How to Remove DuckDuckGo as Your Default Search Engine

If you’ve recently discovered that DuckDuckGo has replaced your preferred search engine, you might be wondering how to revert to your initial settings. That's an easy problem to fix. In this guide, we will walk you through detailed steps to remove DuckDuckGo as your default search engine.

What even is DuckDuckGo?

If you're wondering where this DuckDuck-whatever thing came from, don't panic. DuckDuckGo is not a virus or anything malicious, it is a legitimate and widely popular search engine that places a heavy focus on user privacy.

As for how you can get rid of it, that process will vary depending on what device you're using. As such, this guide will cover all of the main devices and browsers where DuckDuckGo can be used. Just skim ahead to find the section that is relevant to the problem you're facing.

How to remove DuckDuckGo from your desktop browser

For Google Chrome

1. Open the Google Chrome browser.
2. In the top-right corner, click on the three vertical dots to open the menu.
3. Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
4. Click on "search engine" on the left navigation panel.
5. From the “Search engine used in the address bar” drop-down menu, choose your preferred search engine from the list.
6. If this option is grayed out, check the "How to remove the DuckDuckGo extension" section of this guide.

For Mozilla Firefox

1. Open the Firefox browser.
2. Click on the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu.
3. Choose “Options” from the dropdown menu.
4. From the left panel, select “Search”.
5. Under the “Default Search Engine” section, choose your preferred search engine from the drop-down menu.
6. If you can't click on the drop-down menu, check the "How to remove the DuckDuckGo extension" section of this guide.

How to remove the DuckDuckGo extension

DuckDuckGo has its very own extension called "DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials". It offers a variety of handy privacy options for users, but it also forces DuckDuckGo to be the default search engine on some browsers.

If you've found that you can't change the default search engine in your browser settings, you need to remove this extension. Here's how you can do it:

On Google Chrome

1. Click on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner to open the menu.
2. Choose “Extensions” from the menu.
3. Find the DuckDuckGo extension in the list and click “Remove” to uninstall it.

On Mozilla Firefox

1. Click on the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu.
2. Select “Add-ons and Themes” followed by “Extensions”.
3. Find the DuckDuckGo extension in the list.
4. Disable the extension. Or click on the three-dots button to remove it.

How to remove DuckDuckGo from your iPhone

Safari is the default iPhone browser, and it does allow users to select their own default search engine. If your iPhone is using DuckDuckGo as a default for searches, here's how you can change it:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on “Safari”.
3. Under the “General” section, tap “Search Engine”.
4. Select your preferred search engine from the list available.

How to remove DuckDuckGo from your Android device

While there isn't a standard Android browser, Chrome and other Chromium-based solutions are very popular on the platform. Here's how you can change the default search engine on the mobile version of Google Chrome:

1. Open the Google Chrome app on your Android device.
2. Tap on the three vertical dots in the top-right corner to open the menu.
3. Tap “Settings”.
4. Under the “Basics” section, tap “Search engine”.
5. Select your preferred search engine from the list.

The process will be similar on a variety of different browsers.

Nothing works? Here are some additional methods

If you followed the relevant guide and you're still running into issues, there are a few things that may be going wrong.

1 - DuckDuckGo is set as your homepage

It may be the case that when you open your browser, the DuckDuckGo website is the first thing that appears. That doesn't mean that DuckDuckGo is your default search engine, it just means that it is your current home page.

To fix this, open your browser's settings, and look for the "homepage" or "new tab" settings to change what page appears when you open the browser.

2 - Another application is changing your settings

If your default search engine keeps changing back to DuckDuckGo after a while, chances are that an extension or a third-party application is messing with your settings.

Go over your list of extensions with a fine comb looking for potential culprits. Disable any you don't use or don't recognize. You can do the same with the programs currently installed on your PC. If possible, look for ones that were installed around the time the problem started.

Some pieces of bloatware are known for changing a browser's default search engine. They typically don't change it to DuckDuckGo, but hey, if nothing else works, this is worth a try.

What's next? DuckDuckGo alternatives

If you want privacy but don't enjoy using DuckDuckGo, there are other options out there. Here are some of the methods that can help you use your favorite search engines while disclosing as little personal data as possible.

1 - Privacy Browsers

This is a catch-all term for privacy-oriented browsers like Brave and LibreWolf. These browsers use a variety of methods to block third-party cookies, fingerprinting, and various other types of data collection. There are dozens of different privacy browsers out there, and they're worth a check if you want to keep your data safe.

2 - Apex Browser

Although it can technically be called a "Privacy Browser", Apex Browser is unique enough to warrant its own category. On top of blocking data collection, the browser offers users fully-fledged online identities they can adopt and present to websites.

Each identity has its own cookies, fingerprints, and browsing history. This makes multi-accounting a lot easier while allowing for a smoother and personalized browsing experience. All without compromising privacy.

3 - Tor

Tor, which stands for The Onion Router, is a free network that aims to increase privacy and security on the internet by directing your web traffic through a series of volunteer-operated servers.

Using the Tor Browser effectively makes your online presence untraceable, thus allowing you to run searches and use the web while protecting your data. As long as you're not logged into any accounts connected to your name.

4 - VPNs

Virtual Private Networks or VPNs work by creating a secure tunnel through which your data travels from your device to the internet. This tunnel encrypts your data, and it masks your IP address, which helps to prevent third parties from identifying you or pinpointing your location. VPNs are not a complete privacy solution, but they help.

(Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)