If you’re using Windows 11, you might have noticed that Bing search is integrated into your search box and Microsoft Edge browser by default. However, if you prefer to use a different search engine, you can disable and remove Bing from your system completely.
Firstly, let’s start with removing Bing search from the search box. To do this, right-click on the Windows icon, click on “Settings,” and then click on “Privacy and Security.” Scroll down to “Search Permissions,” and disable the “Microsoft Account Work or Social Account” option under “Cloud Content Search.” Then disable the “Show Search Highlight” option under “More Settings.” Scroll down to “Related Settings,” click on “Windows Privacy,” and disable all the options that are not required. Once you’ve done this, you won’t see the Bing suggestion or icon when you click on the search box.
Next, let’s move on to Microsoft Edge. To change the default search engine and homepage, click on the three dots on the top right-hand corner and then click on “Settings.” Click on “Privacy, Search, and Services,” and scroll down to “Address Bar and Search.” Here, you can change the search engine used in the address bar to your preferred option, such as Google or Yahoo.
If you also want to remove the Bing chat icon that appears on the top right-hand corner of Microsoft Edge, you can do so by opening your registry editor. Type “regedit” in the Windows search, click on “Registry Editor App,” and then click on “Yes” to open it. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Policies > Microsoft. Right-click on “Microsoft” and choose “New,” then choose “Key” and name the key as “Edge.” Inside the “Edge” key, right-click on the right-hand side and choose “New,” then choose “DWORD (32-bit) Value” and name it “HubsSidebarEnabled.” Double-click on it and set the value data to “0.”
After that, go back to Microsoft Edge and open a new tab. Type “edge://policy” in the address bar, and then click on “Reload Policies.” This will make the Edge icon disappear from the top right-hand corner.
By following these simple steps, you can completely remove Bing search from your Windows 11 search box and Microsoft Edge browser, and use your preferred search engine instead.