How do I fully delete DuckDuckGo app cache, local data, and app cookies on iOS 17/18?
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Executive summary
DuckDuckGo’s iOS app provides in‑app controls to clear browsing data (fire icon / Clear Data or Clear All Data) and an Auto Clear Data feature that closes tabs and clears data after inactivity; multiple guides describe tapping the fire icon or navigating Settings → Clear Data to remove cache and cookies [1] [2] [3]. However, older DuckDuckGo iOS code-tracking reports and community threads show HTML5 localStorage can persist until the app is fully removed, meaning “clear cookies/cache” may not remove all site‑stored data [4].
1. What DuckDuckGo’s app explicitly offers — the fast path
DuckDuckGo’s own workflow and how‑to guides tell users the obvious first step: open the app, tap the fire (flame) icon and choose the Close Tabs and Clear Data option; the app also exposes a Clear Data / Clear All Data control in Settings to delete browsing data and cached files [1] [2] [3]. Several recent how‑to writeups repeat the same steps for iOS — Settings or the fire icon will remove history, cookies, and cached page data as the app defines them [3] [5].
2. The gap: localStorage and “leftover” site data
Community and project issue threads dating back show a different problem: HTML5 localStorage—used by many sites for session tokens and trackers—has been observed to survive the app’s normal “clear data” actions and even app force‑quit, remaining until the whole app is removed from the device [4]. That reporting is specific and technical: clearing cache/cookies may not clear every kind of client‑side storage that websites can set [4].
3. Practical steps to try on iOS 17/18 (what to do now)
Based on the reporting: first use the app’s built‑in clear functions — tap the fire icon and confirm Close Tabs and Clear Data, or go to Settings → Clear All Data/Clear Data and select the appropriate options [1] [3]. If your goal is to ensure absolutely all site storage is removed, the GitHub issue and community guides indicate uninstalling (deleting) the DuckDuckGo app from iPhone Storage and then reinstalling will remove persistent localStorage items that in‑app clears might miss [4] [6]. HardReset and other walkthroughs mirror the “Close Tabs and Clear Data” control as the in‑app approach [2].
4. Why this matters: privacy vs. expectations
DuckDuckGo markets privacy by minimizing tracking, but device‑side web technologies allow sites to leave data on the client that app UI controls don’t always remove; the open issue highlights a privacy risk for users who assume “clear cache/cookies” equals wiping everything [4]. Guides and how‑tos present the in‑app options as sufficient for most users, but the GitHub report shows a technical mismatch between user expectations and some storage behaviors [3] [4].
5. Conflicting guidance in the ecosystem
Mainstream how‑to sites and 2025 guides (Lifehacker, UMA Technology, Tech Junkie) focus on the app UI steps to clear browsing data and on toggling Auto Clear Data; they do not uniformly mention persistent localStorage as a caveat [3] [7] [8]. The DuckDuckGo project issue is more technical and older, but it directly reports persistence of localStorage until app removal [4]. That produces a clear disagreement between consumer how‑tos and a developers’/users’ bug report.
6. Limitations and what reporting does not say
Available sources do not mention iOS‑version‑specific fixes for iOS 17 or 18 that change localStorage behavior, nor do they show a formal DuckDuckGo blog post acknowledging a persistent‑localStorage bug and its current status (not found in current reporting). The GitHub thread documents the issue but does not include a dated resolution message in the provided snippets [4]. Official DuckDuckGo release notes or Apple support pages on iOS 17/18 behavior are not in the provided set (not found in current reporting).
7. Bottom line and recommended workflow
For routine clearing: use the fire icon “Close Tabs and Clear Data” plus Settings → Clear Data / Clear All Data inside DuckDuckGo [1] [3]. For a guaranteed wipe of all client‑side storage based on community reports, delete the app from iPhone Storage and reinstall it — that is the only action tied in sources to removing stubborn HTML5 localStorage [4] [6]. Transparency note: how‑to articles emphasize convenience; an archived DuckDuckGo iOS issue documents the more persistent storage behavior and explains why some users may need the extra uninstall step [4].