DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials

Simple and seamless privacy protection for your browser.
What is DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials?
DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials is an innovative Edge add-on designed to enhance online privacy. It's equipped with features that block third-party trackers, enforce encrypted connections, and prevent email tracking. The add-on also includes built-in private search, fingerprinting protection, link tracking protection, and more. Experience a safe browsing experience like never before with DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials.

Add-on stats

Version: 2024.10.16 (Last updated: 2024-10-23)
Creation date: 2022-01-25
Risk impact: High risk impact
Risk likelihood: Very low risk likelihood
Manifest version: 3
Overrides search engine: Yes
Permissions:
  • activeTab
  • alarms
  • contextMenus
  • declarativeNetRequest
  • declarativeNetRequestFeedback
  • scripting
  • storage
  • tabs
  • webRequest
  • webNavigation
  • See more
Host permissions:
  • *://*/*
Size: 5.22M

Other platforms

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials (v2024.10.16)
4.26 (2,067) 5,000,000
DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials (v2024.10.16)
4.34 (2,216) 1,450,940
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Add-on summary

Analyze keywords

Simple and seamless privacy protection for your browser.  

Protecting your privacy online is like protecting your home. Locking the front door won’t stop the most determined folks from getting inside, especially if you’ve left the back door and windows unlocked and an extra key under the doormat. That’s why we offer multiple types of privacy protection, most of which aren’t offered in most popular browsers by default.   

With the press of a button, you get seamless protection from most 3rd-party trackers while you search and browse, access to tracking protections for emails you receive, and much more. Together these privacy essentials make more privacy your default.     FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS 

• Search Privately by Default - DuckDuckGo Private Search comes built-in, so you can easily search the web without being tracked. 

• Escape Website Trackers Before They Load - automatically stop most hidden trackers (3rd-party scripts) from loading, which prevents companies from collecting and using (e.g. sale, ads, etc.) any data from these trackers. Our cutting-edge tracker blocking technology goes well above and beyond what you get in most popular browsers by default. 

• Automatically Enforce Encryption - force many sites you visit to automatically use an encrypted (HTTPS) connection, which helps shield your data from Wi-Fi snoopers and network onlookers like your Internet provider. Most popular browsers only direct users to encrypted versions of pages in specific circumstances, like when you navigate directly to a page in the address bar. We check our list of upgradable sites for all links you click. 

• Enable Built-in Email Protection - Over 85% of emails sent to Duck Addresses contained trackers that can detect when you’ve opened a message, where you were when you opened it, and what device you were using. Email Protection makes it easy to block most email trackers and hide your existing address when signing up for things online, all without switching email providers. 

See more

User reviews

These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews. Edge Add-on Store does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate, spammy, or outdated.
Pros
  • Enhances privacy by blocking trackers
  • Responsive support from DuckDuckGo
  • Works well on other browsers
Cons
  • Frequently stops working or is greyed out
  • Incompatible with Microsoft Edge after updates
  • Limited configuration options and errors reported
Most mentioned
  • Extension is greyed out and unresponsive
  • Issues after Microsoft Edge updates
  • Support from DuckDuckGo seems unavailable
User reviews
Hi all. DDG support was responsive to my concerns as described in a post from Barry on 10/20/24. There is a new version of DDG Privacy Essentials and it works. Install 24.10.16 in Microsoft Edge and see it if works for you!
by Tom, 2024-10-23

Doesn't work anymore, it's all greyed out and you can't change anything in the options.
by Haseo, 2024-10-22

Does not work. Edge disables the extension on installation as 'it interferes with browser' and when manually enabled, nothing functions, nothing can be enabled even email autofill fails to activate, clicking on the extension icon give blank dialogue box. Appears to be actively sabotaged by Edge? Extension works fine in all other google blink (apple webkit) browsers tested, which is pretty much all of them right now.
by bad, 2024-10-21
View all user reviews

Add-on safety

Risk impact

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials requires some sensitive permissions that could impact your browser and data security. Exercise caution before installing.

Risk likelihood

DuckDuckGo Privacy Essentials has earned a good reputation and can be trusted.

Upgrade to see risk analysis details

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