Privacy-focused browser DuckDuckGo has just announced DuckDuck Go for Mac in beta. Last year, the company revealed its plans to build a privacy super app. DuckDuckGo browser for Mac will bring it one step closer to that ecosystem.
DuckDuckGo browser for Mac uses the same web engine as Safari and blocks trackers before they can even load. The company says this pre-emptive blocking makes loading faster and saves data. Popular features from the mobile app like the fire button have also made it to the Mac version.
The announcement blog says that you can also join the private waitlist for the browser. The company is only rolling out a desktop app for Mac at the moment. However, the blog post says “Windows is coming” so it should follow closely.
DuckDuckGo Mac App Features
It is still in beta, and we can tell the complete set of features once we get our hands on it. However, for now, here are some of the cool features DuckDuckGo for Mac will bring to the table:
- Cookie pop-up protection: DuckDuckGo claims that the browser will automatically deal with cookie consent pop-ups. It says that 50% of websites can already be automatically dealt with, and the number is growing.
- Fire button: This is a neat feature from DuckDuckGo mobile app. The fire button lets you clear browsing data in one tap. This should make clearing browsing history, cookies, and caches easier on the Mac app.
- Password manager: The Mac app also makes it convenient to import your passwords and bookmarks from other browsers like Chrome, Safari, and Edge.
- Faster the Chrome: While we will put those tests to claim, for now, the company claims that DuckDuckGo for Mac is already faster than Chrome on graphic tests like Motion Mark 1.2.
- Data Saving: The Mac app will block cookies even before they load, letting DuckDuckGo save about 60% more data than Chrome. And to counter Facebook trackers that hide in embedded content, the browser will only load them if you prompt it to.
- Encrypted and secure: DuckDuckGo for Mac is bringing the same levels of encryption and local password storage as the mobile app. This should give you enough control over how you’re tracked across the web.
- Email Protection: DuckDuckGo Email protection is similar to Apple’s Hide My Email for Safari. This feature should also make it from the mobile app to the Mac version.
No Forking Around
While many popular browsers are forks of Chromium code, DuckDuckGo is built from scratch and uses Mac’s built-in rendering engine to do the job. In doing so, DuckDuckGo for Mac looks unique but also faces a whole set of challenges to stay ahead of the curve.
Chrome is becoming faster, and other privacy-focused browsers like Vivaldi and Brave are doing well. We expect DuckDuckGo to disrupt the desktop browsing market as it is already popular in the community.
How To Get DuckDuckGo For Mac Beta
You can enroll in a private waitlist to get DuckDuckGo for Mac. The app is not available on the App Store, so don’t confuse it with the Safari or Chrome browser extension. Here’s how you can sign up for the Mac app beta:
1. Download DuckDuckGo on your iOS or Android device.
2. Open the browser and go to Settings > DuckDuckGo for Desktop (under the Privacy and Security section)
3. Select “Join the private waitlist.”
4. And that’s it. Whenever you’re invited, you’ll get a code and a notification that’ll take you to the download page where you can try DuckDuckGo for Mac.
This brings the browser one step closer to the privacy super app promised last year. What do you think about it? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments.
