Microsoft moves to Bellevue, Washington

On 01/01/1979, Microsoft relocated its headquarters from Albuquerque, New Mexico, to Bellevue, Washington. The move brought co-founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen back to the Seattle area, where both had grown up. Microsoft had previously based its operations in Albuquerque to be near MITS, the manufacturer of the Altair 8800, for which the company developed its early BASIC interpreter software. By 1979, Microsoft’s business had expanded beyond its original partnership with MITS, prompting the decision to move closer to a larger technology workforce and improved business infrastructure. The Bellevue office became the company’s central hub for software development, sales, and management. The relocation also marked Microsoft’s transition from a small startup into a growing software company serving multiple computer manufacturers. The January 1979 move established Microsoft’s long-term presence in the Seattle metropolitan area. The company later moved again in 1986 to its campus in nearby Redmond, Washington, where its headquarters remain today.