This wikiHow teaches you how to remove the Bing search engine from your Windows computer and any web browser installed on your computer. Bing is usually used as an alternative to Google, but a lot of malware and suspicious software will set Bing as your computer's primary search engine and make it difficult for you to switch to another search engine via your browser settings. You can fix this problem by removing the program or virus in question and then changing your browser settings back to normal. Unfortunately, you can't disable the Bing search feature in Cortana.
Step
Part 1 of 6: Running Windows Defender
Step 1. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the computer screen.
Step 2. Open the Windows Defender program
Type windows defender into the “Start” menu, then click the “ Windows Defender Security Center ” that appears at the top of the “Start” window.
Step 3. Click Virus & threat protection
It's in the upper-left corner of the Windows Defender window.
If you don't see this tab, click the “ ☰ ” in the top-left corner of the window first.
Step 4. Click Scan now
It's a gray button in the middle of the page. After that, Windows Defender will immediately scan for the presence of malware on the computer.
Step 5. Run the scan to completion
The scan that Windows Defender performs usually takes about 10 minutes. During the scanning process, any malicious programs found will be removed.
Follow the prompts or instructions that appear on the screen if you are asked to confirm the removal of the program or file
Step 6. Run an advanced scan
If Windows Defender doesn't find a virus, you may need to do a more in-depth scan. Perform this scan using the "Advanced Scan" feature:
- Click the link " Run a new advanced scan ” which is under the “button Scan now ”.
- Check the box " Full scan ".
- Click the button " Scan now ”.
- Follow the instructions or commands that appear on the screen.
Part 2 of 6: Removing the Bing App
Step 1. Understand how this process works
While Bing is usually not a standalone application, some programs may download additional programs or toolbars that can change browser settings once installed. These programs can set Bing as the home page and/or primary search engine. Even after you change these settings yourself, your homepage and/or main search engine will still be changed back to Bing.
- Removing installed programs, apps, or toolbars right after you observe Bing appearing in your browser can usually solve this problem.
- If you haven't seen Bing's new settings in your browser for a long time, the problem may stem from a program you recently installed.
Step 2. Open the “Start” menu
Click the Windows logo in the lower-left corner of the workbar or press Win to open the “Start” menu.
Step 3. Open “Settings”
Click the gear icon on the left side of the "Start" menu. After that, the computer settings window (“Settings”) will open.
Step 4. Click Apps
This option is in the “Settings” window. Once clicked, a list of applications installed on the computer will be displayed.
Step 5. Sort programs by installation date
Click the entry next to the " Sort by " heading (usually “ Name ”), then click “ Install date ” in the displayed drop-down menu. After that, the most recent programs you installed will be displayed at the top of the list.
You can skip this step if the Bing issue has been around for a long time
Step 6. Look for suspicious programs
There's no specific criteria you need to consider, but keep an eye out for toolbars or programs that you never install on purpose. The following programs are also known to frequently install Bing on computers:
- Babylon
- Bing Bar
- Bing. Vc
- Bing Protect
- Conduit
- Search Module
- Search Protect
Step 7. Select a program
Click the program you want to remove. You can see the program name expands once you click it.
Step 8. Click Uninstall
This button is below the program name.
Step 9. Click Uninstall when prompted
The selection will be confirmed and the process of deleting the selected program will begin. Once the program is completely uninstalled, you can try changing your browser's main search engine again to see if it's actually causing Bing problems.
- You may need to go through a removal process or tutorial, depending on the program selected.
- If you can't change your browser's primary search engine, you may need to uninstall a different program or adjust your browser's shortcut options.
Part 3 of 6: Customizing Browser Shortcuts
Step 1. Find the browser shortcut
Look for browser shortcuts on the desktop. If the browser shortcut is not saved on the desktop, you don't need to follow this method.
This method is not necessary to follow for Microsoft Edge because you cannot customize Edge shortcut properties
Step 2. Right-click the shortcut
After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
- If your mouse doesn't have a right-click button, click the right side of the mouse or use two fingers to click the mouse.
- If your computer uses a trackpad instead of a mouse, use two fingers to touch the trackpad or press the lower right side of the control device.
Step 3. Click Properties
It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu. After that, the “Properties” window for the browser shortcut will be displayed.
Step 4. Click the Shortcuts tab
This tab is at the top of the “Properties” window.
Step 5. Check the "Target" text field
This text field is in the middle of the window. You can see lines of text ending in.exe in this column, but there really shouldn't be any text after the final quotation marks.
In order to see additional text, you may need to click the "Target" text field once to place the cursor in the field and press the right arrow key to move it to the right
Step 6. Delete any text after the ".exe"" segment
If you see an additional URL or command after the ".exe" extension in the “Target” text field, please highlight and delete the additional text. This text includes anything that contains a hyphen (e.g. "--"), followed by any keywords.
Step 7. Click the OK button
It's at the bottom of the window. After that, the changes will be saved and the “Properties” window will be closed. With this change, the shortcut will not run certain programs or websites in the future.
Step 8. Repeat this process for other web browsers installed on the computer
Even if you don't often use other browsers like Internet Explorer or Firefox, check other browser shortcuts for additional URLs or commands that might interrupt or change the main page of your web browser.
You cannot customize Microsoft Edge shortcut properties
Part 4 of 6: Cleaning Google Chrome
Step 1. Open
Google Chrome.
This browser icon looks like a red, yellow, green, and blue ball.
Step 2. Click the button
It's in the upper-right corner of the Chrome window. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click Settings
It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu. The settings page or “Settings” will open in a new tab.
Step 4. Scroll down and click on Advanced
It's at the bottom of the screen. Once clicked, additional options will be displayed below it.
Step 5. Scroll to the “Reset and clean up” segment
This segment is at the bottom of the “Settings” page.
Step 6. Click Clean up computer
This option is at the bottom of the “Settings” page.
Step 7. Click FIND
This blue link appears on the right side of the page. Google Chrome will immediately look for interference from programs on your computer.
Step 8. Click Remove when prompted
You can see this option after Google Chrome finds a malicious program or toolbar on your computer.
Step 9. Change Chrome homepage
After removing the program that's harming Google Chrome (if possible), you can try changing your browser's homepage back to an option other than Bing.
Step 10. Restore Chrome to its default settings
You may need to do this to remove additional settings changed by malware:
- Click the button " ⋮ ”
- Click " Settings ”.
- Click " Advanced ”.
- Scroll down and click " Reset settings ”.
- Click " RESET ' when prompted.
Part 5 of 6: Cleaning Firefox
Step 1. Open Firefox
The Firefox browser icon looks like an orange fox surrounding a blue globe.
Step 2. Click the button
It's in the upper-right corner of the Firefox window. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click Help
This option is at the bottom of the menu.
Step 4. Click Troubleshooting Information
It's in the middle of the drop-down list.
Step 5. Click Refresh Firefox…
It's in the upper-right corner of the troubleshooting page.
Step 6. Click Refresh Firefox when prompted
After that, Firefox will “reload”. Installed add-ons or add-ons (whether or not you installed them yourself) will be removed and browser default settings will be restored.
If the problem still appears, repeat this process, but select “ Restart with Add-ons Disabled " If these steps resolve the issue, you will need to remove the add-on from Firefox.
Step 7. Try changing the main page in Firefox
You may need to do this so that Bing is no longer displayed as the main page, even after you've removed the plug-in you're having trouble with:
- Click the button " ☰ ”.
- Click the option " Options ” (PC) or “ Preferences (Mac).
- Type the website address into the “Home page” text field or click “ Restore to Default ”.
Part 6 of 6: Cleaning Internet Explorer
Step 1. Open Internet Explorer
This browser icon looks like a blue “e” wrapped in a gold ribbon.
Step 2. Click the gear icon
It's in the upper-right corner of the browser window. After that, a drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 3. Click Internet Options
This option is in the drop-down menu. Once clicked, a pop-up window will be displayed.
Step 4. Select the Advanced tab
This tab is at the top of the “Internet Options” window.
Step 5. Click Reset…
It's in the lower-right corner of the window.
Step 6. Click Reset when prompted
This option is in the pop-up window.
Step 7. Select Close, then click OK.
The changes will be saved and the “Internet Options” window will be closed.
Step 8. Restart the computer
After that, the changes will be applied and the browser will be returned to its original settings.
