Frequently asked questions about pronouns in Microsoft 365

What are pronouns?

Pronouns, in this context, are simply the words we use to replace someone’s name in a sentence. Pronouns exist in many languages, as do gender-neutral versions of them. For example, in English common pronouns include “she, “ “her,” “he,” “him,” and the gender-neutral “they” and “them.”

While “they” and “them” are the most used gender-neutral pronouns in English, there are many more that we can use too. Instead of “they,” “them,” “their,” or “themself,” additional pronouns include: “sie,” “hir,” “hirs,” “hirself” or “zie,” “zir,” “zirs,” or “zirself.”

Why should I add pronouns to my profile?

Correctly using someone’s pronoun is one of the most basic ways to show that we value being inclusive and respectful. When we are referred to with the wrong pronoun, it may make us feel disrespected, invalidated, and alienated. In a hybrid multicultural workplace, the simple act of using the right pronouns can help build trust and improve communication among colleagues. If your Administrator has turned on pronouns in Microsoft 365, you have the option to include them on your profile card.

Notes:

Whether or not to share or publicly display pronouns is always up to an individual. Pronouns should never be assigned by one person to another person. It should be up to the person using them to decide when, where, and which pronouns are used – including whether to use this feature. Knowing someone’s pronouns does not always equate to knowing their gender identity. Importantly, choosing to leverage the pronouns feature as an individual user should be optional, not mandatory.
It's important to consider that for transgender and non-binary people, covering demands in the workplace, at school, or in other contexts, may make it more comfortable not to share their pronouns. Please be aware of any applicable local laws, regulations, and cultural norms that may pose additional risks to transgender or non-binary people before choosing to leverage the pronouns feature.

Who can see my pronouns?

Anyone that has an account in your organization, including guest accounts, can see pronouns on profiles.

In scenarios where users have been directory synced into AD or AAD, users that are resolved with the same tenantID are able to see pronouns on profiles.

Where do my pronouns show up in Microsoft 365?

Your profile info is visible on your profile card in Teams and Outlook on the web. Pronouns information on your profile does not surface in experiences outside of Microsoft 365.

Can my pronouns show up outside of Microsoft 365?

The pronouns you set in Microsoft 365 experiences like your profile card in Teams and Outlook on the web are not shown in experiences outside of Microsoft 365.

Can I control who can see my pronouns?

Your pronouns are available to everyone in your organization. It's not possible to hide pronouns from certain users in your organization, including guest accounts.

How do I add, change, or delete my pronouns?

For detailed steps, see Add, change, or delete your pronouns.

Can I undo pronoun changes on my profile?

You can add or remove pronouns on your profile by following the steps in Add, change, or delete your pronouns.

Are there any restrictions in the pronouns field?

You can enter up to 60 characters, including spaces.

What languages are pronouns supported in?

The profile card is available in 86 languages. See this list of supported languages.

Note that examples of pronouns that you see in the English-language interface (They/Them, She/Her, He/Him) are not shown in the non-English languages.

Examples of pronouns in English

How long does it take for others to see pronoun updates on my profile?

When you add, change, or delete your pronouns, changes are updated immediately.

Why don't I see the option to add pronouns to my profile?

If you don't see the option to add pronouns on your profile, your organization has not received the feature yet, or they haven't turned it on.

Where are my pronouns stored?

Your pronouns are stored with your other data in your Exchange Online mailbox.