Microsoft has updated its optional Bing Wallpaper application for Windows 11, introducing a feature that redirects users to the Bing search engine when they click on the desktop background. This functionality triggers once every 24 hours and opens the user's default web browser.
Unlike a previous pilot test of this feature in 2025, the current version of the software does not include an option to disable the redirection. The update lacks explicit user warnings regarding the behavior, which experts compare to the tactics of advertising-supported software.
The Bing search engine, which launched in 2009, holds a 5.29% global market share as of September 2026. In the United States, its share is 9.89%, while in Russia, it accounts for 0.84% of the market, according to StatCounter data.
This development follows other recent initiatives by Microsoft to increase Bing usage. In March 2026, the company introduced an internet speed test feature in the Windows 11 taskbar that redirects users to Bing search results, and in August 2026, it was linked to software that forces Bing as the default search provider.
