Ever felt like your search results are a bit “off”? Maybe you’re seeing too much clutter, or perhaps you’re looking for something specific and Bing’s filters are being a little too protective. Whatever the reason, knowing how to change search settings in Bing is a skill that can save you a lot of frustration.
In this guide, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know. We’ll cover the basics like SafeSearch and language, but we’ll also dive into the more “hidden” settings that actually make your browsing experience better.
Why Even Bother with Bing Settings?
Most of us just type a query and click the first link. But Bing has become quite powerful lately, especially with its AI integration. If you don’t tweak your settings, you’re essentially letting Microsoft decide exactly how you see the world.
By learning how to change search settings in Bing, you can:
- Filter out adult content (or turn those filters off if they’re blocking legitimate research).
- Change your display language to something you’re more comfortable with.
- Adjust how results open (like making sure every link opens in a new tab so you don’t lose your place).
- Manage your search history for better privacy.
How to Change Search Settings in Bing: The Step-by-Step Guide
Let’s get into the “how-to” part. It’s actually pretty simple once you know where the menu is hiding.
1. Find the “Hamburger” Menu
First things first, head over to Bing.com. In the top-right corner of the homepage, you’ll see three horizontal lines (the hamburger menu). Click on that.
2. Enter the Settings Menu
Once you click those lines, a dropdown menu will appear. Look for Settings. When you hover over it, you’ll see a list of quick options like “Language,” “Country/Region,” and “SafeSearch.” To see everything at once, click on More.
3. Adjusting SafeSearch
This is the setting most people are looking for. Bing offers three levels of SafeSearch:
- Strict: Filters out adult text, images, and videos.
- Moderate: Filters adult images and videos but leaves text alone.
- Off: No filtering at all.
Just click the bubble next to your preference. If you find that “Off” is greyed out, it might be because of your ISP’s settings or your country’s local laws.
4. Changing Your Language and Location
If you’ve moved or you’re learning a new language, you’ll want your search results to reflect that. In the same “More” settings menu:
- Select Language on the left sidebar.
- Pick your display language (the language of the buttons and menus).
- Pick your preferred search result language.
Taking Control of Your Results
There are a few “quality of life” settings in Bing that many people ignore. If you’re already figuring out how to change search settings in Bing, you should definitely check these out:
Open Links in a New Tab
There is nothing more annoying than clicking a search result, realizing it’s not what you wanted, and having to hit the “back” button repeatedly. In the Results section of the settings, check the box that says “Open links from search results in a new tab or window.” This keeps your search list open in one tab while you explore results in another.
Search Suggestions
As you type, Bing tries to guess what you’re looking for. If you find this distracting, you can turn off “See search suggestions as you type.” It makes for a much cleaner, though slightly slower, search experience.
Managing Your Privacy and History
In 2026, privacy is a bigger deal than ever. Bing keeps a log of what you search for to “personalize” your experience, but you might not want that.
To clear your data:
- Go back to that hamburger menu.
- Select Search History.
- From here, you can see everything you’ve looked for. You can delete individual searches or clear the entire thing.
- You can also toggle off the “Show new searches here” setting if you don’t want Bing to track your session history on the sidebar.
Common Issues: “I Can’t Change My Settings!”
Sometimes, you might follow all the steps on how to change search settings in Bing only to find that your changes won’t stick. Here are a few reasons why that might happen:
- You’re not signed in: While you can change some settings as a guest, signing into your Microsoft account ensures they stay the same across your phone, laptop, and tablet.
- Browser Extensions: Sometimes privacy extensions or “Safe Search” extensions can override Bing’s internal settings. Try disabling them to see if it fixes the issue.
- Cookies are disabled: Bing uses cookies to “remember” that you wanted SafeSearch off or your language set to French. If your browser clears cookies every time you close it, your settings will reset.
Final Thoughts
Customizing your search engine is one of those small tasks that makes a huge difference in your daily digital life. Now that you know how to change search settings in Bing, you can make the tool work for you rather than the other way around.