What does DuckDuckGo’s Fire Button do and what data does it remove?
Executive summary
The DuckDuckGo “Fire Button” is an on-device kill‑switch that quickly clears recent local browsing data and closes open tabs in the DuckDuckGo app, giving users a one‑click way to erase stored cookies, cache and history from the device (DuckDuckGo Help) [1] [2]. It does not, however, erase certain persistent items such as bookmarks, downloaded files, or first‑party data for sites the user has explicitly “Fireproofed,” and users should note documented platform bugs and optional settings that affect exactly what is removed [1] [3].
1. What the Fire Button actually does: one‑click local data purge and tab close
DuckDuckGo describes the Fire Button as a mechanism to “burn recent on‑device browsing data in one click,” which clears everyday browser data that accumulates locally—cookies, browser storage, cache and browsing history—and closes open tabs in the DuckDuckGo app to restore a cleaner local state [2] [1]. Independent coverage of the feature framed it as an “instant kill switch” that wipes browsing data and closes tabs, reflecting DuckDuckGo’s own positioning of the button as a fast, user‑facing privacy control [4].
2. What the Fire Button does not remove: preserved items and explicit exclusions
DuckDuckGo’s documentation explicitly states the Fire Button will not clear first‑party cookies and storage for sites the user has “Fireproofed,” nor will it remove bookmarks, downloaded files, or DuckDuckGo Search settings and their associated storage, so those items persist after a fire action [1]. That same help page warns that the Fire Button is focused on local browser data and that certain persistent or user‑protected assets are intentionally excluded from the automatic purge [1].
3. Fireproofing and user control: make exceptions, manage behavior
The browser offers a Fireproofing feature that lets users mark specific sites to remain partially immune to the Fire Button; when a site is Fireproofed its first‑party cookies and sign‑in data are retained so users stay logged in, while other data types are cleared [1]. Users can manage Fireproof Sites and select automatic behaviors such as clearing tabs and data on restart via Settings, and DuckDuckGo also added a setting to let the Fire Button additionally delete Duck.ai chat history if the user enables that option [1] [3].
4. Known bugs, scope limits and on‑device focus
DuckDuckGo cautions that platform bugs can affect the Fire Button’s instant effectiveness—for example, a May 16, 2024 bug in the WebView2 component could temporarily prevent the button from instantly clearing fragments of browsing data, although DuckDuckGo said the button still clears history and tabs and that remaining remnants can be erased by closing the browser [1]. The company frames the Fire Button as an on‑device tool: it clears local app storage and browsing artifacts on the device rather than altering server‑side logs or third‑party trackers outside the device’s storage [1] [2].
5. Competing descriptions and practical takeaways
Community posts and older writeups have sometimes overstated or varied in how sweeping the Fire Button is—for instance, a 2018 Steemit post claimed it “clears all data including saved tabs, browsing history and downloads,” a claim that runs up against DuckDuckGo’s current documentation which says downloaded files are not cleared by the Fire Button [5] [1]. The practical takeaway: the Fire Button is a powerful convenience for removing recent, on‑device browsing artifacts and closing tabs, but users should review Fireproof settings and data‑clearing options for features such as Duck.ai history deletion and be aware of the explicit exclusions DuckDuckGo documents [1] [3].