Microsoft built a dedicated app that forces Bing everywhere on Windows 11, including Chrome, Firefox, and Brave

Microsoft built a dedicated app that forces Bing everywhere on Windows 11, including Chrome, Firefox, and Brave

By Abhijith M B
Publication Date: 2026-08-21 23:07:00

MicrosoftSettings.exe installs a Bing extension in Chrome and Edge, then redirects to Microsoft Rewards. Credit: Windows Latest

Microsoft has apparently found the free time to build a standalone app whose only job is switching your default search engine to Bing across every browser on your PC. It is not force-installed through Windows Update yet, and it is not available in the Microsoft Store either. It is a standalone executable hosted on Microsoft’s official download servers, and we wonder why it even exists.

The app is called Microsoft Recommended Search Settings, and once installed, it prompts you to add extensions to all your installed browsers, which does the job of switching to the Bing homepage experience. After finishing installation, you also get redirected to the Microsoft Rewards page, which is basically a bribe for switching.

Installing the new Microsoft Settings app
Installing the new Microsoft Settings app. Credit: WindowsLatest.com

MicrosoftSettings.exe exists only to change your…