Microsoft pauses Bing ads that target Google Chrome users

Microsoft has decided to pause Bing ads that target Chrome users who have set Google as the default search engine. Windows 10 and Windows 11 users have reportedly been seeing more Bing and Edge ads lately.

The latest ads appear on top of games as the American tech giant continues to urge users to use Bing rather than Google search in Chrome. An earlier report by Windows Latest's Mayank Parmar indicated that Microsoft is aggressively promoting Bing on Chrome.

As part of the campaign, Microsoft showed a popup on the desktop's lower right side. The pop-up hovered above all apps and games. The advert highlighted various advantages of using Bing, including Microsoft Rewards and AI chats.

This could be part of the company's attempt to improve Bing's market share, which has reportedly remained stagnant since its debut. Earlier this month, the technology company even admitted that its AI search bot, Bing Chat has been facing quality issues.

In a statement to Windows Latest, a Microsoft spokesperson said the company isn't unaware of Bing ads popping up on top of games and ignoring notifications settings.

Furthermore, the spokesperson noted that Microsoft has pulled the advertisements. In the meantime, the company will investigate the situation. The folks at Windows Latest tested and found that Microsoft had disabled the ads.

Microsoft says it is aware of the Bing pop-up ads

"We are aware of reports and have paused this notification while we investigate," a Microsoft official told Parmar. It is worth noting that the aforesaid pop-up not only ignored all notifications but also neglected the focus assist settings. Some users claim they received the pop-up while streaming content or playing games.

According to the report, the popup is connected to a tool called "BGAUpsell.EXE." This file is associated with Microsoft Bing Service 2.0, which alludes to a background process that enhances Bing on Windows 10 and 11.

This file probably interacts with multiple features where Bing is integrated, including Windows Search. Also, the tool mentions "IsEdgeUsedInLast48Hours," implying the pop-up will be activated if Microsoft Edge hasn't been used in the past 48 hours.

Alternatively, there is a possibility that Microsoft can detect whether Chrome is using Google or another search engine. This could be the reason why only select devices saw the pop-up.

Google does it too

Microsoft has a reputation for recommending products such as Bing and Edge via alerts or pop-ups in Windows. For instance, a previously spotted pop-up in the address bar of the Edge browser reminded users that Microsoft's browser adopts the same tech as Google, but with the added trust of Microsoft.

Parmar shared a few screenshots on X (formerly Twitter) of a few examples of ads in Windows, including one that promises Edge can let you "browse securely" button, and you can make money using Microsoft Rewards.

Microsoft noted this is a limited offer and is "valid for 1 person/account within first 14 days of joining." Google uses similar tactics and often shows recommendations to use Chrome when people browse YouTube, Gmail, and other services using Microsoft Edge.