After a successful launch on Mac, DuckDuckGo has now made the leap to Windows. The browser is packed with features that protect you from trackers on the web.

DuckDuckGo has good news to report: the desktop browser for Windows is available to install as a public beta starting today. The browser works on all Windows versions from Windows 10 (May 2020) and can be downloaded here. DuckDuckGo markets its browser as a more privacy-friendly alternative to Chrome and Edge.

Mac users have been using the DuckDuckGo browser for almost a year now. The launch was an immediate success and registrations for the beta version filled up in no time. The developers of DuckDuckGo certainly hadn’t forgotten about Windows. Product manager Peter Doljanski tells The Verge that his team has been working on a desktop browser for Windows for years, but it took a little longer to transfer the browser to Windows WebView2.

Surf without a tracker

DuckDuckGo is similar in appearance to Edge and Chrome, but in terms of user experience, they couldn’t be more different. DuckDuckGo wants to stand for privacy: This was already the case with the search engine and this line continues with the browser as well. The browser has some built-in features that ensure that you, the user, hardly ever have to look at your privacy settings. Let’s list some:

• Blocking Trackers: The Tracker charging protection renders hidden third-party trackers lurking on a website harmless before they have a chance to load.
• Smarter encryption: Websites and clickable links are encrypted by default.
• Cookie manager: A tool that automatically checks the most privacy-friendly cookie options. Pop-up menus are hidden.
• Email Protection: Replaces your email address with an @duck.com alias when you log in anywhere, making it no longer visible to web administrators.

The main work of DuckDuckGo is maybe duck player. It’s a video player that lets you play YouTube videos without ads and without your viewing history affecting your recommendations. The default search engine is of course that of the house brand, but the browser leaves you free to choose.

Certain functionalities such as extension support are not fully mature yet, although DuckDuckGo offers an integrated ad blocker and password manager. Now that DuckDuckGo has made the jump to Windows, it has a complete ecosystem that spans all major desktop and mobile software platforms. Chrome, Edge and Safari can wet their chests.