Microsoft is retiring the Web Search (Bing) image pivot in the SharePoint page image picker for SharePoint Online.
This retirement follows the deprecation of the underlying Bing Search API and affects SharePoint page authors who previously searched the web for images directly from the picker.
Timeline
The retirement begins in March and should be completed by April 2026.
How does this affect your SharePoint users?
When working on a SharePoint page, authors can currently select the Web Search pivot to find Bing-powered images. This option will be removed as part of the Bing Search API retirement.
Microsoft recommends the following alternatives for page authors:
- Stock images
Curated, license-ready images available directly within the SharePoint image picker. See the documentation on adding images to pages for guidance. - Local file upload and Recent files
Upload images directly from a device or reuse recently accessed content stored in OneDrive or SharePoint document libraries. - Organization assets
Maintain brand consistency by storing approved visuals (such as logos, banners, and icons) in organizational asset libraries accessible to all authors. - Microsoft Designer
Generate custom images using Copilot Chat or the Microsoft 365 Create experience, then upload them to SharePoint for use on pages.
Reminder: Microsoft Designer in Teams has been retired.
Note:
A SharePoint administrator can disable the Web Search (Bing) pivot by setting FilePickerExternalImageSearchEnabled via PowerShell. If the pivot is no longer available, either your SharePoint administrator or Microsoft has already removed it.
FilePickerExternalImageSearchEnabled
For Webparts that support inserting images, like for example Image or Hero webpart, the Web search (Powered by Bing) option will be available if enabled (the default).
