The fastest way to stop using Bing

If Bing is your default search engine and you want to stop using it, the quickest fix is to change your search engine setting in your browser. You do not need to uninstall anything or contact Microsoft — you straightforward tell your browser to use a different search engine instead. This takes about two minutes and works the same way whether you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

The reason Bing appears as your default is usually because a browser update, a software installation, or a toolbar added it without asking. Once you change the setting, Bing stops being your search engine, though the Bing website itself remains accessible if you visit it directly. Your search history in Bing's servers is a separate matter, covered in the section below.

Key Takeaways

  • Change your default search engine in your browser settings to stop Bing from appearing when you search — this works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
  • Removing Bing from your search bar does not delete your past search history stored on Microsoft's servers.
  • If Bing keeps reappearing after you change it, check for unwanted browser extensions or toolbars that are resetting your settings.
  • You can clear your Bing search history separately by signing into your Microsoft account and adjusting your privacy settings.
  • Disabling Bing in Windows settings prevents it from appearing in Windows search results, which is different from your web browser.

How to change your search engine in Chrome

Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top right corner. Select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Search engine. You will see a list of search engines Chrome knows about — Google, Bing, Yahoo, and others. Click the one you want to use instead of Bing. That is it. The next time you search from the address bar, your new choice will appear.

If your preferred search engine is not in the list, you can add it. Click Manage search engines and site search at the bottom of the search engine section. Scroll to the bottom where it says Other search engines, and click the Add button. Type the name of the search engine, the shortcut you want to use (like "g" for Google), and the search URL. Most search engines display this information on their settings page. Once you add it, go back to the main search engine section and set it as default.

How to change your search engine in Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Search. Under Default Search Engine, you will see a dropdown menu showing your current choice. Click it and select a different search engine from the list. Firefox will use that engine the next time you search from the address bar.

If you want to remove Bing from the list entirely so it does not appear as an option, scroll down to One-Click Search Engines. Find Bing in the list, hover over it, and click the X that appears. This removes it from your quick-access options, though you can still visit Bing.com directly if you choose to.

How to change your search engine in Safari

Open Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar. Select Settings (or Preferences on older versions). Click the Search tab. Under Search engine, click the dropdown menu and choose Google, DuckDuckGo, Yahoo, or another option. Close the settings window. Your new search engine is now active.

Safari does not let you remove individual search engines from the dropdown, but changing your default search engine is all you need to do. Bing will no longer appear when you search from the address bar.

How to change your search engine in Microsoft Edge

Open Edge and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to Search engine and click the dropdown under Address bar search engine. Select your preferred search engine. Edge will use it the next time you search from the address bar.

If you want to remove Bing from the list of available search engines, scroll down further to Search engines used in the address bar. Find Bing, click the three dots next to it, and select Remove. This prevents Bing from appearing as an option, though the change may not stick if Edge updates or resets.

What to do if Bing keeps coming back

If you change your default search engine but Bing reappears after you restart your browser, something is resetting your settings. The most common cause is a browser extension or toolbar that was installed without your knowledge. Open your browser's extension or add-on page and look for anything you do not recognize. Extensions often have names that sound legitimate but are actually designed to change your search engine for advertising purposes.

In Chrome, click the three dots, go to Extensions, and review the list. Disable or remove anything suspicious. In Firefox, click the three lines, select Add-ons and extensions, and do the same. In Safari, click Safari in the menu, select Settings, click Extensions, and remove anything you did not intentionally install. In Edge, click the three dots, select Extensions, and remove unwanted items.

After removing suspicious extensions, change your search engine again. If Bing stops coming back, the extension was the culprit. If it still returns, your computer may have malware. Run a full scan with Windows Defender (built into Windows) or a third-party antivirus program.

How to clear your Bing search history

Changing your default search engine does not erase the searches you have already done on Bing. Those remain stored in your Microsoft account. To delete them, go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with your Microsoft account. Click Privacy on the left side. Under Activity history, click Manage your activity data. You will see a list of your search history, browsing history, and other activity tied to your account.

Click Clear activity at the top. You can choose to clear activity from the last hour, day, week, month, or all time. Select the timeframe you want and click Clear. This removes that activity from your Microsoft account. You can also turn off activity tracking entirely by toggling Activity history to off, though you will need to sign in to your Microsoft account for this setting to take effect.

How to disable Bing in Windows search

Windows 10 and Windows 11 include Bing search results in the Windows search box — the search field in the taskbar at the bottom of your screen. If you search for something there, you get results from your computer plus Bing web results. To turn this off, open Settings and go to Privacy and security. Click Search permissions. Toggle off Show search results from the internet. Windows search will now only show results from your computer, not from Bing.

This is separate from your browser's search engine setting. Disabling Bing in Windows search does not change what search engine your browser uses, and changing your browser's search engine does not affect Windows search. Both changes are worth making if you want to avoid Bing entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Bing affect my Microsoft account or email?

No. Changing your search engine or clearing your search history does not affect Outlook, OneDrive, or any other Microsoft service. Your account remains active and unchanged. You can still use Bing.com directly if you visit it, and you can still sign into your Microsoft account normally.

What search engine should I use instead of Bing?

Google is the most widely used option and is set as default in most browsers. DuckDuckGo does not track your searches. Yahoo, Ecosia, and Startpage are other alternatives. All of them appear in your browser's search engine dropdown menu, so you can try one and switch if you prefer another.

Can I remove Bing from Windows 11 completely?

You cannot uninstall Bing from Windows itself, but you can disable web results in Windows search (covered above) and change your browser's search engine. This prevents Bing from appearing in both places. The Bing website remains accessible if you visit it directly, but it will not be your default search engine.

Why does Bing keep resetting even after I remove extensions?

Some malware programs reset your search engine settings automatically. Run a full antivirus scan using Windows Defender or a third-party program like Malwarebytes. Restart your computer after the scan completes, then change your search engine again. If it sticks this time, the malware is gone.

Does clearing my Bing search history delete searches from my browser history?

No. Clearing your Bing activity on Microsoft's website only removes searches stored in your Microsoft account. Your browser's local history — the searches and sites you visited — is separate and remains on your computer unless you clear it in your browser settings. You may want to clear both.