How to Use DuckDuckGo for More Private Internet Searches

Every time you search on Google, your query is logged, linked to your account (if you are signed in), and used to build an advertising profile of your interests and habits. If you searched for a new car last Tuesday, you may notice car ads appearing across many websites for weeks afterward. Google uses your search history to target you with ads — that is how they make money.

DuckDuckGo is a search engine that takes a different approach: it does not track what you search for, does not link searches to your account or identity, and does not build an advertising profile of you. The ads you see on DuckDuckGo are based on the words you type in your current search — not on your history. When you close the browser, DuckDuckGo remembers nothing about you.

Using DuckDuckGo is as straightforward as using Google. Go to duckduckgo.com and type your search. The results look similar and for most everyday searches — recipes, directions, how-to questions, news, shopping — the quality is comparable. For highly localized searches or searches that depend on your personal history (like "my schedule" or "restaurants near me"), Google may still give better results because it knows more about you.

One of DuckDuckGo's best features is called "bang shortcuts." Type an exclamation mark before an abbreviation to search directly on another site. For example: typing "!amazon coffee maker" takes you directly to Amazon search results for coffee makers. Typing "!wiki Abraham Lincoln" goes straight to Wikipedia. Typing "!yt cooking videos" searches YouTube. There are thousands of bang shortcuts available.

The DuckDuckGo browser app (free for iPhone and Android) goes further: it blocks trackers on websites you visit, forces encrypted connections when available, and lets you clear all your browsing data with one button.

DuckDuckGo also offers a free Email Protection service — a forwarding email address that strips tracking pixels from emails before they reach you. Sign up at app.duckduckgo.com/email.

To make DuckDuckGo your default search engine in Chrome: go to Chrome Settings, click "Search engine," and choose DuckDuckGo from the list. In Firefox: Settings > Search > Default Search Engine > DuckDuckGo. In Safari: Settings > Safari > Search Engine > DuckDuckGo.

What DuckDuckGo does not change: your internet provider can still see the websites you visit (only a VPN hides that), and individual websites still have their own tracking through cookies. DuckDuckGo makes your searches private — combine it with a VPN and a privacy-focused browser for broader protection.