Microsoft Software Development Engineer interview questions
based on 1.2K ratings - Updated Jul 22, 2025
Averageinterview difficulty
Very positiveinterview experience
How others got an interview
57%
Campus Recruiting
Campus Recruiting
18%
Applied online
Applied online
12%
Recruiter
Recruiter
10%
Employee Referral
Employee Referral
1%
Staffing Agency
Staffing Agency
1%
In Person
In Person
1%
Other
Other
Interview search
1,152 interviews
Viewing 276 - 280 of 1,152 Interviews
Microsoft interviews FAQs
Software Development Engineer applicants have rated the interview process at Microsoft with 4 out of 5 (where 5 is the highest level of difficulty) and assessed their interview experience as 100% positive. To compare, the company-average is 71.3% positive. This is according to Glassdoor user ratings.
Candidates applying for Software Development Engineer roles take an average of 1 day to get hired, when considering 1 user submitted interviews for this role. To compare, the hiring process at Microsoft overall takes an average of 46 days.
Common stages of the interview process at Microsoft as a Software Development Engineer according to 1 Glassdoor interviews include:
Phone interview: 100%
Here are the most commonly searched roles for interview reports -
I applied online. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Microsoft in Jan 2016
Interview
Not so difficult, they called me and asked me about my cv and experience. Handed my resume to the interviewer and they point out different question about it. If you can pass that, you will come to the final-round interview, which is on-site. Microsoft would compensate your travel, food, hotel, etc. fee.
I applied through college or university. The process took 2 weeks. I interviewed at Microsoft (Los Angeles, CA) in Jan 2016
Interview
Meet the recruiter at college career fair, and then got invited to on campus interview. The interview question is easy but the interviewer isn't quite nice to talk to. Asked some behavioral questions afterwards and got invitation to go onsite. The overall question is pretty coding and programming oriented, nothing is particularly hard.
I applied through an employee referral. The process took 3 months. I interviewed at Microsoft (Toronto, ON) in Jan 2016
Interview
Phone screen - didn't ask any technical questions like I was expecting, instead several behavioural questions and a brain teaser. Behaviour questions included the hardest project I worked on, and what I learned from it, as well as how I dealt with conflicts in group work. The interviewer was very friendly but gave limited feedback.
Interview questions [1]
Question 1
You have three water jugs, one holds 8 gallons, one 5, one 3. The 8 is full. By pouring water between jugs, fill two of the jugs with 4 gallons of water each.