How do I delete DuckDuckGo saved searches on desktop browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)?

1. Why the “saved searches” aren’t on DuckDuckGo’s servers

A central point of contention in coverage is that DuckDuckGo markets itself as privacy-first and does not track or store individual search histories on its servers; therefore, any persistent search entries visible in a desktop browser are typically artifacts of the browser’s local storage — cookies, cache, or history — rather than records held by DuckDuckGo itself ^{[1] [5]}. Several guides and reputation management posts emphasize this distinction and recommend addressing the browser rather than the search engine when removing past queries ^{[1] [3]}.

2. Chrome: the concrete steps to remove local DuckDuckGo searches

On Chrome the recommended approach is to open Settings → Privacy & Security → Clear browsing data, choose an appropriate time range, and ensure “Browsing history,” “Cookies and other site data,” and “Cached images and files” are selected before clicking “Clear data”; clearing these items removes locally stored searches and related autofill or suggestion entries tied to DuckDuckGo searches made in that browser ^{[2] [3]}. Guides repeatedly instruct attention to cookies and site data because DuckDuckGo’s pages may leave local data that repopulates suggestions unless removed ^{[2] [5]}.

3. Firefox: where to clear and what to watch for

Firefox users should go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data → Clear Data (or use History → Clear Recent History to pick time ranges and item types) and make sure to remove cookies/site data and cached files so that local DuckDuckGo search artifacts disappear; many how-to pages note that Firefox, like Chrome, stores search signals locally and requires these browser-level steps to truly clear them ^{[2] [3]}. The reporting also flags that there’s no DuckDuckGo account to log into and delete history from, so browser clearing is the only reliable path ^[1].

4. Edge: mirror Chrome’s steps, with its privacy panel

Edge consolidates the same controls under Settings → Privacy, search, and services → Clear browsing data → Choose what to clear; select the relevant boxes (history, cookies/site data, cached files) and clear now — sources recommend picking a time range that covers the period in question so suggestions and saved search strings vanish from the local browser record ^{[2] [3]}. Reporting underscores that Edge’s naming and menus differ slightly from Chrome and Firefox but the principle — clear local storage — is identical ^[2].

5. Quick alternatives and caveats: DuckDuckGo tools and limitations of reporting

As a faster alternative to manual clearing, DuckDuckGo’s privacy-oriented features — notably the “Fire Button” or privacy extension on desktop — can instantly clear tabs and local data in one action, though guides vary on exact behavior and users should confirm what categories are removed in their browser/extension version ^{[4] [6]}. It is important to acknowledge limits in the available reporting: sources largely repeat the same guidance and assert DuckDuckGo’s non-retention policy, but they do not provide step-by-step screenshots for every browser version, and they vary on wording about whether certain suggestion caches persist after clearing ^{[2] [5]}. When a specific browser or extension behaves differently than these general guides indicate, the documentation or support for that browser or DuckDuckGo’s extension should be consulted directly — the provided sources do not supply exhaustive, version-specific troubleshooting ^{[1] [6]}.