How To Set DuckDuckGo As My Default Search Engine

DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that offers a unique alternative to traditional search engines by not tracking your searches or serving targeted ads. To make the most of its features, you can set DuckDuckGo as your default search engine across various devices and browsers.

Setting DuckDuckGo as Default on Desktop Browsers

Google Chrome

1. Open Google Chrome: Launch the Chrome browser on your desktop computer.
2. Access Settings: Click on the three dots menu icon in the top-right corner of the window and select "Settings."
3. Navigate to Search Engine Settings: In the left sidebar, select "Search engine."
4. Choose DuckDuckGo: From the "Search engine used in the address bar" dropdown menu, select DuckDuckGo.

Mozilla Firefox

1. Open Mozilla Firefox: Launch the Firefox browser on your desktop computer.
2. Access Preferences: Click on the three lines hamburger menu icon in the top-right corner of the window, then click "Preferences."
3. Navigate to Search Settings: Click on "Search" in the menu to the left of the screen.
4. Choose DuckDuckGo: Under "Default Search Engine," click the dropdown box and select DuckDuckGo.

Microsoft Edge

1. Open Microsoft Edge: Launch the Edge browser on your desktop computer.
2. Access Settings: Click on the three dots menu button in the top-right corner of the window, then select "Settings."
3. Navigate to Search Settings: Click on "Privacy, Search and Services" in the menu that appears on the left, and scroll down to the "Services" menu.
4. Choose DuckDuckGo: Click the dropdown menu next to "Search engine used in the address bar" and select DuckDuckGo.

Apple Safari

1. Open Apple Safari: Launch the Safari browser on your Mac.
2. Access Preferences: Click "Safari" in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then click "Preferences." Alternatively, use the Command+, shortcut.
3. Navigate to Search Settings: Click on the Search tab.
4. Choose DuckDuckGo: Under the "Search engine" dropdown box, select DuckDuckGo.

Opera

1. Open Opera: Launch the Opera browser on your desktop computer.
2. Access Settings: Click on the Settings "cog" button in the sidebar on the left of the screen.
3. Navigate to Search Settings: Under "Basic" settings, scroll down until you see "Search engine" and a dropdown box.
4. Choose DuckDuckGo: Select DuckDuckGo from the list.

Setting DuckDuckGo as Default on Mobile Devices

Android Devices

1. Open Browser Settings: Depending on your browser, access the settings menu. For example, in Google Chrome, tap the three dots menu icon in the top-right corner.
2. Navigate to Search Engine Settings: Go to the settings section related to search engines.
3. Add and Set DuckDuckGo: If DuckDuckGo is not listed, add it as a search engine option. Then, select DuckDuckGo as your default search engine. Note that some browsers may require you to add DuckDuckGo first before setting it as default.

iOS Devices

1. Open Safari Settings: Launch the Settings app on your iOS device.
2. Navigate to Safari Settings: Tap "Safari."
3. Change Search Engine: Tap "Search Engine" and choose DuckDuckGo from the list.

Additional Tips for Enhanced Privacy

• Install the DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials Extension: Available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera, this extension blocks tracker networks, forces websites to use encrypted connections, and awards a privacy score to websites you visit.

• Use Bangs for Specific Searches: Bangs are qualifiers that you can add to your search query to limit your search results to a particular website. For example, to search How-To Geek, you would use "!hg" followed by your search query.

By following these steps, you can ensure that DuckDuckGo is set as your default search engine across all your devices, enhancing your online privacy and security.