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DuckDuckGo does not provide a server-side page containing your past searches. Its search engine says it does not track your searches, so there is no DuckDuckGo account history to open and delete.

However, a search query can still remain locally in the browser or app you used. It may appear in browser history, address-bar suggestions, form data, open tabs, or other browsing data. In DuckDuckGo’s own browser products, the control for removing that local data is called the Fire Button.

What you can—and cannot—delete

Data Where it may be stored How to remove it
DuckDuckGo search history held on a server DuckDuckGo does not provide this as a personal history page There is no server-side search-history list to delete
Visited DuckDuckGo pages and other browsing data DuckDuckGo Browser, mobile app, desktop app, or extension Use the Fire Button
Queries saved by Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or another browser The browser’s local history, address-bar suggestions, or autocomplete data Clear the relevant data in that browser
Duck.ai conversations Duck.ai chat history Delete chats from the Chats control or chat sidebar; this is separate from web-search history

Clear local DuckDuckGo browsing data with the Fire Button

Use this method when you searched or browsed in a DuckDuckGo app, DuckDuckGo Browser, desktop app, or supported browser extension.

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  1. Open the DuckDuckGo app, browser, or extension.
  2. Find and select the Fire Button, normally shown with a flame icon.
  3. Confirm the action if prompted.

The Fire Button can clear local browsing data such as cookies, website caches, favicons, open tabs, back-button history, visited URLs, and website permissions. Because it can close tabs and remove recoverable session history, save anything important before pressing it.

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What the Fire Button does not remove

The Fire Button is not a complete reset of every DuckDuckGo setting. It does not clear:

  • First-party cookies and storage for sites marked as Fireproof.
  • Bookmarks.
  • Downloaded files.
  • DuckDuckGo Search settings and associated storage.

A Fireproof Site is allowed to retain certain first-party data so you can stay signed in. If a site remains logged in after using the Fire Button, that is usually the reason. Remove the site from your Fireproof Sites list if you want its retained first-party data to be cleared, then use the Fire Button again.

Automatically clear data when DuckDuckGo restarts

DuckDuckGo apps can be configured to automatically clear tabs and browsing data when they restart. The current official navigation is:

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  1. Open Settings in the DuckDuckGo app.
  2. Manage Fireproof Sites and the option to automatically clear tabs and data on restart.
  3. Enable automatic clearing if you want each restart to remove the supported local browsing data.

The exact labels and placement can vary by platform and app version. Fireproof Sites remain an exception unless you remove them from the Fireproof list.

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Platform differences

The Fire Button is not identical everywhere. Use this matrix to avoid expecting an option that your version does not support:

Product Fire Button capabilities
iPhone and iPad app Clears local browsing history and data, with automatic clearing on restart.
Android app Clears local browsing history and data, with automatic clearing on restart.
Mac app Clears local browsing history and data. It can also clear data for visited sites per tab and per window. Automatic clearing on restart is listed as a future product feature.
Windows app Clears local browsing history and data. Additional data-clearing options are listed as future product features.
Chrome extension Can clear all browsing history and data, data for one site, or selected time periods. History and tab clearing can be disabled in Settings.
Edge extension Provides the same general clearing capabilities as the Chrome extension.
Opera extension Provides the same general clearing capabilities as the Chrome extension.
Firefox extension The Fire Button is unsupported.

Clear DuckDuckGo searches saved by another browser

If you visited duckduckgo.com in Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or another browser, the browser may have retained the query locally even though DuckDuckGo did not store it as personal server-side search history.

Open the browser’s history or privacy settings and clear the appropriate local data. Typical shortcuts include:

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  • Chrome, Edge, and Firefox on Windows or Linux: press Ctrl+H to view history, or Ctrl+Shift+Delete to open the clear-browsing-data screen.
  • Chrome, Edge, and Firefox on macOS: press Command+Y for history where supported, or Command+Shift+Delete to open the clearing screen.
  • Safari on Mac: use History > Clear History.
  • Safari on iPhone or iPad: use the device’s Safari history and website-data controls in the Settings app.

To remove a suggestion without wiping all browser data, type enough of the query or website address to display it, highlight the suggestion, and use the browser’s remove-suggestion shortcut if available. The exact shortcut differs between browsers and operating systems.

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Clearing browser history may not remove every autocomplete result. If the query was entered into a form, also look for an option to clear saved form or autofill data in the browser’s privacy settings.

Delete Duck.ai chat history separately

Duck.ai conversations are not DuckDuckGo web-search history. Deleting them requires the Duck.ai chat controls.

Android

  1. Open the DuckDuckGo browser menu.
  2. Tap Chats.
  3. Delete an individual chat, or use ⋮ > Select to choose multiple chats.
  4. Use the Fire Button to burn all chats when that option is available.

Desktop

  1. Open the Duck.ai chat sidebar.
  2. Hover over an individual chat and select its Fire Button to delete it.
  3. For multiple chats, use ⋮ > Select, then choose the chats to remove.

These controls affect Duck.ai conversations only. They do not clear browser history, visited URLs, or queries saved by Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, or another browser.

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Use Fire Tabs for future private sessions on iPhone and iPad

Current DuckDuckGo iOS versions include Fire Tabs. Websites visited in a Fire Tab session are not saved in local browsing history. You can close and burn all Fire Tabs at once, or burn an individual Fire Tab with the Fire Button.

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Fire Tabs are a prevention feature, not a retroactive cleanup tool. They do not remove browsing data that was already saved while using normal tabs. Clear existing data with the Fire Button or with the browser’s own privacy controls.

Why “delete DuckDuckGo search history” can be misleading

The phrase usually combines two different things:

  1. Search tracking by DuckDuckGo: DuckDuckGo says its built-in search engine does not track your searches.
  2. Local browsing records: Your app or browser can still keep visited URLs, tabs, cookies, cached files, and autocomplete information until you clear them.

Therefore, pressing the Fire Button does not delete a hidden DuckDuckGo search-history account. It clears supported local browsing data, including visited URLs. It also does not erase DuckDuckGo Search settings or storage, bookmarks, downloads, or data belonging to Fireproof Sites.

Is there a command-line way to clear it?

DuckDuckGo does not document a command-line command or shell syntax for clearing search or browsing history. The supported method is the graphical Fire Button and the related Settings controls. If you used a different browser, use that browser’s own history and privacy settings instead.

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FAQ

Does DuckDuckGo save my search history?

DuckDuckGo says its built-in search engine does not track your searches and does not provide a server-side personal search-history page. Your browser or DuckDuckGo app may still retain local browsing data.

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Does the Fire Button delete search history?

It clears local browsing data, including visited URLs, open tabs, cookies, caches, favicons, back-button history, and website permissions. It does not clear DuckDuckGo Search settings, bookmarks, downloads, or data for Fireproof Sites.

Why am I still logged in to a website after pressing the Fire Button?

The website may be marked as a Fireproof Site. Fireproof Sites retain some first-party cookies and storage so you can remain signed in. Remove the site from Fireproof Sites and clear the data again.

Can I clear only one DuckDuckGo website’s data?

The Chrome, Edge, and Opera extensions support clearing data for one site. The Mac app also supports clearing data for visited sites per tab and per window. Other products may offer fewer granular controls.

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Does clearing DuckDuckGo history delete Duck.ai chats?

No. Duck.ai chat history has separate deletion controls. On Android, open the browser menu and tap Chats; on desktop, use the Fire Button beside a chat or use the multiple-selection menu.

Does the Fire Button work in the DuckDuckGo Firefox extension?

No. DuckDuckGo’s current platform information lists the Fire Button as unsupported in the Firefox extension.

The Bottom Line

There is no DuckDuckGo server-side search-history page to clear. If you need to remove traces from the device, use the Fire Button in a supported DuckDuckGo product, clear history and autocomplete data in the browser you used, and handle Duck.ai chats separately. Check Fireproof Sites first, and remember that the Fire Button can close tabs and remove local browsing state.

Sources: DuckDuckGo search and browser explanation, Fire Button documentation, and DuckDuckGo update notes.

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