How to Change Your Search Engine to DuckDuckGo in Chrome

Q: Is DuckDuckGo a browser or a search engine?

Both. DuckDuckGo is a search engine you can use inside Chrome, which is what this guide sets up. DuckDuckGo also makes its own separate browser, which replaces Chrome rather than changing a setting inside it.

To change your search engine to DuckDuckGo in Chrome, open Settings, select Search engine, and pick DuckDuckGo from the Search engine used in the address bar dropdown. The change takes effect straight away, and everything you type in the address bar goes to DuckDuckGo instead of Google. Nothing else in Chrome changes.

Before you start

Applies to: Google Chrome on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, and Android.
You need: Under a minute. No extension and no account.
Good to know: This changes where your searches go. It does not change your default browser, and it does not delete anything.

How do I make DuckDuckGo my default search engine in Chrome?

Click the three-dot menu at the top right of Chrome.
Choose Settings.
In the left pane, click Search engine.
Open the Search engine used in the address bar dropdown and select DuckDuckGo.

There is no Save button. Open a new tab, type a word into the address bar, and press Enter. If DuckDuckGo returns the results, the switch worked.

A faster route: paste chrome://settings/search into the address bar to land on that page directly.

What if DuckDuckGo is not in the dropdown?

The list Chrome offers depends on your country, so DuckDuckGo is not always there. You can add it by hand, and it behaves exactly like a built-in option once you do.

Go to Settings, then Search engine, then Manage search engines and site search.
Next to Site search, click Add.
For Search engine, type DuckDuckGo.
For Shortcut, type ddg.
For URL with %s in place of query, enter https://duckduckgo.com/?q=%s.
Click Add, then use the three-dot menu next to the new entry and choose Make default.

Visiting duckduckgo.com once and running a search there is often enough to make Chrome discover it on its own, after which it appears in the list without any of the above.

How do I change the search engine to DuckDuckGo on Android?

Tap the three-dot menu.
Tap Settings.
Tap Search engine.
Select DuckDuckGo.

The setting is per device. Changing it on your phone does not change it on your computer, even when both are signed in to the same Google account.

What actually changes when you switch?

Less than most people expect, which is worth knowing before you decide whether the switch is enough on its own.

Address bar searches go to DuckDuckGo. That is the whole of the change.
You are still signed in to Chrome. Sync, history, and your Google account are untouched.
Chrome still suggests from your own history. Those suggestions come from your device, not from the search engine.
google.com still works. Type the address and you get Google as normal.

If your goal is to stop being tracked rather than simply to change search results, the search engine setting is one piece of a larger picture. The DuckDuckGo extension below covers a second piece.

Should I install the DuckDuckGo extension as well?

DuckDuckGo publishes an official Chrome extension. The search engine setting only decides where your searches go. The extension works on the pages you visit afterwards, blocking third-party trackers and pushing sites to load over an encrypted connection.

It also adds a toolbar icon that rates the privacy of the site you are on, so you can see which trackers were blocked. You do not need it to use DuckDuckGo as your search engine, and the two settings are independent.

How do I switch back to Google?

Return to Settings, then Search engine, and pick Google from the same dropdown. Nothing is lost by switching either way, so trying DuckDuckGo for a week costs you nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Is DuckDuckGo a browser or a search engine?

Both, and the difference matters here. DuckDuckGo is a search engine you can use inside Chrome, which is what this guide sets up. DuckDuckGo also makes its own separate browser, which replaces Chrome rather than changing a setting inside it.

Does changing my search engine sync to my other devices?

No. Chrome stores the default search engine per device, so change it separately on each computer and phone.

Why does Chrome keep switching back to Google?

On a work or school Chromebook, an administrator policy can lock the search engine and reapply it every time you sign in. If the setting shows a building icon or says it is managed by your organisation, you cannot change it yourself.

Does using DuckDuckGo make me anonymous?

No. DuckDuckGo does not build a profile from your searches, but the websites you visit, your internet provider, and any account you sign in to can still see you. It is a meaningful step, not a cloak.

The short version

One dropdown under Settings, then Search engine, moves every address bar search to DuckDuckGo. If it is missing from the list, add it manually with the search URL above. Switching back to Google takes the same three clicks, so there is no risk in trying it.

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Last verified: 20 August 2026