DuckDuckGo, a privacy-focused internet search engine, promises users a seemingly dream experience of private searches, no ad trackers, and smarter encryption – all for free. With such a promise, the 13-year-old company appears to be in an excellent position to meet internet users’ growing desire for privacy in an age of data leaks, breaches, and scandals.
According to a report from SpreadPrivacy.com last June, DuckDuckGo’s popularity has recently surged, with more than 50 million app downloads and a 55 percent traffic increase in the past year. The search engine is yet another tool in your digital privacy arsenal, similar to Apple’s prompt to opt-out of tracking, which 84 percent of Apple users have chosen since the release of iOS 14.5.
How do I install DuckDuckGo on my Android device?
- Launch the Google Play Store application.
- Perform a DuckDuckGo search.
- Go with DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser.
- Select Install
- Select Open
- DuckDuckGo will prompt you to choose between Google Chrome and DuckDuckGo as your default browser app. Select the one you want and then tap Set As Default.
As a tutorial, DuckDuckGo will ask you to perform a quick search.
You can also see the grade DuckDuckGo assigned to the website you visited, how many trackers were blocked, whether the connection is encrypted, and the site’s privacy practices.
To clear any vulnerable personal data from your tabs, tap the flame icon next to the search bar. To “burn” away from your personal data, select Clear All Tabs and Data.
How do I download DuckDuckGo for my iPhone?
- DuckDuckGo can be found in the App Store.
- Select DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser.
- Tap Get
- Enter your Apple ID password or use Face ID or Touch ID to confirm the download.
- When you tap Open, DuckDuckGo will ask if you want to make it your default browser app. Select either Set As Default or Skip.
DuckDuckGo will take you to your Settings app to make any additional changes and to see what information the program will have access to. You can also change your default browser app from Safari to DuckDuckGo here.
After you’ve customized your settings, you can launch the app and begin running searches.
How do I install and activate the DuckDuckGo Chrome extension?
DuckDuckGo’s website has a button right under the search bar that allows you to add the private search engine to Chrome.
- Launch DuckDuckGo in Google Chrome.
- To add DuckDuckGo to Chrome, click the Add DuckDuckGo to Chrome button. You will be redirected to the Chrome Web Store as a result of this.
- In the top right corner, click the Add to Chrome button.
- DuckDuckGo will prompt you to enable Privacy Essentials. This allows DuckDuckGo to block ad trackers and keep your searches private. If you agree, click the Add Extension button.
- You’ll be taken to a page that says the extension was successfully installed. DuckDuckGo will also provide links to download the privacy browser for mobile devices.
- When you’re finished, click Start Searching to return to the main DuckDuckGo search bar.
DuckDuckGo will now appear instead of Google’s search bar when you open a new window or tab in Chrome.