Aug 28, 2023 12:28:00

Windows automatically displays a pop-up that recommends switching to Bing as the search engine, saying ``Switch the default search engine in Chrome to Microsoft Bing.''

In Windows developed by Microsoft,

pop-ups have often been displayed prompting the migration from rival companies' software and services to those made by Microsoft . A new pop-up message will be displayed on the desktop saying 'Switch Chrome's default search engine to Microsoft Bing'. A pop-up was displayed on the PC used by the editorial department of GIGAZINE, so when I checked it, I was able to confirm that multiple users were reporting similar pop-ups.

Below is the problem popup.

The pop-up says, ``Switch your default search engine in Chrome to Microsoft Bing.'' The benefits of switching to Bing include ``Earn

Microsoft Rewards points when you search'' and ``The new Bing, an AI-powered search engine.'' Try it' and 'Install Bing Service to improve your search experience'. By clicking 'Yes', you agree to Microsoft's terms of service and privacy policy, and Chrome's search engine will switch to Bing.

Microsoft Rewards is a point program provided by Microsoft for Microsoft account users. Points are accumulated by using Bing and Edge developed by Microsoft, and it is possible to make cash donations to non-profit organizations with accumulated points and convert them to gift cards. In other words, Microsoft is guiding you to use Bing with points.

After some research, it seemed that multiple internet users were plagued by the same popup.

It came out on my PC too! I thought it was a malware popup. I'm looking for a way to disable it # Mikeso # Chrome # Bing pic.twitter.com/yOvI5AgGTV

— Autumn citrus (@t_hkab) August 23, 2023

I was surprised to see this pop-up on my PC!

It feels like Microsoft is becoming more and more powerful by using insinuations to encourage the reverse (?) transfer from Chrome to Bing.

Check it out! ✍ pic.twitter.com/V9BQrwNOfK

- That's it. ｜Phototraction｜Marketing ???? (@sodamari_58) August 27, 2023

This morning, right after I started up my PC, this message appeared.
And the message is in English????

After translating with Google Translate,

Switch your default search engine to Microsoft Bing in Chrome

Earn Microsoft Rewards Points when you search
Try Bing, a new search engine powered by AI ↓ pic.twitter.com/0MOlk9ifCE

— Gucci (@ tgucchi6094) August 25, 2023

The popup appears to be an executable file called 'BGAUpsell.EXE'.

When I started Windows 11, it asked me to use Bing in Chrome... pic.twitter.com/IY2brJcWuE

— Tomoya_Marble (@Tomoya_Marble) August 25, 2023

There have also been reports that similar pop-ups are displayed on Windows 10 with Firefox as the default browser.

I confirmed that there was a notice to use Bing as the search engine for Chrome even on Windows 10 with Firefox as the default.
The mere presence of Chrome makes them an enemy.
I have prepared Chrome as a base for Android users, but I also use Firefox and Vivaldi.

— Tatsu (@Tatsu_syo) August 26, 2023

It seems that there are also pop-ups with slightly different notification contents. This pop-up notification says 'Now in Chrome: Chat with Bing, powered by AI,' without mentioning that you can earn Microsoft Rewards points. However, its basic role is the same: to change Chrome users' search engine to Bing.

I was browsing Twitter(X) on Chrome when a Bing ad suddenly appeared.
I want this to stop. ]Microsoft.

I didn't like the Bing bar that came with Edge, but is this caused by Windows?
C:\Windows\Temp\MUBSTemp\BGAUpsell.EXE
It looks like a virus.
What permission do you have to display it? ! pic.twitter.com/km1boXRaOY

— Miyabayashi ⋈ @ Toyohashi City (@pcmiya) August 17, 2023

Also, according to PC Watch's editor-in-chief Wakasugi, when installing an official Microsoft extension that uses Bing AI , it appears that the extension forcibly changed Chrome's search engine to Bing. When I click the 'Undo' button, it appears to ask me to continue using Bing, saying 'Please wait - don't undo.'

When I installed the official MS extension to use Bing AI in Chrome, Chrome's search engine was also changed to Bing, but Google politely asked me, ``Do you want to change it back?'', and MS immediately replied, `` Please don't change it back.'' I was stopped lol pic.twitter.com/xtS8aKQxAY

— Wakasugi | PC Watch Editor-in-Chief/Impress eSports Department Manager (@pcw_wakasugi) August 18, 2023

According to the blog ``Environment Construction Z for Niche PC Gamers'', if you follow the pop-up notification and switch your Chrome search engine to Bing, an extension called ``Microsoft Bing Search Engine'' will be installed, and if you enable this feature, it will become the default search engine. It seems that the engine will be switched to Bing. After switching to Bing, when searching, the same notification as the screenshot posted by Editor-in-Chief Wakasugi will be displayed.

Bing ads are now displayed on Windows. Prompted to change Chrome search to Bing | Niche PC gamer environment construction Z
https://www.nichepcgamer.com/archives/windows-bing-ad.html

・Continued
Microsoft announces that the pop-up display of ``Switch the default search engine in Chrome to Microsoft Bing'' is ``unintentional and has been temporarily suspended'' - GIGAZINE