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How to use DuckDuckGo to search the web privately on your phone and computer

Using DuckDuckGo is an easy way to protect your privacy as you search online. Here’s how to set up the privacy-focused search engine on mobile and in a browser.

Privacy-focused internet search engine DuckDuckGo promises users a seemingly dream experience of private searches, no ad-trackers and smarter encryption — all for free. With a promise like that, the 13-year-old company appears to be in a prime position to fulfill internet users’ increasing desire for privacy in an age of data leaks, breaches and scandals.

DuckDuckGo’s popularity has surged recently, with more than 50 million app downloads and a 55% traffic increase in the past year, according to a report from SpreadPrivacy.com last June. The search engine is yet another tool you can add to your digital privacy arsenal, like Apple’s prompt to opt out of tracking, which 84% of Apple users have chosen since the iOS 14.5 release.

In addition to its private search engine, DuckDuckGo offers a privacy browser app for iOS and Android, as well as a Chrome extension. If you’d rather not download the app or extension, you can also go to duckduckgo.com and run your searches there. Here’s how to use DuckDuckGo on your browser or mobile.

How do I get DuckDuckGo on my Android phone?

1. Open the Google Play Store app
2. Search DuckDuckGo
3. Choose DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
4. Tap Install
5. Tap Open
6. DuckDuckGo will ask if you want to set Google Chrome or DuckDuckGo as your default browser app. Choose which one you want and tap Set As Default.

From there, DuckDuckGo will ask you to do a quick search as a tutorial. I searched a clothing store I frequent and DuckDuckGo immediately notified me that it had blocked two ad trackers. You can also view the grade DuckDuckGo gave the website you’ve visited, how many trackers were blocked, whether the connection is encrypted and what the site’s privacy practices are.

Tap the flame icon next to the search bar to clear out any vulnerable personal data from your tabs. Tap Clear All Tabs and Data to «burn» away your personal data.

How do I get DuckDuckGo on my iPhone?

1. Open the App Store
2. Search DuckDuckGo
3. Choose DuckDuckGo Privacy Browser
4. Tap Get
5. Enter your Apple ID password or confirm the download with Face ID or Touch ID.
6. Tap Open
7. DuckDuckGo will ask if you want to make DuckDuckGo your default browser app. Choose Set As Default or Skip.

From there, DuckDuckGo will redirect you to your Settings app for any additional changes and to view what the program will have access to. You can choose your default browser app from Safari to DuckDuckGo here as well.

After you’ve configured your settings the way you want them, you can open the app and start running searches. When I visited CNN.com, DuckDuckGo reported that it had blocked almost 30 trackers. In addition, the app provided a privacy grade for the site, as well as the option to wipe personal data out of the browser with the fire icon.

DuckDuckGo and Siri

Under DuckDuckGo’s tab in Settings, you can see what the program can do with Siri and your search requests. You can choose whether or not you want Siri to learn from your DuckDuckGo searches to make suggestions for you, allow the DuckDuckGo app and its contents to appear in search, as well as allow suggestions and content from DuckDuckGo and Shortcuts for the app to appear in Search and widgets. If you don’t have Siri enabled, this isn’t something you have to worry about.

How do I use the DuckDuckGo Chrome extension?

On DuckDuckGo’s website, the option to add the private search engine to Chrome is a button right under the search bar.

1. Open DuckDuckGo in a Google Chrome browser
2. Click the Add DuckDuckGo to Chrome button. This will redirect you to the Chrome Web Store.
3. Click the Add to Chrome button in the top right corner.
4. DuckDuckGo will ask if you want to add Privacy Essentials. This will give DuckDuckGo permission to fend off ad-trackers and keep your searches private. If you agree, click Add Extension.
5. You’ll be redirected to a page saying the extension was successfully installed. DuckDuckGo will also give you links to download the privacy browser on mobile.
6. When you’re ready, click Start Searching and you’ll be taken to the main DuckDuckGo search bar.

Now when you open a new window or tab on Chrome, DuckDuckGo will pop up instead of Google’s search bar.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 20, #574

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for April 20 No. 574.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition included A’s, B’s and C’s as clues, which made the grid look kind of funny. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Golden State sports.

Green group hint: Beantown teams.

Blue group hint: Do you believe in miracles?

Purple group hint: Keep running.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: California baseball teams.

Green group: Shortened nicknames for Boston teams.

Blue group: Associated with the Miracle on Ice.

Purple group: World marathon majors.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is California baseball teams. The four answers are A’s, Angels, Giants and Padres.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is shortened nicknames for Boston teams. The four answers are B’s, C’s, Pats and Sox.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is associated with the Miracle on Ice. The four answers are 1980, Brooks, hockey and Lake Placid.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is world marathon majors. The four answers are Berlin, Boston, Chicago and Tokyo.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, April 20

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 20

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I found this puzzle a nice, easy one, Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: All-caps reply to a spammy political text
Answer: STOP

5A clue: Number of seasons that «Seinfeld» and «The Office» each ran
Answer: NINE

6A clue: Wild party, informally
Answer: RAGER

7A clue: Swedish furniture giant
Answer: IKEA

8A clue: Long-lasting salon treatment
Answer: PERM

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Chinese zodiac animal
Answer: SNAKE

2D clue: Chinese zodiac animal
Answer: TIGER

3D clue: Hour following midnight
Answer: ONEAM

4D clue: The «p» of m.p.h.
Answer: PER

6D clue: Tombstone letters
Answer: RIP

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Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for April 20, #1766

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for April 20, No. 1,766.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle has a couple of rare letters in it. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Read more: New Study Reveals Wordle’s Top 10 Toughest Words of 2025

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has one repeated letter.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has two vowels, and then one of those is repeated, so you will see that one twice.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with W.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with E.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to forming fabric by interlacing long threads, perhaps on a loom.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is WEAVE.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, April 19, No. 1765, was STAND.

Recent Wordle answers

April 15, No. 1761: BEGUN

April 16, No. 1762: CUBIT

April 17, No. 1763: BELLE

April 18, No. 1764: TOADY

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