Why Is Chrome Sending Me to Bing? What It Means and How To Fix It

If you’ve gone into your Chrome browser to conduct a Google search and have been mysteriously redirected to Bing.com, you could have a virus. You may also have accidentally installed a malicious extension or downloaded some shifty software that’s redirecting you. Google is the default search engine for Chrome, so it’s unusual if it redirects you to Microsoft’s competing search engine.

To stop Chrome from redirecting to Bing, you’ll need a good antivirus and a little time to reconfigure your settings. If you aren’t sure how to do this, we’ll walk you through it.

How to stop Bing redirect

You’ll have to take several steps to get rid of Bing. Some users have reported being able to stop it by uninstalling Microsoft Edge, while others have said they just had to disable an extension.

Another common issue is a piece of malware or a computer virus creating the redirect. Whatever it is, you’ll need to do a little investigation into your own system to figure out exactly which one is causing you grief. We’ve provided a tutorial you can follow below.

1. Uninstall suspicious extensions and applications

This is likely going to be the most time-consuming part of the process. If you know the redirect started after you installed a certain extension, disable, uninstall, and delete that extension to see if the problem is solved.

If you don’t know if a certain extension is causing it, you’ll have to disable each one individually and continue to retry until you find the problem.

How to uninstall a Google Chrome extension

1. Open Chrome.
2. In the top-right corner, click More, which is the three vertical dots.
3. Click Extensions from the drop-down menu.
4. Click Manage Extensions.
5. Toggle the slider under each extension to off until you find the problem.
6. Once you’ve found the problem, click Remove.

How to uninstall a Windows application

There are various ways to remove applications from Windows in both Windows 10 and Windows 11, but removing them from the Control Panel will be the easiest way. If you want to try another way, you can do a quick internet search with the question of how to remove an application.

1. Type Control Panel into the search bar and click it.
2. From the Control Panel, select Programs.
3. Then select Programs and Features.
4. Right-click or press and hold the program or application you want to remove.
5. Click Uninstall.

How to uninstall a macOS application

1. Click the Finder icon in your dock (usually lower left) on your Mac.
2. From the menu, click Applications.
3. Find the icon of the application you want to remove.
4. Drag the icon to the trash can in the lower right corner of your dock.
5. If your system requires a password or your fingerprint, input or touch your ID button.

2. Reset Chrome settings

Resetting your Chrome settings will help make sure any changes you’ve made take effect. It’ll also allow you to return your homepage and search engine to the default settings.

1. Open your Chrome browser.
2. Click More, which is the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner.
3. Click Reset settings.
4. Click Restore settings to their original defaults.
5. Click Reset settings.

3. Scan your device with an antivirus

Next, to make sure that everything is clean and running smoothly, you’ll need to open your antivirus software and perform a system scan. We recommend doing a full disc scan rather than just a quick scan. This way, you can be sure to catch anything that may have hidden in another part of your hard drive. If you use an external hard drive for any reason, scan that too.

If you don’t have an antivirus program, it’s recommended you get one. We’ve tested and reviewed all the best antivirus software programs available, and our top recommendations are below. Installing and using antivirus software is one of the easiest methods of prevention you can take against malware and viruses.

• Norton: Norton’s been in the game a long time and really knows what it’s doing when it comes to antivirus protection. There are a variety of options, plans, features, and bundles with other services like a virtual private network (VPN) and identity theft protection. If you’re looking for top-tier protection, Norton has it.
  
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• McAfee: Out of all the antivirus software, McAfee might have the most name recognition. There are plenty of plans you can choose from with McAfee. Whether you just want an antivirus or a full security suite, you’ll have lots of options.
  
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• Avast: Avast is what’s known as a “freemium” antivirus. You can get basic protection for free, but additional features will require a paid plan. Don’t skip on the free antivirus, though. Avast is tried and tested with great protection scores. It’s definitely worth checking out.
  
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4. Remove detected malware

If your antivirus scan comes up with malware, a virus, a Trojan, or anything else that shouldn’t be there, you’ll need to follow the instructions from your particular service to quarantine and remove those files.

Downloading extensions from the internet, or even browsing online without real-time antivirus, can leave you susceptible to all types of nasty stuff. If the redirect you’re experiencing is from malware or a virus, it won’t go away by simply resetting your Chrome browser. You’ll need to get rid of the files, and that’s where antivirus comes in.

5. Run a second antivirus scan

Once you’ve cleaned all the malware off your hard drive and any external devices like hard drives or USB sticks, you’ll need to run a second scan. This ensures you clean all of the malicious files and code from your hard drive, external hard drive, and any USB sticks you may have connected to your computer.

If the next scan says your computer is still infected, make sure you quarantine and clean that and then run another scan. Keep running scans until you get a clean scan with no suspicious activity.

6. Restart your computer

Once you’re sure your device is clear and all your scans come back clean, you can go ahead and restart your computer. This will reset everything back to its proper working state.

If you really want to double down, shut down your computer entirely instead of hitting the restart option. Once it’s powered down, unplug the power cord from your computer. Let it sit for 60 seconds, then plug the power cord back in and boot up your computer. 

It sounds silly, but killing the power completely will make sure everything resets, and there’s nothing left holding on.

Why is Chrome redirecting to Bing?

The Bing redirect might be happening because a hacker has infiltrated your system and installed malware, or you downloaded something suspicious that takes you to Bing search.

Why would someone want to redirect your traffic? This is likely to redirect you to spam or scam sites with the intention of stealing your credentials, money, and other sensitive data. There’s also the possibility of spamming you with endless ads or potentially using this issue to create a vulnerability and install more aggressive malware.

It’s also possible that you downloaded a browser extension with some kind of unwanted redirect or malware. Potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) are annoying but not necessarily malicious. There’s always a chance you just stumbled across a prank from an internet prankster who likes mischief, but that’s becoming less and less the case. 

No matter what, you’ll need to correct the problem so you don’t end up with worse issues down the road.

How to protect your device from browser hijackers

The best way to protect yourself from this happening in the future is to use a security stack that keeps unwanted programs off your computer and other devices. A security stack is bundling applications together (like antivirus, a VPN, and others) to create a secure wall around your devices. Major companies and corporations use security stacks, and you definitely should too.

• Antivirus is real-time protection that catches malware and viruses as they’re trying to attack you.
• Look for a quality VPN with a no-logs policy and a variety of safety features like obfuscated servers. Be wary of free VPNs that may sell your data or be full of malware.  
  
• Tracker and ad blockers will keep trackers from following you around the web and block ads and pop-ups, adware or not, from appearing on your computer.
• For the most protection, consider identity theft protection services. If you do get hacked and your identity is compromised, these services can help you restore your finances and good name with both insurance protection and remediation assistance. 
  

FAQs

Bottom line

If you find yourself experiencing the Bing redirect virus, you need to take the steps to correct it as soon as possible. Removing hijackers, malware, viruses, or Trojans from your computer is completely doable without ruining your device. As long as you correct the problem early, you shouldn’t have any other problems.

If you aren’t using antivirus software, you need to choose one. We’ve reviewed some of the best malware removal tools to make sure you’re getting powerful protection. Antivirus and anti-malware tools are your best line of defense against these kinds of hijackers, hackers, and malicious programs.