Microsoft Pushes Bing as Default Search Engine Across Multiple Browsers
Microsoft has released a standalone Windows 11 utility to promote its Bing search engine as the default across multiple browsers. The tool, called Microsoft Recommended Search Settings, installs a Bing extension and encourages users to switch their default search engine to Bing.
The application is available for download but does not come pre-installed with Windows 11. It modifies search settings in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Brave, changing the homepage, start page, and search settings to Bing. In Chrome, the extension also warns users that it can read and change data on websites.
Interestingly, Google's browser even tries to reverse the change after Bing is enabled. After installing the Microsoft app, Chrome displays a message asking if the user wants to switch back to Google Search, while the Bing extension adds another message urging users to keep Bing as their default search engine.