Use duckduckgo for everyday fact-finding, sensitive topics, and searches where you prefer minimal tracking. The core app, mobile tools, and search services remain free for all users. The app defaults to DuckDuckGo search and blocks many third-party trackers and personalized advertising. We separate the search engine from the app so readers see what each protects and where responsibility ends when clicking external sites.
Source code
Results rely heavily on Bing plus aggregated sources, which works well for mainstream queries. Full traffic protection requires separate network tools. If online privacy matters and you prefer simple tools, this browser gives strong defaults at no cost. Add a VPN, password manager, antivirus for layered protection.
- This could further save time on your web searches.
- Compliant sites receive a signal to avoid selling or sharing your data, helping you assert privacy rights automatically.
- DuckDuckGo is for people who want to privately browse their favorite sites.
- Niche or highly personalized queries may perform worse because DuckDuckGo avoids heavy personalization and filter bubbles.
- As of August 31, 2017, DuckDuckHack was placed on maintenance mode; as such, only pull requests for bug fixes will be approved.needs update
Encryption of searches vs. full traffic protection with a vpn
DuckDuckGo offers HTML and lite versions of its search for browsers without JavaScript capabilities. Prior to August 2022, DuckDuckGo Private Browser did not block Microsoft tracking scripts. Beginning in 2018, the company has offered browser extensions for popular web browsers (Google Chrome, Safari, and others). The company also confirmed that it does not share user information with partner companies, as has always been its policy. On November 10, 2014, Mozilla added DuckDuckGo as a search option to Firefox 33.1.
At the end, readers will get practical recommendations for different users and tips on mixing tools—VPNs, Tor, or other apps—to improve protection. We will weigh how well the tool blocks trackers, stops personalized ads, and keeps searches unprofiled. In May 2022, a report from Bleeping Computer by security researcher Zach Edwards found that DuckDuckGo Private Browser allowed Microsoft’s trackers to continue running while visiting non-DuckDuckGo websites, unlike Google and Facebook trackers, which were blocked.
How to Get the DuckDuckGo Browser Extension
These types of Instant Answer extensions are differentiated by how their data is retrieved. In addition to the indexed search results, DuckDuckGo displays relevant results, called instant answers, on top of the search page. DuckDuckGo offers limited third-party tracking protection, third-party cookie protection, CNAME cloaking protection, limited device fingerprint protection from third parties, link tracking removal, Google AMP replacement, and do-not-track requests. The subscription launched to users of the DuckDuckGo browser in the United States. As of March 2022update, DuckDuckGo handled 102,704,358 daily searches on average. The feature launched in beta for users of DuckDuckGo Private Browser on iOS and Android.
If you need deep integration with Google services, tight local listings, or hyper-personalized search, try google search or Bing for those cases. For many United States users, a small set of clear rules helps pick the right engine for each task. An antivirus suite with web protection helps block phishing and malware on third-party websites. DuckDuckGo is set as default search in Tor Browser. Graphics-heavy sites, web apps, or interactive dashboards may run better in Chrome or Firefox.
Supports
Knowing where protections stop helps you choose extra tools to guard online activity. Click handling avoids sharing personal identifiers and minimizes leaked data tied to ad clicks, helping protect privacy while delivering useful information. These ads use current query keywords rather than long-term profiles, which supports stronger privacy goals while keeping relevant listings visible. No paywall exists here—funding relies on ads that match what you type, not who you are. An optional VPN through Privacy Pro adds network-level coverage beyond built‑in protections. Key integrations include Apple Maps for private local results and Email Protection for tracker‑stripped forwarding.
History
Bangs are shortcuts that let you search directly on another website. This is an effect of its commitment to user privacy. What it does is provide objective, straight-to-the-point search results. It doesn’t rely on personal information or any browsing data.
It also uses data from crowdsourced sites such as Wikipedia, to populate knowledge panel boxes to the right of the search results. In September 2022, Debian package maintainers switched the default search engine in Chromium to DuckDuckGo for privacy reasons. In March 2019, Google added DuckDuckGo to the default search engine list in Chrome 73. On May 30, 2016, The Tor Project, Inc made DuckDuckGo the default search engine for Tor Browser 6.0. On March 10, the Pale Moon web browser, starting with version 24.4.0, included DuckDuckGo as its default search engine, as well as listed it on the browser’s homepage. GNOME released Web 3.10 on September 26, 2013, and starting with this version, the default search engine is DuckDuckGo.
Setting DuckDuckGo as your default search engine eliminates the need to visit the DuckDuckGo website every time you want to use it. While this makes it possible for users to get customized search results, it means companies like Google and Microsoft — not to mention third parties — have your sensitive personal data. Almost every other search engine will track the web pages you visit and use this information to filter results and create targeted ads.
DuckDuckGo is for people who want to privately browse their favorite sites. DuckDuckGo is an excellent browser for users prioritizing privacy. For example, Microsoft trackers cannot collect data in the DuckDuckGo browser. They use information from your previous web searches. Other browsers like Google refine results through user data.
Tips on Using DuckDuckGo Search Engine for Business
Below the search bar, you’ll see links to the DuckDuckGo web browser for Windows and the DuckDuckGo Chrome extension. You can use the tools below the search bar to search different data sets, including images, videos, news and maps. DuckDuckGo works like most search engines — you enter a search query into the search bar and a list of search results pops up on the page. Not only does it not spy on you, but it also prevents other websites from snooping by blocking their hidden trackers.
If you don’t want to use the DuckDuckGo apps, add the DuckDuckGo extension to your favorite browser. The mobile app’s search result page has a similar layout to the desktop browser. It doesn’t collect your browsing data or track what you search for online.
In July 2021, DuckDuckGo introduced its email forwarding feature Email Protection, which lets users claim an «@duck.com» email address generated by the service. On January 15, 2019, DuckDuckGo announced that all map and address-related searches would be powered by Apple Maps, both on desktop and mobile devices. In a lengthy profile in November 2012, The Washington Post indicated that searches on DuckDuckGo pin up online numbered up to 45,000,000 per month in October 2012. DuckDuckGo’s own traffic statistics show that in August 2012 there were 1,393,644 visits per day, up from an average of 39,406 visits per day in April 2010 (the earliest data available). The company registered the domain name ddg.gg on February 22, 2011, and acquired duck.com in December 2018, which are used as shortened URL aliases that redirect to duckduckgo.com, and is also used as the domain for their email protection service. In July 2010, Weinberg started a DuckDuckGo community website (duck.co) to allow the public to report problems, discuss means of spreading the use of the search engine, request features, and discuss open sourcing the code.
A Member Of The STANDS4 Network
{By May 2012, the search engine was attracting 1.5 million searches a day. We invested in it because there is a need for a private search engine. Then, you can launch the app to start your queries. Still, DuckDuckGo’s search algorithm is enough to provide relevant results to most queries.}