How do I clear DuckDuckGo search history and suggestions across browsers and devices?

1. What “clearing DuckDuckGo history” actually means

DuckDuckGo advertises that it doesn’t track or store search queries tied to you; multiple guides repeat that your searches aren’t stored by DuckDuckGo itself, which means there’s no centralized account history to delete on the search engine’s servers ^{[1] [6]}. What people commonly want to remove are locally stored records — browser history, extension data, and the DuckDuckGo mobile app’s saved data — which live on each browser or device ^{[3] [4]}.

2. Device-by-device reality: browsers vs. the DuckDuckGo app

If you use DuckDuckGo inside a standard browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), your searches are recorded in that browser’s history and cache; clearing that browser history is required to remove local traces ^{[3] [5]}. If you use the DuckDuckGo mobile app or DuckDuckGo’s dedicated browser, those apps include built-in controls (like “Clear browsing data” and an Auto Clear setting) that remove local tabs and search entries — you must run those on every device where the app or browser is installed ^{[2] [5]}.

3. Steps to clear across browsers and devices (practical checklist)

Sources outline the same practical actions: open the browser or DuckDuckGo app on each device, go to Settings > Clear browsing data (or the app’s Clear Data / Fire button on mobile), select data types (search history, cache, cookies), and confirm “Clear now” ^{[4] [5] [2]}. For browser extensions, remove or clear the extension’s local data in the extension/menu settings ^[5]. Do this separately on every machine and browser profile you use ^[3].

4. Auto Clear, privacy posture, and device theft risk

DuckDuckGo apps offer an Auto Clear Data option and a “close tabs and clear data” Fire button to reduce residual local traces; these are off by default and must be enabled if you want automatic clearing on exit ^[2]. Guides emphasize that while DuckDuckGo reduces server-side tracking, anyone with physical access to your unlocked device can still see local history unless you clear it or use Auto Clear ^{[2] [3]}.

5. Limits and common misconceptions

Multiple sources stress that DuckDuckGo’s non‑tracking design means there is no remote “delete my history” server button equivalent to Google’s activity controls — clearing must be local and per‑device ^{[1] [6]}. Some user reports and how‑to sites imply persistent traces or confusion about deleted results, but the reviewed guides focus on local browser/app data as the source ^{[2] [7]}. Available sources do not mention a centralized DuckDuckGo account history you can delete because it does not exist ^{[1] [6]}.

6. Alternative viewpoints and why guides differ

How‑to sites and blogs generally converge on the same technical point — clear browser/app data — but differ in presentation and step details; older articles highlight mobile “Fire” controls while newer posts emphasize per‑browser steps and extensions ^{[2] [5] [4]}. Some pieces stress DuckDuckGo’s privacy promises as near‑absolute, while others caution that browser behavior and device security still matter ^{[6] [3]}.

7. Quick recommended workflow you can follow now

On each device and browser: 1) open DuckDuckGo app or the browser you use it in; 2) go to Settings > Clear browsing data (or tap the Fire icon on mobile) and choose search history, cache, cookies; 3) enable Auto Clear if you want automatic wiping on exit; 4) repeat for every device, browser, and extension ^{[4] [2] [5]}. This mirrors the procedures documented across the how‑to guides ^{[4] [5] [3]}.

Limitations: sources are how‑to and explanatory guides rather than official DuckDuckGo developer docs; they agree on the core claim that DuckDuckGo doesn’t store personal search histories and that clearing is local to browsers and apps ^{[1] [6]}.