DuckDuckGo Browser
A privacy-first browser that blocks trackers, ads, and cookie pop-ups by default and deliberately ships no third-party extension store.
Published by DuckDuckGo (United States) · Verified
Runs on
- macOSmacOS: Available
- WindowsWindows: Available
- LinuxLinux: Unavailable
- AndroidAndroid: Available
- iOSiOS: Available
Choose it when
Choose the DuckDuckGo browser when you want tracker, ad, and cookie-pop-up blocking on by default across desktop and phone without assembling an extension stack.
Avoid it when
Avoid it when you depend on browser extensions, need a Linux build, or want detailed control over an extension-based blocking setup.
Quick answers
Read straight off the verified record - every one of these is expanded with its source below.
- Which platforms does DuckDuckGo Browser run on?
- Documented on macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS. Not available on Linux.
- Can I install Chrome extensions?
- No - the Chrome Web Store is not supported.
- Does it block trackers out of the box?
- Yes - tracker or ad blocking is on by default. Third-party tracker blocking is enabled by default.
- Does it have built-in AI features?
- Yes - 7 of 9 documented AI capabilities are built in.
- Is it open source?
- Free product with parts of the codebase published openly
- Is it still being developed?
- Active - Actively developed and updated across desktop and mobile platforms.
What DuckDuckGo Browser does
Open any row for the wording and the source behind it
Privacy and tracking
3 built in · 1 partial
Blocks trackers by defaultBlocks trackers by default: Built in
Third-party tracker blocking is enabled by default.
Anti-fingerprintingAnti-fingerprinting: Built in
Multiple layers of fingerprinting protection are documented.
Telemetry postureTelemetry posture: Minimal or opt-in
DuckDuckGo documents that it does not track searches or browsing history.
Built-in VPN or proxyBuilt-in VPN or proxy: Built in
A device-wide VPN is included with the paid Privacy Pro subscription and managed inside the browser.
Private windowsProtections are applied in ordinary tabs rather than reserved for a separate private mode, and browsing data can be cleared with one action.
Protections are applied in ordinary tabs rather than reserved for a separate private mode, and browsing data can be cleared with one action.
- Default search engineDuckDuckGo
Extensions and blocking
1 built in · 4 not available
- Chrome Web StoreChrome Web Store: Unsupported
- Firefox Add-onsFirefox Add-ons: Unsupported
Native content blockingNative content blocking: Built in
Ad, tracker, and cookie pop-up blocking are built in.
- Manifest V3Manifest V3: Unavailable
- Manifest V2Manifest V2: Unavailable
Known limitationsThere is no third-party extension store by design; protections that other browsers delegate to add-ons are built in instead.
There is no third-party extension store by design; protections that other browsers delegate to add-ons are built in instead.
Workflow
1 built in · 8 not available · 2 undocumented
- Vertical tabsVertical tabs: Unavailable
- Tab treesTab trees: Unavailable
- Workspaces or spacesWorkspaces or spaces: Unavailable
ProfilesProfiles: Unknown
Profile support is not documented.
- Split viewSplit view: Unavailable
- SidebarSidebar: Unavailable
- Reader modeReader mode: Unavailable
- Command paletteCommand palette: Unavailable
Sync across devicesSync across devices: Built in
Sync & Backup pairs devices by QR code without an account and is end-to-end encrypted.
TranslationTranslation: Unknown
Translation is not documented.
Progressive web appsProgressive web apps: Unavailable
The desktop browser does not install sites as web apps.
AI features
7 built in · 2 not available
Built-in assistantBuilt-in assistant: Built in
An optional private AI chat surface (Duck.ai) is documented.
Page summarisationPage summarisation: Built in
Duck.ai can attach page content and summarise the open page.
- Acts on pages for youActs on pages for you: Unavailable
AI answer engineAI answer engine: Built in
Optional AI-assisted answers on DuckDuckGo search results are a first-party setting.
- Works across open tabsWorks across open tabs: Unavailable
Text or image generationText or image generation: Built in
Duck.ai documents drafting text, with image generation in current desktop builds.
Choice of modelChoice of model: Built in
Duck.ai offers a choice of models, with additional models for subscribers.
Retention or training controlsRetention or training controls: Built in
DuckDuckGo documents anonymised access and no training on conversations.
Voice or image inputVoice or image input: Built in
Voice chat and image input are documented in current desktop builds of Duck.ai.
On a phone
1 built in · 1 not available · 8 undocumented
Undocumented is not the same as absent - it means the publisher does not state it.
Extensions on mobileExtensions on mobile: Unknown
Extension support on mobile is not documented.
Can be the phone defaultCan be the phone default: Built in
Can be set as the default browser on Android and iOS.
Biometric lockBiometric lock: Unavailable
Face ID, Touch ID, or the passcode gates passwords and autofill only; there is no app or private-tab lock.
Offline readingOffline reading: Unknown
Offline reading is not documented.
Desktop-site modeDesktop-site mode: Unknown
Desktop-site mode is not documented.
Download managerDownload manager: Unknown
A download manager is not documented.
Background playbackBackground playback: Unknown
Background or picture-in-picture playback is not documented.
Web pushWeb push: Unknown
Web push support is not documented.
- Data saverData saver: Unknown
Address-bar placementAddress-bar placement: Unknown
Address-bar placement is not documented.
Under the hood
- Rendering engine
- System WebView
- JavaScript engine
- Platform JavaScript engine
- Upstream project
- Operating-system web view
- Release channel
- stable
- Code and licence
- Free product with parts of the codebase published openly
- Install method
- Direct download or platform app store.
- Hardware support
- Windows support is documented for recent 64-bit releases; older 32-bit support is being retired.
Active. Actively developed and updated across desktop and mobile platforms.
Editorial view
The DuckDuckGo browser is built on a straightforward premise: the protections most people install extensions to get should be on by default and require no configuration. Tracker blocking, ad blocking, and cookie pop-up handling are default behaviour, fingerprinting protection is documented in layers, and browsing data clears in one action. The default search engine is DuckDuckGo, which is the company's own product and the reason the browser exists.
Platforms and foundation
macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS are available; Linux is not. Windows support covers recent 64-bit releases. The technical fact most often misread: this is not a Chromium or Gecko fork. It renders through the operating system's own web view, so rendering behaviour and much of the security cadence follow the platform, and the iOS build uses WebKit like every iPhone browser.
No extensions, on purpose
There is no Chrome Web Store support, no Firefox Add-ons, no third-party extension platform at all. If your blocking setup depends on a specific extension and its custom filter lists, this browser cannot reproduce it, and that is the single clearest reason to choose something else. In exchange, a new install behaves the way a tuned install of another browser would.
What else is in the record
- Sync is built in via QR device pairing, end-to-end encrypted, no account required
- The paid Privacy Pro subscription adds a device-wide VPN managed inside the browser
- Duck.ai provides optional private chat with page summaries, drafting, model choice, and voice, with anonymised access and no training on conversations
- No reader mode and no web-app installs; translation and profiles are unrecorded
- On mobile it sets as default on both platforms, and Face ID gates the password vault, though there is no app or private-tab lock
The verdict
Choose it when you want strong defaults across desktop and phone without assembling an extension stack, and the fewest decisions. Avoid it when you depend on extensions, need Linux, or want detailed control over blocking rules. Fewer features, stronger defaults, less configuration: that is the whole trade, made honestly. The remaining unknowns in the record, translation and profiles, reflect vendor documentation that simply does not describe them.
Where these facts come from
Every capability above is read from a primary source and dated. 2 of 30 fields stay recorded as unknown rather than assumed.
- DuckDuckGo browser product and help pagesVerified
Product scope, platform availability, and default protection claims.
Alternatives to DuckDuckGo Browser
- BraveBrave SoftwareChromiumActive
A Chromium browser with native Shields blocking, optional privacy services, and Chrome extension compatibility.
View profile - FirefoxMozillaGeckoActive
Mozilla's independent Gecko browser with strong customization, privacy controls, and a separate extension ecosystem.
View profile - SafariAppleWebKitActive
Apple's WebKit browser optimized for macOS, iPhone, and iPad integration.
View profile
Reviewed comparisons featuring DuckDuckGo Browser
- Brave vs DuckDuckGo Browser
Both block by default; choose Brave when you also want Chrome extensions and configurable shields, and DuckDuckGo when you want fewer decisions to make.
Compare head-to-head - DuckDuckGo Browser vs Firefox Focus
Both block by default and ship no extensions; DuckDuckGo works as a primary browser, while Focus is built to be a disposable second one.
Compare head-to-head