Microsoft tests app to set Bing as default in multiple browsers

Microsoft is testing a new Windows application titled ‘Microsoft Recommended Search Settings’ designed to set Bing as the default search engine across multiple web browsers. The application, distributed via an executable file named ‘MicrosoftSettings.exe’, is not currently available through Windows Update or the Microsoft Store, requiring manual download from official Microsoft servers.

The tool uses a WinUI interface and WebView2 to facilitate the change. While the interface lists Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, and Google Chrome as compatible, testing has shown it also affects the Brave browser. Rather than changing system-level settings, the application installs a browser extension, such as ‘Microsoft Bing Homepage & Search for Chrome’, which modifies the new-tab page and default search behavior.

Reports indicate that when the extension is installed in Chrome, the browser may prompt the user to ‘Change back to Google Search?’. In response, the Microsoft extension displays a secondary prompt, ‘Wait, don’t change it back!’, warning users that reverting the setting will result in the loss of Bing search features and background images.