Microsoft is reportedly using deception as fair game to get Windows 11 users to switch to Bing

Bing search.

What you need to know

• Reports indicate Microsoft is using the Bing Wallpaper app to get Windows 11 users to switch to Bing as the "recommended browser settings" for fast and secure search results.
• Users who accepted the changes indicated that Microsoft's Bing extension was sideloaded to Google Chrome.
• Windows Central can't independently verify these claims but has reached out for a comment from Google.

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Microsoft's Bing and Edge might not dominate their respective spaces, but Windows dominates the desktop operating system market share with 72.08%. Earlier this year, Mozilla placed Microsoft under fire for using 'harmful designs' and deceptive tactics to give Edge a competitive advantage over other browsers on Windows. The tech firm's latest attempt featured a 3D banner recommending Windows 11 users to make Edge their default browser because of its built-in security features

And as it now seems, Microsoft still has one or two more tricks up its sleeves. While Windows Central can't independently verify the claims, the tech giant allegedly leverages its Bing Wallpaper app to "recommend different browser settings." The pop-up notification recommends setting Bing as the default search engine on Windows 11 for fast and secure search results.

Why is my wallpaper application recommending browser settings? from r/Windows11

I attempted to replicate the scenario on my PC but failed. However, I'll point out that the Bing Wallpaper app ships with optional offers checked by default, including Bing as my homepage and Bing as the default search engine. You might want to uncheck these boxes if this isn't your preferred setup before installing the application.

Installing the Bing Wallpaper app in Windows 11 (Image credit: Kevin Okemwa | Windows Central)

As highlighted in the Reddit post above, accepting Microsoft's "recommended settings" will automatically sideload the Bing extension into Google Chrome. If true, this might be another Microsoft campaign to get more users to ditch Google's services for Bing in Windows, even if it means adding Bing support to Google Chrome.

The user who flagged the issue is part of the Insider Beta Channel. The issue/bug may be limited to Insiders, and a fix might be coming. We've reached out to Microsoft for an official statement and will update this article with more context once it's available.

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