[Tip] Prevent “Microsoft Search in Bing” Extension Automatic Installation in Google Chrome

Users who are using Google Chrome web browser and Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus in their computer systems, very soon they’ll find that a new extension called “Microsoft Search in Bing” has been installed automatically in their Chrome browser.

This extension will be installed if users perform new installations of Office 365 ProPlus or when users update or upgrade their existing installations of Office 365 ProPlus.

This extension will automatically change the default search engine set in Chrome browser to Bing. One important thing to note! If Bing is already set as default search engine in your Chrome browser, the extension will not get install in your browser.

According to Microsoft, this decision has been made so that users who are using Google Chrome browser in organizations, can take advantage of Microsoft Search. It’ll help them in accessing relevant workplace information directly from the browser address bar. Microsoft Search is a part of Microsoft 365 and is turned on by default for all Microsoft apps that support it.

The “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension will start install automatically starting version 2002 of Office 365 ProPlus. Version 2002 is scheduled to release in early February or March 2020.

In starting, only users living in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, United Kingdom and United States will get this extension automatically in Google Chrome web browser. Other regions might get added in future.

If you don’t want this automatic delivery of “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension in your Google Chrome web browser, there is a registry tweak to prevent or restrict it from happening.

We can block this automatic and forcefully installation of “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension in Google Chrome web browser by applying a simple registry tweak given in following steps:

1. Press WIN+R keys together to open RUN dialog box. Now type regedit in RUN dialog box and press Enter. It’ll open Registry Editor.

2. Now go to following key:

3. Now create a new key under Microsoft key and set its name as Office

4. Now create a new key under Office key and set its name as 16.0

5. Now create a new key under 16.0 key and set its name as Common

6. Now create a new key under Common key and set its name as OfficeUpdate

So the final path of the new key will be:

7. Select OfficeUpdate key and in right-side pane, right-click on empty area and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value option. Set the new DWORD name as PreventBingInstall and set its value to 1

Close Registry Editor.

You have successfully applied and implemented the required registry tweak to prevent/restrict automatic download and installation of “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension in Google Chrome web browser.

Now the “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension will not install automatically in your Google Chrome web browser.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with Registry editing tasks, we are providing ready-made Registry script to do the task automatically. Download following ZIP file, extract it and run the .REG file. It’ll ask for confirmation, accept it. Restart your computer to take effects:

The ZIP file also contains extra registry script to unblock delivery of Microsoft Search in Bing extension in Google Chrome web browser.

BONUS TIP:

If you find that “Microsoft Search in Bing” extension has been already installed automatically in your Google Chrome web browser, you can uninstall and remove it by running following command in Command Prompt as Administrator:

You can launch Command Prompt as Administrator using any method given in following tutorial:

[Guide] Different Ways to Open Command Prompt as Administrator in Windows

Also Check:

[Windows 10 Tip] Block or Prevent Automatic Installation of Microsoft Edge Browser via Windows Update