How To Use Bing’s Advanced Search Settings To Exclude Keywords

How To Use Bing's Advanced Search Settings To Exclude Keywords

When using Bing for searching, there are several advanced search settings and operators that can help you refine your search results and exclude unwanted keywords. Here’s a detailed guide on how to utilize these features effectively.

Using the Minus Symbol (-)

To exclude specific terms or phrases from your search results, you can use the minus symbol (-) immediately to the left of the term you want to exclude. For example, if you are searching for information on "MySQL index hotspot problem" but do not want results related to "WiFi hotspot" or "Mikrotik hotspot," you can use the following search query:

what is mysql index "hotspot" problem -wifi -mikrotik

This will help filter out results that contain the words "wifi" and "mikrotik".

Using the NOT Operator

The NOT operator is an alternative to the minus symbol and serves the same purpose. However, it is crucial to capitalize the NOT operator to ensure Bing recognizes it as a Boolean operator rather than a common stop word. Here is an example:

what is mysql index "hotspot" problem NOT wifi NOT mikrotik

This approach can be particularly useful if the minus symbol does not yield the desired results.

Using Quotation Marks

If you need to search for an exact phrase and exclude certain terms, you can combine quotation marks with the minus symbol or NOT operator. For instance:

"mysql index hotspot problem" -wifi -mikrotik

"mysql index hotspot problem" NOT wifi NOT mikrotik

This ensures that the exact phrase is searched while excluding the specified terms.

Boolean Operators and Precedence

Bing supports various Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT. Here are some key points to keep in mind:

AND: By default, all searches are AND searches, meaning you do not need to use AND if it is the only operator in your query. For example, "technical seo audit" AND "content audit" is the same as "technical seo audit" "content audit".
OR: Use OR or | to find web pages containing one of the specified terms. For example, seo OR ppc or seo | ppc. When combining OR with other operators, it is advisable to enclose the OR terms in parentheses due to its lowest precedence.
NOT: As mentioned earlier, NOT must be capitalized to be recognized. It can be used interchangeably with the minus symbol.

Practical Tips

Capitalization: Ensure that Boolean operators like NOT and OR are capitalized to avoid them being treated as stop words.
Stop Words and Punctuation: By default, stop words and punctuation marks are ignored. To include them in your search, surround them with quotation marks or precede them with the plus (+) symbol.
Order of Execution: The preferred order for Boolean operators is: parentheses, quotation marks, NOT, minus symbol, plus symbol, AND, and finally OR. This helps in controlling the order of execution and precedence.

By utilizing these advanced search settings and operators, you can significantly refine your search results on Bing and exclude unwanted keywords effectively.

One Comment

Henry says:

July 23, 2025 at 12:57 pm

You and every other site I have found, says the same thing. i.e. Use the minus symbol or the Boolean term NOT in order to exclude search terms from Bing.

The trouble is that they do not work. When I use either minus sign or NOT, then ALL the results contain the term I wanted to exclude.

My search was — “1986 ford ranger” service manual NOT haynes — but every single hit had Haynes in it. EVERY SINGLE one of them. I don’t like the Haynes manuals and wanted to exclude them from my search but there is apparently no way to exclude those hits.

Regardless of all the claims from Microsoft and all the onliune “experts”.