Enforcing Bing SafeSearch

Tech Lockdown Team

|

Updated January 9, 2025

An important feature of Microsoft's Bing Search engine is the SafeSearch feature, which filters out explicit image, video, and website results. When it comes to Bing, it is possible to enable and lock-on their strict search setting in such a way that it can't be easily turned off. This is extremely valuable if you are trying to ensure your own self-control while online, or if you just want to lock down a device for better safety.

In this guide, we will provide techniques that not only turn on strict mode, but also enforce it in a way that can't be easily disabled.

How to Test if Bing SafeSearch is Locked on

Use these techniques to test if Bing Safe Search is enforced properly on computers and smartphones as you're implementing our suggestions.

Each platform and device type has their own menu navigation for checking on the Bing SafeSearch status. With this guide, you won't need to manually turn on Bing SafeSearch since these techniques do that automatically. You'll use these steps to double-check that it is locked on.

Using DNS-based Bing SafeSearch Enforcement

A universal way to automatically toggle on Bing SafeSearch on all types of devices is using a DNS Filtering service, specifically DNS filtering services that specialize in blocking adult content  since these are likely to support enforcing SafeSearch. Once you've identified a service, these are the general steps:

1). Enable SafeSearch for Bing and supported Search Engines

Configure the content filtering policy to enable SafeSearch and apply it to Search Engines that support SafeSearch, such as bing.com. 

For example, using the Tech Lockdown Content Policy , we'll create a new SafeSearch rule and adjust the schedule so that it's always on:

2). Connect devices to the DNS Policy

You can connect your home router or configure specific devices to point to this DNS Content Policy .

Tech Lockdown provides two types of ways to connect to DNS filtering:

1. Configuring the DNS settings on the device to point to the filter
2. Using an app, which adds a VPN connection that points to the filter

To ensure that DNS SafeSearch enforcement continues to work, you have to protect that  connection so that it is not intentionally or accidentally bypassed. Tech Lockdown members get access to several powerful bypass prevention tools. For example, our VPN enforcer for iOS .

Edit Lookup

Create a DNS Content Policy

Enforce content filtering rules on all your devices.

Learn More

Force Microsoft Edge SafeSearch Settings with Browser Policies

On Windows and Mac computers, the Microsoft Edge browser can be configured with a policy that protects settings like SafeSearch. On iOS devices, the Safari browser can be configured to enforce SafeSearch.

Once a policy is added, you'll see a message in Microsoft Edge's setting panel: "Your browser is managed by your organization."

Once a browser setting is protected, it won't be possible to override it by changing the setting in the browser interface.

For specific instruction on configuring browser a browser policy that enforces SafeSearch, see the corresponding device guides:

1. SafeSearch guide for Windows
2. SafeSearch guide for Mac
3. SafeSearch guide for iOS

Protecting Edge SafeSearch Preferences on Windows

You can use the Command Prompt program to customize Microsoft Edge Browser policy by entering a command. Some of the settings we can change for Edge include protecting the SafeSearch setting for Bing so that the user can't change the setting.

reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge /v ForceBingSafeSearch /t REG_DWORD /d 2 /f

Another setting to look into is  preventing InPrivate on the Edge browser , which will prevent a user from hiding their online activity.

Edit Lookup

Create a DNS Content Policy

Enforce content filtering rules on all your devices.

Learn More

Protecting Edge SafeSearch Preferences on Mac

You can run a command using the Terminal Application that enforces Bing SafeSearch in Microsoft Edge on your Mac.

defaults write com.microsoft.edge.plist ForceBingSafeSearch -int 2

The drawback of this approach is that SafeSearch is only enforced when using the Edge browser, so you should combine this method with another SafeSearch enforcement techniques if you also use other browsers.

Using the Hosts file to Enforce Bing SafeSearch in all Browsers

The Hosts file is a special file on your Windows or Mac computer that allows you to override DNS settings for specific website domains. You can use it to force Bing SafeSearch at the most fundamental level on your system in a cross-browser compatible way. 

To get started, check out our hosts file guide, which contains all of the entries you need to enforce Bing SafeSearch:

• Enforce Bing SafeSearch with the Hosts file

Blocking Search Engines that do not Support SafeSearch

After you've enforced Bing SafeSearch, you'll likely want to ensure that it cannot be bypassed by using a search engine that doesn't have the SafeSearch feature. 

These are the most well-known Search Engines with SafeSearch features:

1. Google Search
2. Bing Search
3. Duckduckgo
4. Brave search
5. Yahoo

Combining DNS-based SafeSearch Enforcement with Allow and Block rules

The most comprehensive approach to restricting search engines that aren't on your approved list is using the DNS-based approach we detailed earlier on in this guide.

Here are the steps for restricting access to search engines without a SafeSearch feature using Tech Lockdown's DNS Content Policy

1). Enable SafeSearch for the Search Engines category

Make sure you have a SafeSearch rule created with the Search Engines category selected

Bing is categorized as a Search Engine, so it's automatically included in this rule.

2). Allow specific Search Engines

Create a new Allow rule below this and select the Bing search engine app:

3). Block the Search Engines category

Finally, create a new Block rule below this that blocks the Search Engines category.

The final result should look like this:

Note: You must order your rules this way for this to work properly. 

Enforcing SafeSearch on other Search Providers

In addition to Bing search, there are several other search engines that provide effective safe search. Enforcement techniques are generally supported using the DNS-safesearch technique we detailed earlier on, but some providers have other enforcement options. For example, some search engines provide a dedicated web address that has Safe Search locked on like safe.search.brave.com.

Check out our other Safe Search guides for specific providers:

1. Enforcing Safe Search on Duckduckgo
2. Enforcing Google Safe Search
3. Enforcing Brave Safe Search