DuckDuckGo Search and Protection Extension for Chrome

You do not need to switch browsers to use DuckDuckGo’s protections. The official extension brings its private search and tracker blocking into Chrome. Be aware that it changes your default search engine as part of the install.

What changes after installation

• Search and homepage: DuckDuckGo becomes your default search engine and homepage, so searches are not tied to a profile.
• Tracker loading protection: most third-party trackers are blocked before they load.
• Encryption: many sites are forced onto HTTPS connections.
• Fingerprinting: the extension makes it harder for sites to build a unique identifier from your browser.

Optional features

• Duck.ai: private chats with third-party AI models, which DuckDuckGo anonymizes and says are never used to train AI.
• Email Protection: a free @duck.com address that forwards mail to your inbox and strips most email trackers. You only use it if you sign up.

Installing the extension

1. The Download button opens the DuckDuckGo listing on the Chrome Web Store.
2. Click Add to Chrome. Chrome may ask you to confirm the search engine change.
3. Click the duck icon to see what was blocked on the current page.

Cost and data

The extension is free. DuckDuckGo says it earns money from privacy-respecting search ads, and on the store listing it discloses that it does not collect or use your data. The code is public on GitHub under the Apache-2.0 licence. If you would rather keep Google as your search engine, a list-based blocker like Ghostery may suit you better.