DuckDuckGo announced on October 18, 2022, that the beta version of its Mac desktop app is now available for all Mac users.
DuckDuckGo is a browser that focuses on privacy. It has many new features designed to make web browsing more private and less cluttered, improving the user experience. DuckDuckGo generates objective results without any subjective factors or "user preferences."
The intent of DuckDuckGo for Mac is to replace "incognito" modes in other browsers that do not fully protect against web tracking. DuckDuckGo's app for Mac uses roughly 60% less data than Chrome because trackers are blocked before they are loaded. In addition, the app has advanced privacy protection features pre-configured and activated by default to improve the user's experience.
What's New
Despite being in beta, DuckDuckGo for Mac has added several updated features since it was released in April 2022. The most significant change is that version 0.30 does not leave blank spaces in place of blocked ads, allowing users to browse without distractions.
Duck Player
Duck Player is one of the exciting highlights of this announcement. The Duck player provides a more private way to watch YouTube videos. This embedded YouTube player prevents the platform from building an advertising profile for users. Using Duck Player will reduce targeted ads and distractions. However, users can switch seamlessly between Duck Player and standard YouTube.
Password Management
There's a secure password manager in DuckDuckGo's browser. Like most password managers, DuckDuckGo's password manager stores and fills in login credentials automatically. However, DuckDuckGo has partnered with Bitwarden, a password manager that's open-source. Bitwarden users can look forward to activating a new password manager integration through the browser's settings in the coming weeks. Additionally, DuckDuckGo for Mac now works with 1Password's universal autofill.
Email protection
DuckDuckGo's new version of the browser also offers email protection. Users who activate DuckDuckGo's email protection will be able to protect their email inbox with email tracker blocking and private @duck.com addresses.
Cookie Pop-Up Manager
The Cookie Consent Pop-Up Manager manages cookie pop-ups much more effectively. The pop-up manager will automatically select the most private option to minimize cookies on various websites. The pop-up manager allows users to browse the internet without being interrupted by annoying pop-ups asking about cookie permissions.
Currently, DuckDuckGo for Windows is in its early beta with testing through family and friends. A private waitlist for the Windows DuckDuckGo app in beta is expected to be publically released soon.
Overall, DuckDuckGo's desktop app for Mac is an exciting new development that offers a more private and less cluttered web browsing experience. The app has several unique features that make it an appealing option for a more secure and private browsing experience. Although the application is still in its early stages of development, it has shown promise as a more privacy-conscious alternative to other web browsers.
