Replace Bing & Edge in Taskbar/Start Menu/Settings Search

Hi all,

Is there a current reliable way to replace (i.e. override) the enforced default of Bing (and Edge) when searching from the Start Menu and some Settings Pages? I think it also overrides the user default from Taskbar too?

I realise there's been a preference to uninstall in the past but recognise both are too entangled in the W11 OS now to do that. And I'm not that concerned about that as long as I can get everything to use my default browser and search (e.g. Brave and DuckDuckGo) and not have Bing & Edge interjecting into my activity.

So I'm hoping that:

1. There is somewhere to override the defaults and force use of user default browser and search engine - even if via the backend (as I am comfortable with that),

2. Possibly also a way to suppress these longer term (e.g. disable them from all but the parts of the OS where they are most entwined), so they don't run unsolicited or bother updating unnecessarily, and

3. Can anyone explain the odd new default program values that look like "BING:HTTP" or similar - I'm guessing these are how MS have hardcoded things elsewhere in the OS to force certain links and other web resources to always open via BING and/or EDGE? Can you do anything about these?

Appreciate any guidance or enlightenment, have only just updated from W10 to 11 a few days ago do still getting to grips with 11...

P.S. have searched some older threads, such as Uninstalling Edge, so have seen that a lot of the prior techniques to remove from the Beta version and such are now no longer practical. So wondering what the current state of play is? Not so concerned about uninstalling as long as I can suppress or ensure user defaults are honoured...

TIA

You can disable it but not change it to another search engine.

Thanks @glasskuter, I have now done so (both processes) and will see how that goes.

Here's what you want. It works perfectly and simply:


Then install Foxtana Pro extension in the browser of your choice. All links will be directed to your chosen browser and also open to your desired search engine. I've done it and it works great.

ltsnow said:

Here's what you want. It works perfectly and simply...

Click to expand...

Thanks! Will give that a try.

Pros, cons, and idiosyncracies of trying to force Edge gone has been covered many times in this forum. Edge is a core part of Windows whether we like it or not. Even using a third party tool will not make you hear the last of it. No one is being forced to use it and it's easy to stop it autostarting with Windows. For myself, that's entirely sufficient as I don't use obscure third party tools that butcher the OS in unpredictable ways I'm not prepared for. I use only modifications from trusted sources like Brink's tutorials. But that's just me. To each his own.

It's not simply a matter of uninstalling Edge, there are a few other sacrifices you need to make if you don't want to be inundated by the whole Edge/Web Experience thing. You just gotta know what to look for.

glasskuter said:

Pros, cons, and idiosyncracies of trying to force Edge gone has been covered many times in this forum. Edge is a core part of Windows whether we like it or not. Even using a third party tool will not make you hear the last of it. No one is being forced to use it and it's easy to stop it autostarting with Windows. For myself, that's entirely sufficient as I don't use obscure third party tools that butcher the OS in unpredictable ways I'm not prepared for. I use only modifications from trusted sources like Brink's tutorials. But that's just me. To each his own.

Click to expand...

Edwin said:

It's not simply a matter of uninstalling Edge, there are a few other sacrifices you need to make if you don't want to be inundated by the whole Edge/Web Experience thing. You just gotta know what to look for.

Click to expand...

Absolutely guys - I'm certainly not fixated on removal, and do understand the idiosyncrasies of it being entwined with the OS. But certainly interested in exploring any option that ensures my choices of default search engine and default browser are honoured by the OS. I've implemented the changes Brink linked to and am operating my W11 machine with them in place at present.

However, if I am in something like say Control Panel > Power Options and click a link I still get enforced Bing access via Edge even after the above is implemented. I find that very infuriating, especially since (int his example) it doesn't even go to a specific support page, it just goes to a Bing search with generic terms about power settings, in Edge...

P.S. And do appreciate the benefit of all you veteran member's experience and knowledge (and the obviously major and generous support efforts by Brink and any others involved)......

Mycenius said:

If I am in something like say Control Panel > Power Options and click a link I still get enforced Bing

Click to expand...

Huh? Bing from links in power options? Sorry I just don't see that. What links are you referring to? Just guessing but maybe you need to disable co-pilot.

glasskuter said:

Huh? Bing from links in power options? Sorry I just don't see that. What links are you referring to? Just guessing but maybe you need to disable co-pilot.

Click to expand...

Copilot is long gone my friend - it was the first thing I disabled. At least I thought it was...

See this link below (I'm just using this one as it's an easy example):



Click on it and and wunderbar, you get Bing, Edge & CoPilot pop up!





Those proprietary links Microsoft has inserted are nasty...

Well, I'll be dipped. I had never clicked on that before, but you are so right. It's dear old Bing.

Using that particular example, I played around with completely disabling everything I could find in group policy relating to whether windows search results would use web search and found it had no effect on this. It seems it is a hard coded LINK not related to search options at all.
About all I can say is it proves my point even further about how deeply Edge/Bing is integrated into the core of the OS and how messing with it too much could have detrimental results in unexpected ways.

I will tell you something else. No matter what you might find that works to scrub Edge/Bing now, that is no guarantee it will stay gone. Windows Update can bring it back, especially version updates. The is also a possibility that any absence of Edge/Bing cpuld negatively affect the success of any windows update where MS has included a new or revised feature that has a dependency on Edge/Bing. Just saying.

Knowing that, I did find 2 recent articles you can take a look at. I am not condoning their use nor even saying they will work so use at your own risk.



My advise would be to make a system image before messing around in this very gray area.

glasskuter said:

... but you are so right. It's dear old Bing.

Click to expand...

Mine opens in Chrome, but it does go to Bing..., it's simply a machine specific Help link...

Edwin said:

Mine opens in Chrome, but it does go to Bing..., it's simply a machine specific Help link...

View attachment 85001

Click to expand...

Then why don't you just install chrometana-pro and choose your search engine:

ltsnow said:

Then why don't you just install chrometana-pro and choose your search engine

Click to expand...

For the odd insignificant link such as that? Naw!

glasskuter said:

About all I can say is it proves my point even further about how deeply Edge/Bing is integrated into the core of the OS and how messing with it too much could have detrimental results in unexpected ways.

Click to expand...

Yep.

glasskuter said:

Knowing that, I did find 2 recent articles you can take a look at. I am not condoning their use nor even saying they will work so use at your own risk.

Click to expand...

Yeah not the route I'd want to go - as I don't want to hack the OS - but will have a look for interests sake. Happy to just suppress it (if possible) so it doesn't intrude on my UI experience...

Edwin said:

it's simply a machine specific Help link...

Click to expand...

Yep - as I said was using that particular item just as a simple example of what I had experienced, I've had the same behaviour not just from those static 'more info' type links, but the more significant ones in the actual config panels in settings, and so on... As above, would prefer it didn't intrude on my UI experience, .

Thanks for all the input guys.