Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
Verified with Microsoft 365/Office 5568.1000 — updated on September 4, 2026
Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
Path in the GPO console
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office 2016 (Machine)\Updates Description
This policy setting controls whether a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing gets installed. The background service is included when you first install Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise or when you update to a new version. This background service checks the status of a check box in the Microsoft Search section of the Microsoft 365 admin center. If the check box is selected, a Microsoft Search in Bing extension for Google Chrome is installed. The extension sets the default search engine to Bing, but users can change the default search engine even after the extension is installed. Note: The check box in the Microsoft 365 admin center isn’t selected by default. Therefore, even if the background service is installed, your users won’t see any changes unless you go into the Microsoft 365 admin center and select the check box. If you enable this policy setting, the background service won’t be installed. Since the background service isn’t installed, the extension won’t be installed, even if the check box in the Microsoft 365 admin center is selected. If you disable or don’t configure this policy setting, the background service will be installed. Even if the background service is installed, the extension won’t be installed unless the check box in the Microsoft 365 admin center is selected. For more information, see https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?linkid=2109345.
Registry
software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate Value name: preventbinginstall
Enabled: preventbinginstall = 1
Disabled: preventbinginstall = 0
Export Builder
BETAConfigure the state, scope and options, then generate .reg, PowerShell, Intune and SCCM outputs — or add the setting to a multi-setting collection.
These exports write the registry — this is not a managed GPO. ⓘ
.reg file
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Exported from gporais.com
; Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
; State: Enabled
; Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate]
"preventbinginstall"=dword:00000001More formats (PowerShell, Intune, SCCM)
PowerShell
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'preventbinginstall' -Value 1 -Type DWordIntune XML
No direct Policy CSP / OMA-URI mapping for this policy. Use the Intune Remediation tab, or ingest the ADMX in Intune.Intune Remediation
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate' -Name 'preventbinginstall' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'preventbinginstall' -Value 1 -Type DWordSCCM scripts
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
# SCCM Configuration Item guidance:
# Create a Configuration Item of type "Setting: Script".
# Discovery script: use the Detection script below.
# Remediation script: use the Remediation script below.
# Compliance rule: the Discovery script output equals 'Compliant'.
# === Detection script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
function Test-RegistryValue {
param(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Path,
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Name,
[object]$Expected,
[ValidateSet('String', 'DWord', 'MultiString')][string]$Kind = 'String',
[switch]$Absent
)
try {
$item = Get-ItemProperty -LiteralPath $Path -Name $Name -ErrorAction Stop
} catch {
return $Absent.IsPresent
}
if ($Absent.IsPresent) { return $false }
$actual = $item.$Name
if ($Kind -eq 'DWord') { return ([int64]$actual) -eq ([int64]$Expected) }
if ($Kind -eq 'MultiString') {
$actualValues = @($actual)
$expectedValues = @($Expected)
if ($actualValues.Count -ne $expectedValues.Count) { return $false }
for ($i = 0; $i -lt $expectedValues.Count; $i++) {
if ([string]$actualValues[$i] -ne [string]$expectedValues[$i]) { return $false }
}
return $true
}
return [string]$actual -eq [string]$Expected
}
$checks = @(
(Test-RegistryValue -Path 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate' -Name 'preventbinginstall' -Expected 1 -Kind DWord)
)
if ($checks -notcontains $false) {
Write-Output 'Compliant'
exit 0
}
Write-Output 'Non-compliant'
exit 1
# === Remediation script ===
# Exported from gporais.com
# Policy: Don’t install a background service for Microsoft Search in Bing
# State: Enabled
# Supported on: At least Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows 7
$path = 'HKLM:\software\policies\microsoft\office\16.0\common\officeupdate'
New-Item -Path $path -Force | Out-Null
Set-ItemProperty -Path $path -Name 'preventbinginstall' -Value 1 -Type DWordBuilding a multi-setting collection? Add this setting and generate combined .reg / PowerShell / GPO scripts.