Microsoft has recently introduced a standalone application designed specifically to change the default search engine to Bing across all browsers on a user’s PC. Dubbed the Microsoft Recommended Search Settings, this executable is not yet force-installed via Windows Update nor is it available in the Microsoft Store. Instead, it resides on Microsoft’s official download servers, raising questions about its necessity.
The application, known as MicrosoftSettings.exe, serves a singular purpose: to prompt users to switch their default search engine to Bing. Upon installation, it also encourages users to add extensions to their browsers, facilitating a transition to the Bing homepage experience. Once the setup is complete, users are redirected to the Microsoft Rewards page, which appears to incentivize the switch.
MicrosoftSettings.exe exists only to change your browser defaults
This executable features a WinUI shell with WebView2, crafted specifically to install a Chrome extension across all browsers on the PC. This raises eyebrows given Microsoft’s existing suite of WebView2 applications and OS components that remain unoptimized. For instance, the default Weather app consumes approximately 1.2GB of RAM—significantly more than its macOS counterpart—while still displaying ads. Rather than refining these existing applications, Microsoft has allocated resources to develop a WinUI shell solely for the purpose of installing a browser extension.
I tested the extension, and Chrome fought back almost immediately
Upon downloading and executing MicrosoftSettings.exe on a test PC, I noted that the installer is a modest 22.2MB. With Chrome and Brave set to their respective defaults, searches initially directed to Google and Brave Search.
The installation process begins with a welcome screen titled “Welcome to Microsoft Recommended Search Settings,” featuring a toggle pre-set to “Yes” for changing the search engine to Bing. The small print indicates that this change applies to Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome.
After clicking “Accept and continue,” the setup concludes with a “You’re all set!” screen, and selecting the Finish button opens the Microsoft Rewards page in Edge.
On the browser front, both Chrome and Brave flagged a new extension named Microsoft Bing Homepage & Search for Chrome. Chrome’s alert indicated that the extension could read and modify all data on websites, display notifications, and alter the home page, search settings, and start page to bing.com.
Interestingly, the Microsoft Bing Homepage & Search for Chrome extension boasts a 4-star rating from 110 reviews and claims 5 million users. However, users who ignore Chrome’s warnings and proceed to enable the extension encounter another hurdle: a prompt from Google asking if they wish to revert back to Google Search, highlighting that the Microsoft extension has altered their search settings.
In a rather amusing twist, Microsoft’s own prompt appears beneath Google’s warning, urging users not to revert. This dual-layered approach to persuade users to stick with Bing is reminiscent of a similar pop-up battle reported by Windows Latest in March 2024, indicating that Microsoft is not finished with this strategy.
Once I acquiesced to Bing as my default search engine, Chrome’s new tab page transformed into the familiar, cluttered MSN feed—an experience that left me questioning my choices.
Microsoft keeps finding new ways to push Bing while promising to clean up MSN
Over the past year, Microsoft has publicly committed to decluttering MSN elsewhere, as evidenced by a recent test of a streamlined Windows Search that eliminated years of MSN tiles and ads. Additionally, Windows 11 Widgets have been adjusted to disable the MSN feed and advertisements by default.
This raises the question of how such changes might impact revenue from MSN. Yet, Microsoft seems undeterred, quietly developing new applications to promote Bing and its MSN homepage within users’ browsers. The company has even made it possible to sign into Bing using Google or Apple accounts, further reducing barriers to entry.
In a striking move, Microsoft also launched a sweepstakes offering million to Bing users, underscoring the challenges of competing with Google based solely on product quality. Despite these efforts, Bing has reportedly crossed the 1 billion user mark, suggesting that while the platform is gaining traction, Microsoft may be resorting to less conventional tactics to enhance its user base.
The new Microsoft Recommended Search Settings app was first discovered by Windows tester Xeno Panther, who highlighted its function of prompting users to switch their default search to Bing before leading them to the Microsoft Rewards offer post-installation. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen whether Microsoft’s corporate habits will evolve, as the company continues to seek innovative ways to embed Bing into the user experience, even as other divisions strive to simplify and streamline their offerings.
