Bing Ads Bidding Strategies in 2026: Which Microsoft Ads Bid Strategy to Use at Low Volume (and the 1 October Max CPC Change)

Most Bing Ads bidding advice is copied from Google, and that is a problem in 2026. Microsoft still offers Enhanced CPC after Google retired it, no longer lets you create standalone Target CPA campaigns, and from 1 October 2026 removes the Max CPC cap from new non-portfolio campaigns on several automated strategies. Meanwhile, the typical Microsoft Ads account we audit has far fewer conversions than automated bidding needs. This guide matches each Microsoft Ads bid strategy to your real conversion volume, explains exactly what changes on 1 October and 12 January 2027, and shows what happened when we left the wrong strategy running in our own account.

Use Enhanced CPC until a campaign has about 30 conversions in 30 days, move to Maximize Conversions or Maximize Conversion Value with a target only after that, and put any new capped campaign inside a portfolio before 1 October 2026.

• Manual CPC is not available for Microsoft Search campaigns. Enhanced CPC has been the default since 2021.
• Since 4 August 2025, Target CPA and Target ROAS are set inside Maximize Conversions and Maximize Conversion Value for new campaigns.
• Microsoft recommends at least 30 conversions in the previous 30 days before conversion-based bidding.
• From 1 October 2026, new non-portfolio campaigns on Maximize Conversions with target CPA, Maximize Conversion Value with target ROAS or Maximize Clicks cannot set a Max CPC.
• Existing campaigns keep their cap, and portfolio bid strategies keep Max CPC for new and existing campaigns.
• Microsoft’s own fix for “Limited: Not enough conversion data” is to consider Maximize Clicks or Enhanced CPC.

What bid strategies does Microsoft Ads offer in 2026?

Microsoft’s bid strategy help page, updated June 2026, lists these options for Search campaigns:

Can you still use Manual CPC in Microsoft Ads search campaigns?

No. Microsoft moved Search, Shopping and Dynamic Search Ads campaigns from Manual CPC to Enhanced CPC in 2021. Its API bid strategy guide says Enhanced CPC is the default for Search and that Manual CPC remains only for Audience display, video and lodging campaigns. When a guide tells you to “start with manual bidding” on Bing, read that as Enhanced CPC with your own keyword bids.

Is Target CPA still a separate bid strategy?

Not for new standalone campaigns. Microsoft’s help page states that from 4 August 2025, you set Target CPA inside Maximize Conversions and Target ROAS inside Maximize Conversion Value. Portfolio bid strategies still offer Target CPA and Target ROAS as their own types.

Is Enhanced CPC still available in Microsoft Ads?

Yes. Google removed Enhanced CPC for Search and Display campaigns from the week of 31 March 2025, according to Google’s help center, but Microsoft has not announced any removal. That matters for imported campaigns: a Google campaign that used Enhanced CPC may arrive in Microsoft on a different strategy, so check it after every import.

How many conversions does automated bidding need in Microsoft Ads?

Microsoft’s recommendation is specific. Its bid strategy help says: “We recommend having at least 30 conversions in the previous 30 days,” and that you should let a strategy accumulate at least 30 conversions before evaluating it. The same page advises against Maximize Conversions or Target CPA if most conversions happen more than seven days after the click, unless you upload offline conversions daily.

You will still see “15 conversions” quoted in older articles. That figure comes from Microsoft’s 2018 launch of conversion-based bidding and is not current guidance.

Which Bing Ads bid strategy should you use at your conversion volume?

Count conversions per campaign, not per account, over the last 30 days, and only count the goal you actually want more of. Then use this table.

Most lead generation accounts sit in the first two rows far longer than their owners expect. That is fine. Enhanced CPC plus tight keywords, negatives and network settings usually beats an automated strategy starved of data. Structure matters as much as the strategy: in our epoxy flooring Microsoft Ads case study, splitting branded, generic and Shopping campaigns so budgets and bids matched intent helped the account reach 10.8x ROAS. For what those clicks cost compared with Google, see our Bing Ads vs Google Ads CPC data from 16 accounts.

Enhanced CPC vs Target CPA: which should you choose?

Choose Enhanced CPC when volume is low or conversions are noisy, and Maximize Conversions with a target CPA once you pass about 30 conversions a month on one campaign. Enhanced CPC keeps you in control of the base bid. A target CPA hands Microsoft full control of each auction, which only pays off when the model has enough signal.

One Enhanced CPC detail catches people out: the keyword bid is an average, not a hard ceiling. A Microsoft Q&A answer confirms individual clicks can cost more than your bid while the average stays close to it.

Is Maximize Clicks worth using?

Occasionally, for a short data-gathering phase on a new campaign with a strict budget. After 1 October 2026, a new standalone Maximize Clicks campaign cannot have a Max CPC, so one expensive click can eat a small budget. If you want Maximize Clicks with a cap, build it as a portfolio.

What changes with Max CPC on 1 October 2026?

Microsoft announced it in its August 2026 product news: “starting October 1, the Max CPC setting will no longer be available when creating new non-portfolio campaigns using Maximize Conversions (with Target CPA), Maximize Conversion Value (with Target ROAS), or Maximize Clicks.” Microsoft suggests budgets, targets, conversion value rules and seasonality adjustments instead.

Which campaigns keep a Max CPC cap?

• Existing campaigns created before 1 October 2026 that already use Max CPC keep it.
• Portfolio bid strategies keep Max CPC for new and existing campaigns.
• Enhanced CPC campaigns are controlled by keyword bids, which act as the average CPC.
• Target impression share campaigns keep the cap, according to Microsoft’s Ads Liaison as reported by Search Engine Roundtable.

Two practical warnings. First, if you remove a cap from an existing campaign, reports of Microsoft’s advertiser email say you cannot add it back. Second, the wording “Maximize Conversions (with Target CPA)” leaves some doubt about campaigns without a target. Treat all three strategies as affected until your interface shows otherwise.

What happens on 12 January 2027 for API, Editor and Google Import users?

Microsoft’s bidding scheme API reference, updated September 2026, says: “Starting January 12, 2027, the MaxCpc field will no longer be available for new campaigns or for existing campaigns that don’t currently use it.” If you build campaigns through scripts, tools or scheduled Google imports, that is your deadline, not 1 October.

How do you keep a bid cap on new campaigns?

Create a portfolio bid strategy with the automated type you want, set its Max CPC, and add the new campaign to it, even if it is the only campaign in the portfolio. Portfolios cannot change strategy type after creation, so create one per strategy. Microsoft’s portfolio help says a portfolio takes a few weeks to learn, so set them up before you need them.

What happened when we left Max Conversions running with no conversions?

This is our own account, and our own mistake. Our ecommerce PPC search campaign ran on Maximize Conversions all through 2026 with zero recorded conversions. With nothing to learn from, it found the cheapest traffic it could. In the 90 days before our September 2026 audit it received zero desktop clicks: every paid click came from smartphones and tablets at around ₹20 each, far below realistic prices for agency keywords. A separate Magento campaign on the same strategy showed the status “Limited: Not enough conversion data” and spent almost everything on audience placements.

Conversion-based bidding with no conversions is not automation. It is a budget with no brakes looking for the cheapest click it can find.

Ishant Sharma, Founder and CEO, Hustle Marketers

On 25 September 2026 we switched the ecommerce campaign to Enhanced CPC with a ₹150 ad group bid, cut smartphone bids by 70% and tablet bids by 100%, and paused the Magento campaign. The campaign moved straight to “Eligible, limited by budget”, which tells us it can now compete in real auctions. We will add the before and after cost per lead here after 30 days.

Do bid adjustments still work with automated bidding?

Partly. Microsoft’s targeting help describes bid adjustments under automated strategies as signals that can inform bids, with Microsoft keeping full control. Device adjustments are used as a reference point, so the actual bid can be higher or lower.

If you rely on device or LinkedIn adjustments to shape spend, as many B2B accounts do, Enhanced CPC respects them far more predictably. Our guide to LinkedIn profile targeting in Microsoft Ads shows how those adjustments multiply.

How long is the Microsoft Ads learning period, and what restarts it?

Microsoft says bids start changing within about two hours of switching strategies, and that a strategy needs up to two weeks to learn, followed by two to four weeks before you judge it. During learning, avoid changing budgets or conversion goals, which Microsoft says may restart learning. For Target CPA changes, Microsoft recommends staying within 10% to 15% up or down at a time.

Plan strategy changes around that. Switching the week before a sale, or changing the budget every few days, means you never see a fair result.

What do Microsoft’s bid strategy status messages mean?

Microsoft’s delivery status help explains each status. Here is what we do about the common ones:

How do you change your Bing Ads bid strategy?

1. Go to Campaigns, select the campaign and open Settings.
2. Under Bid strategy, choose the new strategy and set a target or keyword bids where relevant.
3. For a capped automated strategy after 1 October 2026, open Portfolio bid strategies from the Tools menu, create or select a portfolio with a Max CPC, and add the campaign to it.
4. Save, note the date and avoid budget or goal changes for two weeks.
5. Check the campaign status the next day for learning or limited messages.

How do seasonality adjustments and data exclusions work?

Both help automated strategies cope with unusual periods. Seasonality adjustments apply only to target CPA and target ROAS strategies and cover windows of 14 days or less, such as a short sale. Data exclusions tell the strategy to ignore a period of broken tracking, up to 14 days, with seven days or less recommended, and only after the strategy has been active for at least 30 days.

What is the lowest bid allowed in Bing Ads?

For accounts billed in US dollars, pounds, euros and Canadian dollars, the minimum keyword bid is 0.05, according to Microsoft’s currency reference, which lists the minimum for every supported currency. A bid near the minimum rarely wins meaningful traffic on commercial keywords, so use it only to keep a keyword alive for testing.

Why choose a Bing Ads specialist from Hustle Marketers for bidding?

Bid strategy is where low-volume Microsoft Ads accounts lose the most money quietly. We learned that in our own account, where Maximize Conversions ran with zero conversions and bought only cheap mobile clicks until we moved it back to Enhanced CPC. We pick every client strategy from real conversion volume, not from what worked on Google.

Hustle Marketers is a Microsoft Advertising Partner and Google Partner agency led by founder Ishant Sharma, who has managed paid search since 2013. The team holds six 2026 Clutch awards and a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 591 verified client reviews, and has helped 2,500+ brands generate $780M+ in trackable revenue.

How does our Bing Ads specialist team manage bidding?

• Match each campaign’s strategy to its last 30 days of conversions, then review it again every month
• Set bid caps and portfolio strategies before the 1 October 2026 Max CPC change reaches new campaigns
• Adjust device, location and schedule modifiers from Microsoft data rather than copied Google settings
• Read status messages such as “Not enough conversion data” and fix the cause, not the symptom
• Protect learning periods by batching changes instead of editing bids every day

What results can a Microsoft Ads expert deliver?

In our epoxy flooring Microsoft Ads case study, the account reached 10.8x ROAS with 240 conversions between March and August 2026, and one campaign passed 16x. If you want the same approach in your account, talk to our Bing Ads specialist team, or see how we run full PPC management across Google and Microsoft together.

Bing Ads bidding questions, answered

Frequently asked questions

What is the best bid strategy for Microsoft Ads?

For most accounts under 30 conversions a month per campaign, Enhanced CPC. Move to Maximize Conversions with a target CPA, or Maximize Conversion Value with a target ROAS, once a campaign reliably passes that threshold.

How many conversions does Microsoft Ads automated bidding need?

Microsoft recommends at least 30 conversions in the previous 30 days. It also recommends waiting for 30 conversions before judging a new strategy.

Does Microsoft Ads still have Enhanced CPC?

Yes. Google retired Enhanced CPC in 2025, but Microsoft still offers it and uses it as the default for Search campaigns.

Can I still use manual bidding in Bing Ads?

Not in Search campaigns. Manual CPC was replaced by Enhanced CPC in 2021 and now exists only for Audience and lodging campaigns.

Will I lose Max CPC on my existing campaigns on 1 October?

No. Existing campaigns created before 1 October 2026 that already use Max CPC keep it. The change applies to new non-portfolio campaigns.

How do I keep a Max CPC on a new automated campaign?

Put it in a portfolio bid strategy. Portfolios keep the Max CPC setting for new and existing campaigns.

How long is the learning period in Microsoft Ads?

Up to two weeks. Microsoft then suggests two to four more weeks before evaluating results, without budget or goal changes.

Why is my Enhanced CPC higher than my bid?

Because the bid is an average target, not a ceiling. Individual clicks can cost more while the average stays close to your bid.

Where to go from here

Before 1 October 2026, list every campaign you plan to launch this quarter and decide whether it needs a cap. If it does, build the portfolio now. Then check each live campaign’s status for “Not enough conversion data” and move those to Enhanced CPC. Our Bing Ads optimization checklist covers the settings around bidding. If you want a specialist to handle it, our Bing Ads specialist service manages bidding daily, and you can book a Free ROI Audit to see which strategy each campaign should run.

About the author: Ishant Sharma is the founder of Hustle Marketers, a Microsoft Advertising Partner and Google Partner agency, and has managed Google Ads and Microsoft Ads accounts since 2013. His team has worked with more than 2,500 brands, and he sets bidding, budgets and conversion tracking for Microsoft Advertising accounts in B2B, ecommerce and lead generation.