Windows Search isn’t exactly known for being great at finding your files or apps, and its web search isn’t much better. By default, when you type a query in the taskbar search box, alongside results for apps, files, and settings, Windows Search will also suggest web searches. These will open Microsoft Edge and use Bing to answer your question.

Microsoft previously gave us the option to choose which browser we wanted to use for searches, but it closed that loophole. This led me to disable web search in Windows Search using the registry editor. However, I recently came across a tool called MSEdgeRedirect, which lets you swap Bing for Google or another search engine. It’s not perfect, since the search highlights in Windows Search still show Bing results, but it can at least redirect your searches to the search engine of your choice through your default browser.

The issue with Bing

There are quite a few

Microsoft has made Bing better over the years, adding AI features, among other things. It’s also trying its best to push Bing, along with Edge, down our throats. But the truth is that Google is still better. I have used Bing both as a default search engine and in Windows Search, and it has more than a few issues. For one, the top results can be older, which can be a challenge when you're searching for troubleshooting guides or stats.

The biggest challenge with Bing is searching for local information. Google has significantly better location-based search results than Bing for a few reasons. While Bing shows the map in a tiny corner on a desktop PC, Google gives you a bold map. Plus, Bing has to pull reviews from third-party sites like Tripadvisor, whereas Google has its own reviews.

Google is also much better at searching for random error codes or sentences from an error. Bing often gives me no results, few results, or results without the searched-for sentence, whereas Google actually gets it right.

Replacing Bing with Google using MSEdgeRedirect

It only takes a minute

MSEdgeRedirect is available for download on GitHub. It installs with or without admin permissions and runs in the background. You just have to set it up once and forget it even exists. Below are the steps to help you get started if you want to try it.

1. Head over to GitHub and download the MSEdgeRedirect app.
2. When installing, choose Active Mode – Recommended (the third option). This opens the tool’s configuration page. If you don’t want it to run as an admin, pick the Service mode. When you select Service Mode, MSEdgeRedirect runs in the background and detected Edge data is redirected to your default browser. In Active Mode, MSEdgeRedirect replaces Edge and does not run in the background.
3. In the settings, check Bing Search. Google is set as the default replacement, but you can swap it with other options like DuckDuckGo, Ecosia, Yahoo, or Yandex. You can even add your own alternate search engine if you prefer.
4. Hit Install to save your changes. After that, you can access the tool from the program menu as usual.

Windows Search is better with Google

Sort of...

After I installed MSEdgeRedirect, all my Windows Search queries were redirected to Google and opened in Chrome. I found the results to be more relevant, especially the location-based search results. It doesn’t make a huge difference, though, since the search highlights still show Bing results. Plus, you either have to press Enter after typing your query or click the 'Open results in browser' button to see the Google results. It’s handy for quick searches when your browser isn’t already open.

MSEdgeRedirect works by intercepting the commands Windows sends to Microsoft Edge and redirecting them to your default browser. Instead of using the microsoft-edge: handler, it acts as a middleman, converting Edge-specific links into normal web links that any browser can handle. So, depending on your default browser, links could open in Chrome, Firefox, Brave, or whatever you prefer.

While I used MSEdgeRedirect, there are other tools worth considering. OpenWebSearch is a great alternative that supports Windows on ARM. GoAwayEdge and Wedge are also solid options to check out.

Get the most out of Windows Search

Windows Search isn’t perfect, but you can improve it with these tips and tricks. Start by trying PowerToys Run for faster, more precise searches, or narrow your results by searching within specific categories. For an even better experience, consider using a third-party tool like Everything. If you’re still not finding what you need, there might be deeper issues at play. Try troubleshooting Windows Search with these solutions.