While DuckDuckGo hasn’t ruled out extension support, they also note that the most popular extensions are password managers and ad blockers - and that functionality already exists in their browser. Arguably the biggest feature missing is support for browser extensions. Given that DuckDuckGo’s browser is currently in beta, it’s missing some features that more developed browsers have. (And this was on a 27-inch 5K iMac with 40 GB of RAM.) By contrast, new windows open immediately in Safari and Chrome. That being said, there was a noticeable delay between the moment I pressed Command-N to open a new window and when that new window actually appeared and became usable. I didn’t do any official speed tests, but the browser feels snappy and I didn’t see any rendering issues or glitches. Performance-wise, DuckDuckGo is solid, as you’d expect for a browser using macOS’ built-in rendering engine. This is useful if you want to stay logged in at some sites but delete everything else. You can also mark sites as “fireproof” so that their data isn’t lost when everything else is wiped. (The deletion process is accentuated by a nice fire animation.) Doing so gives you the option to clear all data from every site you’ve ever visited, from all of the sites that you’ve visited across all tabs in the current window, or just the sites that you’ve visited in the current tab. In the case of Fox News’ website, for example, those trackers came from companies ranging from Google and Amazon to Adobe, Oracle, and Taboola.Īnother privacy feature is the ability to instantly delete any and all site data by clicking the little fire icon in the browser window’s upper-right corner. I’ve added screenshots of some popular sites to give you an idea of just how much DuckDuckGo blocks.ĭuckDuckGo blocked 10 trackers on DuckDuckGo blocked 27 trackers on cnn.com DuckDuckGo blocked 11 trackers on DuckDuckGo blocked 6 trackers on, including some tracking content at the top of the page DuckDuckGo blocked 37 trackers on įor what it’s worth, most of those blocked trackers were for advertising and analytics. (This is a nice bit of reinforcement, showing you that DuckDuckGo is doing its job and proving its value.) Clicking on the omnibar’s shield icon then opens a pop-up that lists everything that was blocked. If said website contains any tracking code (e.g., Google Analytics), then you’ll see a little animation in the omnibar that gives you an indication of what’s being blocked. All of which is pretty standard for a modern web browser.īut DuckDuckGo’s privacy features quickly become apparent upon visiting your first website. You can also specify certain bookmarks as “favorites,” for even quicker access. When you launch DuckDuckGo the first time, you’ll be asked to import bookmarks, passwords, etc., and given the option to make it your default browser. That’s a lot of blocking going onĪs you can see in the above screenshots, DuckDuckGo looks very similar to Chrome, with tabs across the top of the combined search field and URL bar (i.e., omnibar). These features include cookie consent pop-up management, a newsfeed that displays all of the ways that sites have tried to track you, and blocking content that contains tracking code (e.g., Facebook embeds). If you want to try it out for yourself, you’ll need to join the waitlist via DuckDuckGo’s mobile app.Ĭurrently available for Macs only - though a Windows version is “coming soon” - DuckDuckGo’s web browser uses the same built-in rendering engine as Safari for improved performance, which is then combined with various privacy-focused features. Note: DuckDuckGo’s browser is in a private beta. But DuckDuckGo took their efforts to a new level earlier this month, when they announced their very own web browser. To that end, they’ve released a Chrome plugin and mobile apps for iOS and Android that combine their search functionality with enhanced encryption and ad tracker blocking. Recent years have found DuckDuckGo making a push beyond just being a search engine, though, and adopting a more comprehensive approach to user privacy. Unlike Google, which collects anything and everything about you, DuckDuckGo states, quite emphatically, on their homepage: “We don’t store your personal information. After launching in 2008, the DuckDuckGo search engine soon made a name for itself with its focus on user privacy.
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