DuckDuckGo Working on Privacy-Focused Desktop Browser for Mac

Tuesday December 21, 2021 12:17 pm PST by Juli Clover

Popular privacy-first web browser DuckDuckGo is developing a dedicated desktop browser that will be available on the Mac, the company announced today in a year-end wrap-up article.

duckduckgobrowser
DuckDuckGo already offers a browser option that's available on mobile devices, and when it launches, the desktop browser will offer a similar experience.

The DuckDuckGo desktop browser will have "robust privacy protection" that works by default, without requiring users to adjust privacy settings or deal with different levels of privacy protection.

The app will "redefine user expectations of everyday online privacy, according to DuckDuckGo," and it will work across search, browsing, email, and more. The app is described as cleaner, more private, and faster than Chrome.

DuckDuckGo for desktop is being built around OS-provided rendering engines, which is similar to how the DuckDuckGo mobile apps work, and it will not use a Chromium fork like other browser offerings.

The desktop browser is in closed beta testing for the Mac right now, with a PC version also planned in the future. There's no word on a release date just yet, but DuckDuckGo is currently soliciting beta testers.

Tag: DuckDuckGo

Popular Stories

Apple Taking New Approach to Developing iOS 28 and macOS 28

Sunday November 8, 2026 7:42 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple has made a change to its development process for iOS 28, macOS 28, and corresponding software updates, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, he said Apple separates development of each year's new operating systems into three major stages. Typically, he said each stage consists of four weeks of coding followed by a four-week "convergence" period where...

• 156 comments

Apple Launching Two More New Products This Friday

Monday November 9, 2026 4:22 am PST by Tim Hardwick

The Apple launches keep coming! The company is set to release two new products on Friday, November 13: the all-new Apple HomeView and the fourth-generation Apple TV 4K, both of which have been available to pre-order since mid-October. Apple HomeView: Apple's new smart home display, powered by Apple Intelligence with Siri AI, for entertainment and managing the home. Available in tabletop and...

• 17 comments

Apple Store Subscription Sign-Up Controversy Exposed

Sunday November 8, 2026 7:28 pm PST by Joe Rossignol

In a series of YouTube videos shared over the past two weeks, electronics technician and consumer rights advocate Louis Rossmann has exposed a controversy in which some Apple Store employees have allegedly signed up customers for auto-renewing subscription trials for Apple One and other services without their informed consent. Here is how the process works at Apple Stores in the United...

• 152 comments

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️

64 months ago

Thank god. We need this. Privacy- the top priority. Duck is a great browser when it comes to privacy.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

B4U

64 months ago

This is going to be big!
Can't wait to get it on the mac!

Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)

B4U

64 months ago

In the meantime, I'm loving their "email protection" feature. Got my @duck.com email address that forwards to my real email address. Good to see that they are removing the email trackers. I look forward to this browser. For compatibility, I hope that it's Chromium based.

"DuckDuckGo for desktop is being built around OS-provided rendering engines, which is similar to how the DuckDuckGo mobile apps work, and it will not use a Chromium fork like other browser offerings."

According to the article.
So, not Chromium based.

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

sudo-sandwich

64 months ago

Not to hijack the duckduckgo thread, but any recommendations on chrome extensions for privacy?

AdNauseam is the nuclear option. Simulates clicks on all ads to throw off their metrics. Google banned it from their store, but I think you can still install it, or it's also available for Firefox.

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

sw1tcher

64 months ago

Knowing nothing about it, why is Brave a scam?

Seconding this question?

How is brave a scam?

'Scam' is a big word, any evidence for your claim? source? otherwise fake news!

I think it may be this from last year

https://www.zdnet.com/article/privacy-browser-brave-busted-for-autocompleting-urls-to-versions-it-profits-from/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/brave-browser-caught-redirecting-users-through-affiliate-links

Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)