience
For users that have the ability to open Support tickets from within Office applications (Help > Contact Support), diagnostic logs are sometimes collected and sent to Microsoft. In these cases, you will be prompted to accept submitting these files.
Note: Currently, only subscription versions of Outlook on devices running Windows will collect and send these diagnostic log files.
