Bing Wallpaper App: Privacy Concerns and Alternatives to Consider

Lately, Microsoft unveiled its official Bing Wallpaper app on the Windows Store, claiming to deliver a daily stream of stunning desktop wallpapers drawn from the Bing homepage. On the surface, this sounds appealing. Who wouldn’t enjoy waking up to fresh, professional-grade imagery to brighten their workspace? However, as the adage goes, "If it’s free, you’re the product"—and this seemingly benign app is making waves for all the wrong reasons.
So, let’s pull back the curtain and explore what's lurking beneath the Bing Wallpaper app. Spoiler alert: It’s a hornet’s nest of hidden functions that could sour your trust in one of tech's biggest names.

---

A Wallpaper App… or Uninvited Houseguest?​

According to feedback from developers and privacy enthusiasts, the Bing Wallpaper app might as well be the nosy neighbor who stops by for coffee but rifles through your desk while you’re not looking. This app doesn’t just let you change wallpapers; it also seems to bring along some overly intrusive behaviors that wouldn’t feel out of place in malware.

Here’s What We Know:​

1. Bing Visual Search Integration: Once installed, Bing Wallpaper ships in Bing Visual Search, a feature that embeds Bing-powered search capabilities into your system. While this may sound useful, many users find such auto-installed features invasive.
2. Sticking Its Finger in Your Browsers:
   • The app reportedly can decrypt cookies saved in other browsers, which is akin to reading your mail without permission. For a non-security app to deploy this capability is seriously offside.
   • It doesn’t stop there. If Microsoft Edge isn’t your default browser, the app nudges you persistently—prompting you to "switch over." Moreover, it pushes Microsoft’s Bing Search extension onto Chrome users, essentially hijacking a browser ecosystem where it wasn’t invited.
3. Geolocation Web API Introduced: To further extend its grasp, the app integrates a "free geolocation web API." While the intent wasn’t explicitly clear in reports, integrating geolocation hints at user tracking—potentially for advertising purposes, among other things.
4. Registry Key to Self-Destruct: Ironically, there’s a peculiar user-discovered registry key allowing the app to self-destruct (effectively uninstall itself) as if even Microsoft acknowledges that some users might view it as a liability rather than an enhancement.

---

Developer Red Flags and User Outrage​

This tempest in the tech teacup was brought to light by a vigilant Windows developer and reverse engineer, Rafael Rivera. When Rivera dug into the app's behavior, he didn’t hold back on branding Bing Wallpaper as “malicious.” Yep, not “poorly designed” or “overreaching,” but malicious. That’s not something software enthusiasts toss around lightly.
Here’s the kicker: Microsoft doesn’t need to stoop to these tactics. Windows already has native support for dynamically changing wallpapers, which makes Bing Wallpaper redundant at best and predatory at worst. Competitors such as Wallpaper Engine or Dynamic Wallpaper offer cleaner, adware-free alternatives in this space as well.

Community Backlash​

Understandably, users have not taken this in stride. Here are just some highlights of the outrage:

• Class action lawsuits have been humorously (or not-so-humorously…) suggested.
• Comparisons to adware and malware proliferate in comments sections.
• A particularly insightful post noted: "If it’s free, you’re likely the product." Touché.

---

What Can You Do If Bing Wallpaper is Already Installed?​

If you’re among the unfortunate users who’ve already downloaded this app and now feel like Windows has turned into a cyberstalker, don’t worry. Here are practical steps you can take to regain control.

Uninstallation Guide: Removing Bing Wallpaper’s Clingy Tendrils​

1. Standard Removal:
   • Navigate to Settings → Apps → Installed Apps.
   • Locate Bing Wallpaper and hit Uninstall.
2. Clear Residual Extensions (if it meddled with your browser):
   • Open Chrome or Firefox.
   • Navigate to Extensions and remove any extensions named something like "Microsoft Bing Search for Chrome."
3. Registry Cleanup (For Advanced Users Only):
   • Open the Registry Editor by typing regedit into the Windows search bar.
   • Head to the following path:
     
     Code:

      HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\

   • While tricky and dangerous if mishandled, removing the registry remains tied to Bing services and auto-functions to clean up residual pieces.
4. Additional Malware-Like Behaviors:
   • If geolocation APIs have alarmed you, it's a good idea to audit permissions and track what has access to your system resources via Windows Settings → Privacy & Security.

---

A Bigger Discussion: Should We Accept This From Microsoft?​

Microsoft has always been a polarizing tech giant. On one hand, it provides indispensable ecosystems like Windows 11. On the other, it's sometimes accused of heavy-handed tactics to secure its market dominance—installing Edge on clean Windows 10 devices, nudging Bing at every opportunity, and now this.
Certainly, Microsoft’s pursuit of embedding Bing on every screen aligns with its mission of growing division revenues, but is it worth the reputational damage? When the company stoops low by embedding functions that resemble classic malware—including browser hijacking, misusing cookies, and automated downloads—it risks alienating not only casual users but also tech enthusiasts who advocate for privacy-respecting software.

---

The Future of Dynamic Wallpapers: Do You Need Bing?​

Dynamic wallpapers and visual improvements are core requests from Windows users, but the Bing Wallpaper app isn’t the only game in town for these features. If you need resolution-rich wallpapers or advanced customizations without strings attached, here are our trusted alternatives:

• Wallpaper Engine: Available for Windows, offering a vibrant ecosystem of animated wallpapers and customization.
• Dynamic Wallpaper: Simple and lightweight, perfect for static or slideshow-based changes.
• The Windows 11 Native Settings: Yes, even without Bing Wallpaper, Windows 11 can rotate your desktop background automatically, pulling from any image folder of your choosing.

So, dear readers, ditch the force-fed Bing app, and give your desktop the treatment it deserves—with less intrusion. And let Microsoft know: beautiful wallpapers are great, but your privacy isn’t for sale.

---

Source: TechSpot The official "Bing Wallpaper app" does some nasty, malware-like things to Windows