DuckDuckGo’s desktop-based web browser is now finally available to Windows users as a public beta. The release arrives over three months after the initial closed beta on the platform, and more than a year after it was launched on Mac.
For those unfamiliar, DuckDuckGo is a privacy-focused web browser that offers plenty of features and tools that protects users from potential threats that targets their personal information and so on. The software was already available on both Android and iOS devices for several years now before finally making the jump to desktop when it was released for Mac in 2022. On that note, the company explained that the reason for the delay on Microsoft’s platform is due to the varied hardware and software configurations on PCs.
Much like its Mac counterpart, the Windows version of the DuckDuckGo browser is fitted with plenty of privacy and security-related features. These include a built-in password manager, ad blocker, forced encryption, and even a dedicated cookie-blocking video player for YouTube. Additionally, it also has a “Fire Button” that instantly closes all tabs and clears website data, a built-in tool that automatically manages cookie-related pop-ups on most websites, and an upcoming email protection feature that keeps your addresses private.
For now, the company says there is no extension support for its browser just yet, but assured that it is working to incorporate the feature via a future update. And speaking of future plans, DuckDuckGo is aiming to open-source its browser, like it has already done with some of its existing apps and extensions.
You can download the Windows public beta version of the browser via DuckDuckGo’s official website. As noted by the company, keep in mind that the desktop app is only available for Windows 10 (May 2020) or later.
(Source: DuckDuckGo [official blog])
