Bing removal depends on what you want to change

Bing appears on your computer in three separate places, and removing it from one does not remove it from the others. Your browser's search bar, your browser's home page, and Windows Search (the search box in your taskbar) can each be set to use Bing or a different search engine. Most people want to change the search bar in their browser, but you may need to change one, two, or all three depending on where Bing is showing up.

The steps differ by browser. If you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge, each has its own menu for changing the default search engine. Windows Search is separate and requires a different process. This guide covers the most common setups.

Key Takeaways

  • Bing can appear in your browser's search bar, your browser's home page, and Windows Search — each requires separate changes.
  • In Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, you change the default search engine in Settings under Search Engine or Search.
  • In Safari on Mac, the search engine setting is in Preferences under Search.
  • Windows Search (the taskbar search box) uses Bing by default and requires a separate setting change in Windows Settings.
  • Malware or unwanted browser extensions sometimes force Bing as the default; removing the extension or running a malware scan may be necessary.

Removing Bing from 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 has detected. Click the one you want to use instead of Bing — Google, DuckDuckGo, and others are usually listed. If your preferred search engine is not there, you can add it manually by clicking Manage search engines at the bottom, then clicking Add next to "Search engines".

If Bing keeps returning after you change it, check your extensions. Click the puzzle piece icon in the top right, then click the three dots next to any extension you do not recognize, and select Remove from Chrome. Some malicious extensions reset your search engine automatically. After removing suspicious extensions, restart Chrome and check Settings again to confirm your search engine is still set correctly.

Removing Bing from Firefox

Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines (hamburger menu) in the top right. Select Settings. On the left, click Search. Under "Default Search Engine," click the dropdown and select a different search engine. Google, DuckDuckGo, and others appear in the list. If you want to use a search engine not shown, scroll down to "One-Click Search Engines" and click the plus sign next to the one you want to add.

If Bing reappears after you change it, check your add-ons. Click the three lines menu, select Add-ons and themes, then click Extensions. Look for any extension you did not install yourself. Click it and select Remove. Restart Firefox and return to Settings to verify your search engine choice stuck.

Removing Bing from Microsoft Edge

Click the three dots in the top right corner of Edge and select Settings. On the left, click Privacy, search, and services. Scroll down to "Search engine" and click the dropdown next to "Address bar search engine." Choose Google, DuckDuckGo, or another option from the list. If your preferred engine is not there, click Manage search engines, then click Add to add a new one.

Edge is made by Microsoft, which also makes Bing, so Edge may try to reset your choice to Bing during updates. If this happens, repeat the steps above. You can also turn off the setting "Suggest similar searches" under the same Search section to prevent Bing suggestions from appearing in your address bar.

Removing Bing from Safari on Mac

Click Safari in the top menu bar and select Preferences (or Settings on newer versions). Click the Search tab. Under "Search engine," click the dropdown and select Google, DuckDuckGo, or another option. Close the window — your choice is saved automatically.

If Bing keeps appearing, check your Safari extensions. In Preferences, click the Extensions tab. Look for any extension you do not recognize and click Uninstall. Some malware on Mac disguises itself as a browser extension and resets your search engine repeatedly.

Removing Bing from Windows Search

Windows Search is the search box built into your taskbar at the bottom of your screen. By default, it uses Bing. To change this, open Settings (press the Windows key and type "Settings"). Click Privacy & security on the left. Scroll down and click Search permissions. Under "Search on the web," toggle the switch to Off. This disables web search in Windows Search entirely — your search results will only show files and apps on your computer.

If you want to keep web search but use a different search engine, Windows does not offer that option directly. Your only choice is to turn off web search in Windows Search, or use your browser's search bar instead of the taskbar search box.

What to do if Bing keeps returning

If you change your search engine and Bing comes back within hours or days, malware or a malicious browser extension is likely forcing it. First, remove any browser extension you did not install yourself. In Chrome, click the puzzle piece icon and remove unfamiliar extensions. In Firefox, go to Add-ons and remove anything suspicious. In Edge, click the three dots, select Extensions, and remove unknown extensions.

If removing extensions does not stop Bing from returning, run a malware scan. read Malwarebytes (free version available) or use Windows Defender, which is built into Windows. Open Windows Defender by pressing the Windows key and typing "Windows Defender." Click Virus & threat protection, then Scan options, select Full scan, and click Scan now. This takes 20 minutes to an hour but will find and remove most malware that resets your search engine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I remove Bing completely from Windows?

No. Bing is built into Windows and cannot be uninstalled. You can turn off web search in Windows Search (the taskbar search box) so it no longer uses Bing, but Bing will remain on your system. You can change your browser's search engine to avoid using Bing, which handles most web searches for most people.

Why does Bing keep coming back after I change it?

A browser extension or malware is resetting your search engine. Check your extensions first — remove anything you did not install. If that does not work, run a malware scan with Malwarebytes or Windows Defender. Some malware specifically targets search engine settings and resets them repeatedly.

Is it safe to remove browser extensions I do not recognize?

Yes. If you did not install an extension yourself, it is safe to remove it. Legitimate extensions are installed by you, not added without your knowledge. Removing unknown extensions will not break your browser.

Does changing my search engine affect my privacy?

Yes. Bing, Google, DuckDuckGo, and other search engines collect different amounts of data about your searches. DuckDuckGo collects less data than Google or Bing. If privacy is a concern, research the privacy policy of the search engine you choose.

What if my search engine choice is grayed out or locked?

Your computer may be managed by an employer or school that has locked your settings. Contact your IT department or administrator to request a change. If this is your personal computer, a malware program may have locked the setting — run a malware scan as described above.