How can I clear cookies and site data for DuckDuckGo browser without losing passwords?
Executive summary
Clearing cookies and site data while retaining saved passwords is fundamentally a matter of which app is doing the storing: the DuckDuckGo search service itself stores minimal setting cookies, but the browser or host app (Safari, Chrome, Android/iOS DuckDuckGo app) is usually where cookies, cache and passwords are held and cleared; users can therefore remove cookies without losing passwords by using the browser’s "clear data" controls carefully or by using DuckDuckGo’s built-in "Fire Button" and password features where available [1] [2] [3]. Reporting differs on whether DuckDuckGo operates purely as a search engine or also as a full browser app, so exact menu names vary by platform [4] [2].
1. Understand who holds what: DuckDuckGo search vs. your browser
DuckDuckGo the search engine minimizes tracking and only uses small cookies to store user settings like region and theme, and it even documents URL-parameter alternatives to avoid cookies entirely [1]; however, the browsing data that most people mean—site cookies, cached files, autofill and saved passwords—are typically saved by the browser app in use (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) or by the DuckDuckGo mobile browser if that’s the app being used [4] [5].
2. Why passwords are not automatically deleted when you clear cookies—if you choose correctly
Most modern browsers separate saved passwords from cookies and cache in their clear-data dialogs, letting users clear "Cookies and site data" and "Cached images/files" while leaving "Passwords" unchecked; following those controls means logins stored in the browser/password manager remain intact while session cookies and tracking data are removed (this is the standard approach recommended for clearing DuckDuckGo-accessed data via host browsers) [3] [6].
3. Use the DuckDuckGo app Fire Button (when present) to target only cookies and site data
The DuckDuckGo web browser app advertises a "Fire Button" that instantly clears browsing data and can be configured in its settings to control exactly what is removed—cookies, cache, history, etc.—which lets users preserve password entries if the app separates password storage; documentation and user guides indicate the Fire Button settings let users choose which categories are cleared [2].
4. Platform-specific, pragmatic steps: check the clear-data dialog before committing
If using Chrome/Edge/Firefox, open Settings → Privacy & Security → Clear browsing data and uncheck "Passwords" before clearing cookies and cache; if using Safari, use Settings → Safari → Clear History and Website Data (note that Safari’s all-or-nothing button may clear some saved data, so export or confirm password storage first) [3] [6]. If using the DuckDuckGo mobile browser, use its settings and the Fire Button to clear cookies while leaving password/autofill settings enabled [2].
5. Backup and verify saved passwords before any sweeping clear
Because documentation and third‑party guides conflict about exactly what DuckDuckGo app versions clear and how they store passwords—some sources stress DuckDuckGo’s minimal storage while others describe a full browser with optional password storage—best practice is to confirm where passwords live (browser password manager vs. DuckDuckGo app vault), export or sync them to a dedicated password manager, then run the cookie-only clear [4] [2].
6. Alternatives and limitations in the reporting
An alternative strategy to avoid any risk is to browse DuckDuckGo in private/incognito mode so no persistent cookies are written, or to use DuckDuckGo’s URL parameters to avoid cookies for settings entirely [1] [5]; reporting is inconsistent about whether DuckDuckGo always provides a separate password vault versus relying on the host browser’s manager, and this analysis cannot assert precise menu labels for every OS or DuckDuckGo app version—users should check their app’s settings and the clear-data confirmation dialog before proceeding [1] [4] [2].