CrackingWalnuts
Checked 3 August 2026. Microsoft does not publish its interview structure. Everything on this page is commonly reported by candidates, so treat it as a guide rather than a specification.
| Round | Duration | What it tests |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Phone Screen | 60 min | 2 to 3 algorithm problems, easy to medium difficulty. |
| Coding Round 1 | 60 min | Medium algorithm with behavioral woven in. |
| Coding Round 2 | 60 min | Different problem space. Edge cases probed. |
| System Design | 60 min | Large-scale design. The round that determines L63 vs L64 vs downlevel. |
| Behavioral / Cross-Team | 60 min | Collaboration, ownership, dealing with ambiguity. |
| As Appropriate (AA) | 45 to 60 min | Hiring manager or senior engineer. Invited only when earlier rounds went well. |
Targeted guidance per round in this loop. Each section links to the matching track on the site. There is no shortcut list, the bar moves loop to loop, so build the pattern recognition and the stories from real practice.
Work the pattern templates until the recognition is instant. Trace one mock problem per pattern. Practice stating time and space complexity out loud before you write code.
Microsoft Senior Software Engineer (L63 / L64) has one design round: System Design (60 min): Large-scale design. The round that determines L63 vs L64 vs downlevel.. Bar is owning a non-trivial design end to end, with capacity numbers, a clear data model, and one deep dive you can defend under push-back. Pick problems from the track at the scale this loop tests and rehearse the structure: requirements, numbers, high-level design, data model, API, deep dive on one part, trade-offs.
Senior bar. The rubric shifts from execution to ownership at scope, judgment, cross-functional impact, and being calibrated on what is hard. Every story needs alternatives considered and what you would do differently. Microsoft probes Model-Coach-Care and Growth Mindset; frame stories accordingly.