Last Updated on May 7, 2026
By default, Microsoft forces all taskbar searches to open in the Edge browser using the Bing search engine, even if you have already set Google Chrome or Firefox as your default browser.
To fix this and force the taskbar to respect your actual browser settings, you need to use a free, open-source tool called MSEdgeRedirect. Here is how to set it up:
- Download the free MSEdgeRedirect app from GitHub.
- Run the installer and select Active Mode.
- Check the boxes to redirect Bing Search and Bing Images to Google (or your preferred search engine).
- Finish the installation to instantly apply the changes.
Why the Taskbar Ignores Your Default Browser
If you try typing a web search directly into the Windows taskbar, you will see a list of suggestions pop up.
Normally, clicking any of those web results automatically launches Microsoft Edge and loads Bing. Changing your default apps in the regular Windows settings menu will not stop this behavior, which is why a third-party tool is required to override the system.
Configuring MSEdgeRedirect
To take back control of your search bar, download the latest version of MSEdgeRedirect from their official GitHub releases page. Once downloaded, run the installer and accept the license agreement.
When prompted to choose an installation method, select Active Mode. This is the recommended setting because it runs quietly in the background without modifying your core system files.
On the next configuration screen, check the box for Edge Stable (unless you actively use developer or beta versions of Edge).
Under the Additional Redirections section, make sure you check the boxes for Bing Search and Bing Images. Set the dropdown menus to your preferred search engine, such as Google. This ensures that any taskbar search is instantly routed exactly where you want it.
Finish clicking through the installer to complete the setup. There is no need to restart your computer. To test if it is working, simply type a new search into your taskbar and hit enter.
You can download MSEdgeRedirect from GitHub under the Assets section here.
As you can see, the taskbar search now correctly opens in Google Chrome (or whichever browser you set as your default) using the Google search engine instead of Bing.
Troubleshooting and Common Questions
Is MSEdgeRedirect safe to use?
Yes. It is an open-source tool, meaning the underlying code is publicly available on GitHub for anyone to review. It is widely used by the IT community because it does not maliciously alter registry keys or break Windows updates. Instead, it simply intercepts the command-line requests that are meant for Edge and passes them to your default browser.
Will a Windows Update break this workaround?
Microsoft frequently patches Windows 11, and occasionally a major feature update will try to reset taskbar behaviors or patch the specific methods third-party tools use to redirect links. If your taskbar suddenly reverts to opening Edge after a Windows update, you usually just need to download the newest version of MSEdgeRedirect and run the installer again to restore the functionality.
Can I redirect Windows widgets and Copilot too?
Yes. During the installation process shown above, the Additional Redirections screen includes options to redirect Windows Widgets, PDF viewers, and even the Windows Copilot features. Checking those boxes ensures that absolutely no web traffic is forced into Microsoft Edge against your will.
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