DuckDuckGo, the privacy-focused search engine, has made its browser available for Windows users through a public beta launch.
Previously, the browser had been offered in private beta exclusively for Mac users. With a strong emphasis on privacy, the browser comes equipped with default protections such as tracker blocking, automatic cookie pop-up management, and email protection. Notably, it features Duck Player, enabling ad-free YouTube video streaming without contributing to recommendation algorithms. To enhance privacy, the browser masquerades as Microsoft Edge to most header-scanning sites and utilizes the Blink rendering engine via a Windows WebView2 call.
DuckDuckGo claims that its browser consumes approximately 60% less data compared to Google Chrome, thanks to its pre-blocking of trackers. However, one area where it currently lags behind other browsers is the absence of extensions. The company has plans to incorporate extension support in the future but asserts that its password management, ad-blocking tools, and Duck Player already address two common extension use cases.
By launching this browser, DuckDuckGo aims to expand its market presence and compete with established players by offering users a more privacy-centric browsing experience. With mounting concerns about online privacy, the company has gained popularity in recent years.
