Does DuckDuckGo log IP addresses, search queries, or device fingerprints for any length of time?

1. What DuckDuckGo itself says — a direct no‑logs claim

DuckDuckGo's privacy page explicitly asserts it does not save IP addresses or unique identifiers alongside searches and "never log IP addresses or any unique identifiers to disk," while allowing temporary use of connection info for content delivery and bot/security checks ^[1]. It also says anonymous search queries are retained "just enough time" to analyze trends and that local searches use a randomized "nearish" location which "we also never log to disk" ^[1].

2. Independent reporting and explainers — consistent summaries but with framing

Privacy explainers and retrospectives describing DuckDuckGo's 2025 tracking policy characterize the company as reinforcing anonymization and minimal data retention: UMATechnology and MEFMobile describe enhanced anonymization, upgraded encryption, and continued emphasis on contextual advertising rather than user profiling ^{[3] [4]}. A focused explainer bluntly states DuckDuckGo "does not store individual search queries" and that searches are not linked to personal identifiers ^[2].

3. What "never log to disk" and "temporary use" mean in practice — ambiguity remains in sources

DuckDuckGo's wording allows temporary handling of connection data for delivery and security but insists it does not attach those identifiers to saved searches or persist them to disk ^[1]. Available sources do not define precisely how long "temporary" is, what ephemeral memory practices are used, or whether transient logs might exist for seconds/minutes in RAM before being discarded; that level of operational detail is not in the provided reporting ^{[1] [2]}.

4. Third‑party interactions and edge cases — potential for exposure outside DuckDuckGo

Reporting notes scenarios where clicking external content or ads can expose IPs to third parties: when you visit other sites from DuckDuckGo, their privacy practices apply, and requests routed to content providers (including maps or ads) may log IPs on those third-party servers ^{[1] [5]}. StandSapp's critique adds that integrations or outdated web tech could leak device info or cause OS‑level traces in older browser versions ^[5]. These are presented as risks external to DuckDuckGo's stated server logging policy.

5. Product add‑ons (VPN / Privacy Pro) and their claims

DuckDuckGo's paid Privacy Pro VPN is described by coverage as following a "strict no‑logs policy" for the VPN service itself, meaning it claims not to retain data that can be tied back to users' online activity ^[6]. This is a separate product claim and does not change the search service's broader statements; available sources do not provide independent audits of those VPN claims in this dataset ^[6].

6. Areas where reporting diverges or raises caution

Most sources repeat DuckDuckGo's privacy claims and policy updates emphasizing anonymization ^{[3] [2] [4]}. Critical reporting highlights past issues: older desktop browser versions reportedly stored search traces in local storage until early 2025, which could leave OS‑level artifacts for users ^[5]. That critique argues DuckDuckGo's ecosystem (browser + search + third parties) carries more complexity and potential leaks than the headline "we don't log" statement suggests ^[5].

7. How to interpret these claims as a user — practical guidance

If your concern is whether DuckDuckGo's servers intentionally retain IPs or link searches to device IDs, the company and multiple explainers say they do not log IPs or unique identifiers to disk and keep searches only in anonymized, unlinked form for short trend analysis ^{[1] [2]}. If you need protection against third‑party logging, OS/browser artifacts, or network‑level visibility, the available sources remind users those are separate vectors — clicking external links, ad redirects, browser local storage, or network operators can expose data outside DuckDuckGo's server policy ^{[1] [5]}.

8. Bottom line and transparency limitations

DuckDuckGo publicly states a no‑log stance for IPs and unique identifiers and describes enhanced anonymization measures in 2025, while independent explainers echo that it does not store individual, identifiable search histories ^{[1] [2] [3]}. However, available sources do not publish low‑level operational proofs, retention timeframes for transient data, or independent audit results in this set — and they note third‑party interactions and older browser behavior can create privacy gaps ^{[1] [5]}.