Microsoft is using an aggressive strategy to impose Bing Search on Google Chrome

Microsoft will try to impose the Bing search engine on Chrome with its next version of Office 365 ProPlus. An aggressive strategy that will be applied from next month.

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If you don't come to Bing Search, Bing Search will come to you! Microsoft will soon be surreptitiously switching users from Google Chrome to its Bing search engine via its Office 365 ProPlus software suite for businesses. From the February update, an extension will be automatically installed on Google's browser, changing the default search engine (Bing replacing Google). This change will affect new installations of the suite, but also those already installed. The one dedicated to individuals will not undergo this change.

Users will therefore be surprised to see Bing appear instead of Google if they use Chrome. A change that is not announced and that uninformed users could not understand immediately. Microsoft defends itself from this choice, arguing that this solution aims to harmonize the ecosystem of the professional user, Bing also taking into account the documents shared in the company or the contents of OneDrive. Note that Google Chrome is only the first step, as a similar maneuver is planned for Firefox users in the future.

This intrusive installation, which only concerns a few countries (including Spain), can be annoying. Aggressive methods to impose Bing on a third-party browser are already causing a lot of talk on sites like Reddit. Of course, installing Bing is not a fatality, since the extension can be uninstalled afterwards. For larger-scale uninstallations, Microsoft still offers a solution for administrators on its official website.

It is not certain that forcing the hand of users in order to impose its Bing is the best solution for the Redmond firm.