Bing Webmaster Tools is Microsoft's free platform for monitoring and improving how your site performs in Bing, and now in AI search. Because ChatGPT Search and Microsoft Copilot both ground their answers in the Bing index, Bing Webmaster Tools is the free way to see your AI citation share, submit URLs instantly with IndexNow, and fix the crawl and indexing issues that keep you out of AI answers. It is the most underrated free tool in AI SEO.
What is Bing Webmaster Tools?
Bing Webmaster Tools is Microsoft's free equivalent of Google Search Console. You verify your site once, then get reporting on how Bing crawls, indexes and ranks your pages, plus tools to submit URLs, research keywords, and check backlinks. It is free, with no paid tier.
For years most SEOs ignored it because Bing was a rounding error next to Google. That maths has changed.
Why Bing Webmaster Tools matters for AI search
Here is the thing most people miss: ChatGPT Search and Microsoft Copilot both ground their answers in the Bing index. So when an AI assistant cites a source, Bing is often the layer deciding what it can see. If Bing cannot crawl or index your page, you are invisible to a large slice of AI search by default.
In 2026 Microsoft added AI Visibility Insights to Bing Webmaster Tools: a free citation-share report showing the percentage of AI grounding citations you win per query. That is intelligence the paid AI-tracking tools charge for. See how to track AI search rankings for where it fits.
The key Bing Webmaster Tools features
The tools that actually move the needle, in order of value for AI search.
| Tool | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| URL submission + IndexNow | Submit URLs for near-instant crawling; IndexNow pings Bing the moment a page changes | The fastest way to get new or updated pages into the Bing index, which feeds ChatGPT Search and Copilot |
| AI Visibility Insights | Shows your citation share: the percentage of AI grounding citations you win per query | The only free view of how often AI answers cite you. Launched 2026, and the headline reason to use the tool now |
| Search Performance | Clicks, impressions, CTR and position for Bing queries | Bing surfaces long-tail and LLM-shaped queries that Google Search Console drowns out |
| Site Explorer + Sitemaps | Browse how Bing sees your URL structure; submit and monitor XML sitemaps | Find indexation gaps and confirm Bing can reach your important pages |
| Crawl Control | Set when and how fast Bingbot crawls | Protects server load and keeps large sites crawlable |
| Keyword Research + Backlinks | Bing keyword data and your inbound link profile | Free keyword and link intelligence most SEOs ignore |
How to set up Bing Webmaster Tools
It takes about five minutes.
- Sign in at bing.com/webmasters with a Microsoft account.
- Add and verify your site. The fastest path is to import directly from Google Search Console. Otherwise verify with an XML file, a meta tag, or a DNS record.
- Submit your sitemap under Sitemaps so Bing has your full URL list.
- Turn on IndexNow so every publish or update pings Bing instantly.
- Check AI Visibility Insights to see which queries already cite you and where the gaps are.
Bing Webmaster Tools vs Google Search Console
You need both. They cover different search engines and, increasingly, different AI assistants.
| Bing Webmaster Tools | Google Search Console | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free |
| Powers which AI | ChatGPT Search, Microsoft Copilot | Google AI Overviews, Gemini |
| Instant indexing | Yes, via IndexNow | Limited (request indexing, slower) |
| AI citation share | Yes (AI Visibility Insights) | No equivalent |
| Query coverage | Strong on long-tail and LLM-shaped queries | Larger overall volume |
For the bigger picture on the two engines, see Google vs Bing and Copilot search optimisation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bing Webmaster Tools?
Bing Webmaster Tools is Microsoft's free platform for monitoring and improving how your site performs in Bing search and in AI search. It reports on crawling, indexing and rankings, and lets you submit URLs, research keywords, check backlinks, and view your AI citation share.
Is Bing Webmaster Tools free?
Yes, completely free with no paid tier. You only need a Microsoft account to sign in and verify your site.
How do I submit a URL to Bing?
Use URL submission inside Bing Webmaster Tools, or enable IndexNow so Bing is pinged automatically whenever you publish or update a page. IndexNow is the faster, hands-off option.
What is Bing IndexNow?
IndexNow is an open protocol that instantly notifies Bing (and other participating engines) when a URL is added, updated or deleted, so it gets recrawled in near real time instead of waiting for the next crawl.
Does Bing Webmaster Tools show AI citations?
Yes. Its AI Visibility Insights report, added in 2026, shows your citation share: the percentage of AI grounding citations you win per query. Because ChatGPT Search and Copilot use the Bing index, this is the free way to measure AI visibility.
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Chief of Staff at StudioHawk, Australia's largest dedicated SEO agency. Specialising in AI search visibility, technical SEO, and organic growth strategy. Leading a team of 120+ across Melbourne, Sydney, London, and the US. Book a free consultation →