The default search engine in Windows 8.1 is Bing, which is not well-received by some users due to privacy concerns and limited functionality. If you prefer to use a different search engine, you can remove Bing from Windows 8.1 and set your preferred search engine as the default.
To remove Bing from Windows 8.1, you can either use the built-in settings or edit the registry. The built-in settings method is easier and recommended for most users. To use this method, open the Settings app and go to the “Search” section. Under the “Search engine” drop-down menu, select your preferred search engine. You can also disable Bing search suggestions by unchecking the “Show search suggestions” box.
If you prefer to edit the registry, you can open the Registry Editor by pressing Windows Key + R and typing “regedit”. Navigate to the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Search key. In the right-hand pane, double-click on the “SearchEngine” value and change the value data to your preferred search engine. You can also disable Bing search suggestions by double-clicking on the “BingSearchEnabled” value and changing the value data to 0.
Removing Bing Apps from Your System
Microsoft’s Bing search engine is deeply integrated into Windows 8.1, with Bing apps appearing as part of the Start menu and other areas of the operating system. If you’re not a fan of Bing, here’s how to remove it from your system.
Uninstall Bing Apps
To uninstall Bing apps, open the Control Panel and select “Programs and Features.” Find the Bing apps you want to remove and click “Uninstall.” You may need to restart your computer after uninstalling the apps.
Disable Bing Search in the Start Menu
Bing search is enabled in the Start menu by default. To disable it, right-click the Start button and select “Properties.” In the “Start Menu” tab, uncheck the box next to “Show search results in Start menu.” Click “OK” to save your changes.
Remove Bing Search from the Taskbar
The Bing search bar can be removed from the taskbar by right-clicking it and selecting “Unpin from taskbar.” You can also disable the search bar by right-clicking it and selecting “Properties.” In the “Search” tab, uncheck the box next to “Show search icon in taskbar.” Click “OK” to save your changes.
Uninstall Cortana
Cortana is a personal assistant that is integrated with Bing search. To uninstall Cortana, open the Control Panel and select “Programs and Features.” Find Cortana and click “Uninstall.” You may need to restart your computer after uninstalling Cortana.
Remove Bing from Other Areas
Bing may also appear in other areas of Windows 8.1, such as the lock screen and the Action Center. To remove Bing from these areas, follow these steps:
**Lock screen:** Right-click the lock screen and select “Personalize.” In the “Background” tab, select “Picture” or “Slideshow” instead of “Bing.”
**Action Center:** Open the Action Center and click the “All settings” button. In the “Notifications & actions” settings, uncheck the box next to “Get tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows.” Click “OK” to save your changes.
**Settings app:** Open the Settings app and go to “Search & apps.” In the “Search” section, uncheck the box next to “Show search suggestions in Start menu, Cortana, search box, and taskbar.” Click “OK” to save your changes.
Customizing Your Search Engine in Internet Explorer
Open Internet Explorer on your Windows 8.1 computer. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window and select “Manage add-ons”. In the “Manage Add-ons” window, select “Search Providers” from the left-hand menu. You will see a list of all the search providers that are installed in your browser. To make a different search provider your default, select it from the list and click the “Set as default” button. You can also remove search providers from your browser by selecting them from the list and clicking the “Remove” button.
Removing Bing from Internet Explorer
To remove Bing from Internet Explorer, follow these steps:
1. Open Internet Explorer on your Windows 8.1 computer.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the browser window and select “Manage add-ons”.
3. In the “Manage Add-ons” window, select “Search Providers” from the left-hand menu.
4. Find “Bing” in the list of search providers, select it, and click the “Remove” button.
5. Bing will now be removed from your browser.
| Step | Action |
|—|—|
| 1 | Open Internet Explorer. |
| 2 | Click the gear icon. |
| 3 | Select “Manage add-ons”. |
| 4 | Select “Search Providers”. |
| 5 | Find “Bing” and click “Remove”. |
Using a Third-Party Browser with a Different Search Engine
If you’re unhappy with Bing as your default search engine in Windows 8.1, you can easily switch to a third-party browser that offers a different search option. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up a third-party browser:
1. Download and Install a Third-Party Browser
Choose a reputable browser that includes a search engine of your preference. Some popular options include Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera.
2. Set the Browser as Default
After installing the browser, you need to make it the default for web browsing. To do this:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Go to “Internet Options.”
- Under the “Programs” tab, click “Set Default Programs.”
- Select the third-party browser from the list and click “Set this program as default.”
3. Change the Search Engine
Most third-party browsers allow you to customize the search engine. To change the search engine:
- Open the browser’s settings.
- Locate the “Search engine” or “Search provider” section.
- Select the desired search engine from the drop-down menu.
4. Uninstall Bing
If you want to remove Bing completely from your system, you can uninstall it using the following steps:
- Open the Control Panel.
- Go to “Programs and Features.”
- Find Bing in the list of installed programs and click “Uninstall.”
5. Remove Bing from the Start Menu
To remove the Bing shortcut from the Start menu:
- Right-click on the Bing shortcut in the Start menu.
- Select “Unpin from Start.”
6. Disable Bing as Cortana’s Search Engine
Cortana, the virtual assistant in Windows 8.1, uses Bing as its default search engine. To disable Bing as Cortana’s search engine:
- Open Cortana’s settings.
- Under the “Speech” tab, find the “Search” section.
- Turn off the “Use Bing to search for things on the web” option.
Adjusting Cortana’s Search Settings
Cortana, the virtual assistant on Windows 8.1, can be used to search the web, your files, and your apps. By default, Cortana uses Bing as its search engine. However, you can change this setting to another search engine, such as Google, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo.
To change Cortana’s search engine, open the Cortana app and click on the settings icon. Then, click on the “Search” tab and select your preferred search engine from the drop-down menu. You can also choose to disable Cortana’s web search feature by toggling the “Search the web” switch to the “Off” position.
Once you have made your changes, click on the “Save” button to save your settings. Cortana will now use your preferred search engine for all of your searches.
7. Additional Tips
- You can also change Cortana’s search engine by using the Registry Editor. However, this method is not recommended for beginners.
- If you are having trouble changing Cortana’s search engine, you can try resetting Cortana to its default settings.
- You can also use a third-party utility to change Cortana’s search engine. However, be sure to research the utility before you install it, as some utilities may contain malware.
Hiding Bing Results in the Search Charm
To hide Bing results in the Search charm, follow these steps:
1. Open the Search Charm
Press the Windows key + C or swipe in from the right edge of the screen to open the Search charm.
2. Click the Settings Icon
Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the Search charm.
3. Select **Sources**
In the left pane, click **Sources**.
4. Uncheck the Bing Box
Under **Web results**, uncheck the box next to **Bing**.
5. Click **OK**
Click **OK** to save your changes.
6. Bing Results Will No Longer Appear
When you search in the Search charm, Bing results will no longer be displayed.
7. To Re-Enable Bing Results
If you want to re-enable Bing results, follow the same steps and check the box next to **Bing** in step 4.
8. Edit Search Filters (Optional)
You can also edit the search filters to refine your search results. Click the **Filters** tab in the Search charm settings and select the desired filters.
9. Advanced Search Options
For more advanced search options, click the **Advanced** link in the upper-left corner of the Search charm. This will open the Search Explorer, where you can use advanced search operators and refine your search by content type, file type, date range, and more.
How To Remove Bing From Windows 8.1
If you’re not a fan of Bing, the default search engine in Windows 8.1, you can easily remove it and replace it with your preferred search engine.
Here are the steps on how to remove Bing from Windows 8.1:
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click on “Programs” and then “Default Programs”.
3. Under “Set your default programs”, click on “Set your web browser”.
4. Select your preferred web browser from the list.
5. Click on “Set this program as default”.
6. Close the Control Panel.
Bing will now be removed as the default search engine in Windows 8.1.
People Also Ask About How To Remove Bing From Windows 8.1
How do I change the default search engine in Windows 8.1?
To change the default search engine in Windows 8.1, follow these steps:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner and then click on “Internet options”.
3. Under the “General” tab, look for the “Search” section.
4. Click on the drop-down menu and select your preferred search engine.
5. Click on “OK” to save your changes.
How do I remove Bing from the Windows 8.1 start screen?
To remove Bing from the Windows 8.1 start screen, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on the Bing tile.
2. Click on “Uninstall”.
3. Confirm that you want to uninstall Bing.
How do I disable Bing search suggestions in Windows 8.1?
To disable Bing search suggestions in Windows 8.1, follow these steps:
1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click on “Search and Indexing”.
3. Under the “Searching” tab, uncheck the box next to “Show search suggestions when I type in the Search box”.
4. Click on “OK” to save your changes.
