FAQ - Bing Rewards Preview

Frequently Asked Questions

Top questions

What is Bing?

Bing helps you overcome the problem of search overload, providing more intuitive, visually organized results and tools that help you make better decisions faster.

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How does the Bing Rewards Preview work?

When you join the Bing Rewards Preview, you'll get opportunities to earn credits redeemable for rewards. Rewards offers may include earning credits for searching on Bing, or trying out new Bing features. Get Started. The Bing Rewards Preview is offered in addition to the Bing search services available to users, and to learn more about the Bing search services, please read the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement.

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How do I get started?

There are two ways to participate in Bing Rewards Preview:

Download the Bing Bar (which enables you to earn credits and shows you how many you’ve earned on the Rewards credit counter), and complete the registration process. That's it! Get Started

Or:

Participate through the web on Bing by completing the registration process. Your credits will be tracked in the Rewards credit counter in the top right of the Bing header. Get Started

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Do I need to download the Bing Bar?

There are two ways to get started with Bing Rewards:

Download the Bing Bar (which enables you to earn credits and shows you how many you’ve earned on the Rewards credit counter), and complete the registration process. That's it! Get Started

Or:

Participate through the web on Bing by completing the registration process. Your credits will be tracked in the Rewards credit counter in the top right of the Bing header. Get Started

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What is the "Rewards credit counter" and where can I find it?

The Rewards credit counter keeps track of how many credits you've earned, current offers available to earn additional credits, and provides easy access to the redemption center. Your Rewards credit counter can be found in one of two places depending on how you’re participating in Bing Rewards:

In the Bing Bar look for the following button: rewards credit counter

Click the button to access your available rewards offers to earn more credits

In the Bing.com header, click on the Rewards credit counter pictured below to access your current offers to earn credits

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Do I need to buy anything to join the Bing Rewards Preview?

No, you don’t need to buy anything and there are no hidden fees. And when it’s time to redeem your credits, all rewards are shipped at no charge. However, we can only ship to addresses within the 50 United States and the District of Columbia; we cannot ship to P.O. boxes or APO and FPO addresses.

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Earning with the Bing Rewards Preview

How do I earn credits?

You can take advantage of offers to earn credits. Offers may include earning credits for conducting searches on Bing, or trying out new Bing features. To view your current offers, click on your Rewards credit counter.

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How do I know I'm getting credits toward rewards?

Your Rewards credit counter will climb as you take advantage of Rewards offers that give you opportunities to earn credits. You can also check your available balance in your Rewards Account.

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How do I redeem my credits?

It's simple. Visit the Redemption Center, sign-in, provide your shipping information, and we'll ship your reward to you for free.

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How many rewards can I earn?

Microsoft may limit the quantity of credits or rewards per person or per household. The limits on rewards per person or per household will be reflected in the Redemption Center.

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Can I earn credits for any Bing searches?

Provided that you have an offer to earn credits for searching on Bing, you can earn credits for Bing searches with the exception of those within the following Bing properties:

Club Bing – including searches within Club Bing and the Club Bing toolbar and any additional Club Bing products or services

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When does the Bing Rewards Preview end?

The Bing Rewards Preview ends on December 31, 2011. Bing Rewards will stop counting your searches and collecting information when the program ends on December 31, 2011 or when you discontinue participation in the Bing Rewards Preview. Credits accumulated expire March 31, 2012. During the Preview, unredeemed credits shall expire if you do not earn any credits for 180 days.

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Am I eligible to join the Bing Rewards Preview if I am not a U.S. resident?

No, only U.S. residents (50 U.S. States and D.C.) are eligible to join the Bing Rewards Preview.

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Bing Bar

What does the Reward Counter in my Bing Bar do?

In order to reward you for your participation in the Bing Rewards Preview, you need to download the Bing Bar which contains the Reward Counter. The Reward Counter collects information about your interaction with Bing and different search engines including the number of web searches you do each day, the types of searches you complete (such as for news or images), and the number of search ads you click on. The information collected includes your system configuration and IP address, and we may collect and store a non-identifiable form of your searches in connection with your Rewards account to assist in the prevention of fraud. This information is collected and stored in connection with your Windows Live ID for up to 15 months. Bing Rewards Preview may use the data collected through the Reward Counter, your redemption center activity, and information collected and associated with your Windows Live ID to customize your Bing Rewards Preview experience.

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Will the Bing Rewards Preview work on my computer and browser?

If you're using Bing Rewards through the Bing Bar, the system requirements are as follows:

Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3)

Internet Explorer 7.0 or later

If you're using Bing Rewards through the web on Bing, you may use Bing Rewards on Internet Explorer 7 or later and the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome and Safari.

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Can I participate in Bing Rewards on a second computer?

Yes, you participate in Bing Rewards on a second computer (for example, you may participate on both your home computer and office computer). Learn how to get started on your second computer. (Note: If a daily maximum applies to an offer, you will be awarded the combined total from multiple computers, up to the daily allowable maximum.)

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Can two people earn credits in the Bing Rewards Preview on the same computer?

No, the Bing Bar can only be registered with one Bing Rewards Preview Account per computer.

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Why is the Bing Bar not showing in my browser?

Sometimes, other software installed on your computer can disable toolbars in your browser. Make sure the toolbar is enabled in your browser. See the How do I enable the Bing Bar in my browser? If you’re still having trouble, download the Bing Bar again. Contact support if you're having problems installing the Bing Bar.

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How do I uninstall the Bing Bar?

You may uninstall the Bing Bar at any time. However, you will no longer be able to earn credits through the Bing Bar. If you would like to stop participating in the Bing Rewards Preview see the topic: How do I stop participating in the program?

To uninstall the Bing Bar if you use Windows XP:

Go to Start, Control Panel, and select Add/Remove Programs or Uninstall a Program

Find the Bing Bar

Click Remove or Uninstall

To uninstall the Bing Bar if you use Vista or Windows 7:

Go to Start, Control Panel, and select Uninstall a Program

Find the Bing Bar

Click Remove or Uninstall

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Your Rewards Account

Why do I need a Windows Live ID?

Your Windows Live ID will be used for the purposes of fulfilling the Bing Rewards Preview. Information related to your participation in Bing Rewards Preview, including the number of searches you do, is stored in connection with your Windows Live ID.

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Will my Windows Live ID work for this program, too?

Yes, you can use your existing Windows Live ID to sign up for Bing Rewards.

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Will Microsoft share, lease or rent my information to third parties?

No, we won’t share, lease or rent your information to third parties. To see how Microsoft uses and protects the information you provide, please see the Microsoft Online Privacy Statement.

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How do I stop participating in Bing Rewards?

What would you like to do?

If you’re using Bing Rewards through the Bing Bar and you want to stop participating on this computer only please click here.

To stop participating in the Bing Rewards Preview entirely click here.

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Who can I contact if I have questions or want more information?

If you were unable to find your answer, submit your question to our Customer Support team.

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Redemption Center

When and how do I get the rewards?

As soon as you’ve accumulated enough credits, simply go to the Redemption Center, add your chosen item to your cart and complete the check out process. Shipping is free. Provided your order is found to be in accordance with our Terms of Use, rewards are usually delivered within 8-12 weeks from the date the redemption request is fully processed, unless otherwise stated or the particular reward is in limited quantities, backordered or out of stock. In the case of items that are delivered electronically, these are usually sent within 1 – 2 weeks. If you have a question about your order, contact us.

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How many credits do I need to get a reward?

Choose from a wide range of rewards, with some starting at less than 250 credits. Check out all the rewards at the Redemption Center. You’ll get 250 credits* just for joining the program, so you’ll be well on your way to earning a reward. * Limit one 250 credit bonus per person and per computer.

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Why do reward items change?

As provided in our Terms of Use and so that we can provide participants with a variety of rewards, the available rewards will change often so check the Redemption Center frequently to see what is new. There may be a limited number of some rewards and those will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. We also may substitute similar rewards.

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Am I responsible for shipping and handling charges?

No, shipping and handling is free within the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. Please note, we cannot ship to PO Boxes, or APO or FPO addresses.

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Can I return or exchange my reward?

No, all redemptions are final after you confirm your order.

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When will my selected non-profit organization or school receive the donation?

Once your donation is processed and determined to be in compliance with the Bing Rewards Preview Terms of Use, Microsoft will make at least an annual donation to the non-profit organization or school you have selected on your behalf. The cash donation to the non-profit organization or school will be made on your behalf on the following schedule: For credits contributed by May 31, 2011, Microsoft will provide the cash donation to the non-profit organization or school no later than August of 2011; and for credits contributed between June 1, 2011 and September 30, 2011, Microsoft will provide the cash donation to the non-profit organization or school no later than August of 2012.The amount of Microsoft's donation will be the total contributed by the entire community of people contributing to that organization, including yourself. The minimum check disbursement amount is $10. If the non-profit organization or school has earned less than $10 in twelve months across all contributors or the non-profit organization or school is no longer available at the redemption center when the payment is made, the funds will be allocated to charities of Microsoft's choosing on your behalf.

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Troubleshooting

Why did the Reward Counter stop counting?

Click your Rewards credit counter to see current available offers to earn credits. Your Rewards credit counter may also have stopped counting if you've reached your credit earning maximum (if applicable), or if your browser is in InPrivate mode in Internet Explorer or an equivalent mode in other browsers where the browser doesn’t collect information. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions topic, How do I turn off InPrivate mode in Internet Explorer? If you need further assistance, please contact us.

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Why can't I install the Bing Bar?

Contact support if you're having problems installing the Bing Bar.

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What if I have problems with the Bing Bar?

Contact support if you're experiencing issues using the Bing Bar with the Rewards program.

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How do I turn off InPrivate mode in Internet Explorer?

To sign up to receive credits in the Bing Rewards Preview, your browser must not be in the InPrivate mode in Internet Explorer. To turn off InPrivate mode follow the steps below:

Close your browser

Open your browser without enabling InPrivate mode

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How do I enable the Bing Bar in my browser?

To enable the Bing Bar in your browser, follow the steps below depending on your browser:

Internet Explorer 7 and 8: Click the Tools icon, select the Toolbars menu and ensure "Bing Bar" is checked.

Internet Explorer 9: Click the cog icon in the top right hand corner, click "Manage add-ons", then click "Toolbars and Extensions" and ensure the "Bing Bar" is enabled.

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I received a message that there has been a fatal error in my Reward Counter and that my
participation, including earning of credits, has been suspended. What do I do?

A fatal error has occurred with your Reward credit counter and your participation in the Bing Rewards Preview, including earning of credits, has been suspended. Please contact customer support to continue your participation in the Bing Rewards Preview.

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Troubleshooting for users accessing Bing Rewards through Bing

How come my Rewards credit counter is not showing up in the top right of the Bing.com header?

There are two reasons your Rewards credit counting may not be showing up:

You have recently cleared your cookies. Please sign in to Bing using your Windows Live ID that you used to sign up for Bing Rewards. Your Rewards credit counter should re-appear.

You are using Internet Explorer 7 or higher and you currently have the Bing Bar installed on your browser. If you would like to participate in Bing Rewards through the web on Bing, you must uninstall or disable the Bing Bar. If you would like to participate in Bing Rewards through the Bing Bar, get started here.

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Why is my Rewards credit counter still visible when I sign out of Windows Live on Bing?

If you would like to stop earning credits, click the Rewards credit counter and then click the “Turn Off” link.

If you would like to sign out of Bing Rewards, clear your cookies by going to your browser options.

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Why aren't my Bing Rewards credits showing up in my Rewards credit counter?

Sign in to Bing with the Windows Live ID that you used to sign up for Rewards to see your credit balance and new offers to earn credits. If you are still having trouble submit your question to our Customer Support team.

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