man typing on laptop keyboard outside city
It's easy to add DuckDuckGo as your default search engine in Google Chrome.
Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
  • You can add DuckDuckGo to Google Chrome as an extension to make it your default search engine and begin searching the web with greater privacy.
  • You can also make DuckDuckGo your default search engine in Chrome’s settings menu, without installing the extension.
  • DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused search engine that doesn’t track you, store personal information, or use cookies when you perform a web search.
  • It’s easy to switch back to Google or any other search engine at any time.  
  • Visit Business Insider’s Tech Reference library for more stories.

If you’re a fan of the privacy-focused search engine DuckDuckGo, you might want to make it your default search engine or add its browser extension to Google Chrome. Installing the extension automatically makes DuckDuckGo your default search engine when using Chrome.

How to make DuckDuckGo your default search engine on Chrome

1. Click the three-dot menu icon at the top right of the Chrome window. In the dropdown menu, choose “Settings.”

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ou can change your default search engine using Chrome's Settings.
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2. On Chrome’s Settings page, click “Search engine” at the left side of the page. 

3. In the Search engine section of the main page, click the dropdown menu to the right of “Search engine used in the address bar.” 

4. Click “DuckDuckGo.” 

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DuckDuckGo is one of the available choices for the default search engine.
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How to add the DuckDuckGo extension to Chrome

1. Open the DuckDuckGo webpage in Chrome. 

2. In the upper right corner of the webpage, click the three horizontal lines (DuckDuckGo's hamburger menu). In the dropdown menu, choose "App and Extension."

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You can find the DuckDuckGo extension via the "App and Extension" option in the menu.
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3. On DuckDuckGo's app page, click "Add to Chrome."

4. The Chrome Web Store page should appear. Click "Add to Chrome" again. Confirm you want to do this by clicking "Add extension" in the pop-up window. 

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Add the extension via the Chrome web store.
Dave Johnson/Business Insider

5. The extension is now installed. If you don't see it, you can pin it to the browser's toolbar by clicking the "Extensions" icon (shaped like a puzzle piece) and then clicking the pin to the right of DuckDuckGo.

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Pin the extension to the toolbar to have one-click access to it.
Dave Johnson/Business Insider

6. You can click the extension icon to see additional search settings and statistics about your DuckDuckGo searches.

How to remove the DuckDuckGo extension from Chrome

If you decide you don't want to keep the DuckDuckGo extension, here's how to delete it from Chrome.

1. Click the Extensions icon in Chrome's toolbar – it's shaped like a puzzle piece.

2. In the dropdown menu, click the three dots to the right of DuckDuckGo. 

3. In the pop-up menu, choose "Remove from Chrome…" and then confirm you want to do this by clicking "Remove" in the pop-up window. 

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