In Windows 11, Microsoft used malware-like pop-ups asking users to leave Google and use Bing instead.
It appears to be a new campaign to get Chrome users (where Google is set as the default search engine) to switch their default search engine to Bing.
The ads, which Microsoft calls push notifications, encourage users to visit Bing and set it as the default search engine in Chrome.
These ads appear across apps and games while using Chrome and may interrupt targeted sessions to remind users of the benefits of using Bing, such as: b. AI Chat and Microsoft Rewards.
These pop-ups are not regular notifications because they do not appear in the Windows 11 Notification Center and are not linked to Windows 11 features that suggest new features to you.
These pop-ups ignore notification settings and focus assist settings, appear even when blocked by notification settings, and even appear when the game is running in full screen mode, affecting the gaming experience.
These pop-ups act as executable files digitally signed by Microsoft, and somehow appear in the c:\windows\temp\mubstem folder and link to a tool called BGAUpell.EXE, which in turn links back to Microsoft Bing. The Service 2.0 background process aims to improve Bing on Windows 11.
The widget displays IsEdgeUsedInLast48Hours, which means the popup will trigger if Edge hasn't been used in the last 48 hours.
Microsoft can also detect if Google's search engine is active in Chrome, which may explain why popups only appear on certain devices.
The company acknowledged the existence of these pop-ups and stated that it had removed them. “We are aware of these reports and have temporarily closed this alert while we investigate the issue and take appropriate action to address this unexpected behavior,” the statement read.
Three months ago, several complaints about these pop-ups in Windows 11 started appearing online as users tried to figure out why they were seeing them.
Tests and user reviews confirm that the company disables ads.
Microsoft is known to use pop-ups or alerts in Windows and elsewhere to recommend its products, having previously displayed pop-ups in the Edge address bar to remind users that their browser uses the same technology as Chrome, but it builds Microsoft's trust.