Turn Off Personalized Ads in Microsoft Bing

Turning off personalized ads in Bing reduces the use of your activity and interests to tailor ads you see; it does not remove ads or necessarily stop all data collection. You’ll need access to the Microsoft account you use with Bing if you want to change the setting across your signed-in experiences.

What You’ll Need

• A web browser and an internet connection.
• Your Microsoft account sign-in, if you use Bing while signed in. If you use Bing without an account, you can still check the browser’s privacy settings and available advertising controls.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Microsoft’s privacy dashboard. In a browser, go to account.microsoft.com/privacy. Sign in with the Microsoft account you use for Bing. Check the account name or profile icon before changing settings, especially if you have more than one account.
2. Find the advertising settings. On the privacy dashboard, look for the section or link named Advertising settings or Personalized ads. Microsoft can change the dashboard layout, so the exact placement may differ. If you do not see it, use the dashboard’s settings navigation or search Microsoft Support for “personalized ads Microsoft account.”
3. Turn off personalized ads. Switch off the option that allows Microsoft to show personalized ads based on your interests or activity. Read the nearby description to confirm you are changing ad personalization, rather than a different privacy or data setting.
4. Save or confirm if prompted. Some settings apply as soon as you change the switch; others may ask you to confirm. Follow the on-screen instruction, then return to the advertising settings and check that the option remains off.
5. Review the browser-level control if you use Bing signed out. Open the browser you use for Bing and check its privacy settings for controls that limit ad personalization or cross-site tracking. The wording and effect vary by browser. These controls are separate from the Microsoft account setting and may affect other websites too.
6. Check other devices or accounts. If you use Bing on another browser, device, or Microsoft account, review the relevant settings there as well. A preference changed for one signed-in account might not apply to another account or to a signed-out browser session.
7. Allow time and verify what changed. Close and reopen Bing, or refresh the page, after changing the preference. Ads may not change immediately, and you may continue to see ads that are not selected based on your interests.

Common Mistakes

• Expecting ads to disappear. Turning off personalization changes how ads may be selected; it is not an ad blocker. Bing and other services can still display advertising.
• Changing the wrong account. If the dashboard shows a different account from the one used in Bing, the change may not affect the experience you’re checking.
• Assuming one switch covers every setting. Ad personalization, search history, location access, cookies, and browser tracking are related privacy topics, but they are not interchangeable. Turning off ad personalization alone does not necessarily clear stored activity.
• Looking only in Bing’s search page. The account-level advertising preference is managed through Microsoft’s account privacy settings, not necessarily through a control on the Bing results page.
• Judging success by the ads shown. Seeing an ad that seems relevant does not prove personalization is still on. Ads can be chosen using the page, search, or other contextual information.

Tips

• Bookmark the Microsoft privacy dashboard so you can revisit the preference later.
• When changing settings, note which account and browser are active. This makes it easier to compare results across devices.
• If you want to reduce activity-based advertising further, review Microsoft’s other privacy controls and your browser’s cookie and tracking settings separately. Changing these may affect saved preferences or how websites work.
• Use the setting’s explanatory text as the guide to its scope. Microsoft may update labels, placement, and available choices, so rely on the current dashboard rather than an old screenshot.

Troubleshooting

The privacy dashboard does not show advertising settings. Confirm that you are signed in, then check the dashboard navigation for privacy or advertising controls. Try opening the dashboard in a current browser or on another device. If the setting is unavailable for your account or region, consult Microsoft Support for the options currently offered.

The switch will not stay off. Refresh the page and sign in again, then check the preference. If you use multiple Microsoft accounts, verify you have not switched accounts. Browser extensions or strict privacy settings can sometimes interfere with account pages; temporarily test in a private window or another browser, then restore your usual settings.

Ads still appear personalized. First confirm the setting is off for the account actually in use. Then remember that ads can be relevant because of the content of a page or search, rather than your saved interests. Check browser-level tracking controls too, but don’t treat a particular ad as a reliable test of the account preference.

The setting changes on one device but not another. Check whether the other device uses a different account, browser profile, or signed-out session. Sign in with the same Microsoft account and revisit the dashboard. Also review that browser’s privacy settings, since they are managed separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off personalized ads stop ads in Bing?
No. It limits personalization based on the relevant activity or interests; ads may still appear.

Will I see fewer ads after turning this off?
Not necessarily. The setting changes ad selection, not the amount of advertising shown.

Does this delete my Bing search history?
No. Ad personalization and search-history controls are separate. Review Microsoft’s privacy dashboard if you also want to manage or clear stored search activity.

Do I need to change the setting on every device?
The account preference may follow the Microsoft account, but signed-out use, different accounts, and browser-level controls can behave differently. Check each setup you use.

Can I turn personalized ads back on?
Yes. Return to the advertising settings on the Microsoft privacy dashboard and switch the preference back on if that option is available.

Why are some ads still relevant after I opt out?
An ad can relate to the search terms or page you are viewing, or be selected using other contextual signals. Relevance alone does not show that interest-based personalization is enabled.

Related

• How to See Hidden Friends on Facebook
• Send Windows Defender Events to Wazuh
• How to Block Adult Content at the Router Level