DuckDuckGo is one of the popular and genuine alternatives to Google when it comes to finding what you are looking for online. Currently, the search engine handles three billion searches on a monthly basis. That massive number is only going to increase as more people are starting to get turned off by the privacy policies and ad tracking functions by Google. DuckDuckGo has a user-friendly interface that makes it relatively easy to use. You will just write your search query, and you will be on your way. On the other hand, the search engine also offers advanced features. Here are some of the hidden and unknown gems that you probably did not know about DuckDuckGo.
You can get Directions Without Google Maps
If you need to get driving or walking directions, you won’t need to open Google Maps anymore. DuckDuckGo has navigation options of its own. You will simply type the destination you need and pick maps, and once the location loads, you simply click on Directions, and you can be on your way. You will then choose whether you want to walk and drive, and it will present you with several options. It is powered by Apple Maps, and it follows the usual practices of DuckDuckGo. Therefore, none of the searches you make will be logged on their server.
Targeted Searches with Bangs Will Make Your Life Easier
Sometimes, we know that we want results from a certain website, so instead of scouring the entire web, you can make a targeted search. So, if you want to search Reddit, Wikipedia, or Twitter, you can easily do that. DuckDuckGo’s feature that allows for this is called bangs. So, for example, for Reddit, you will need to type “!w” for Wikipedia; for Reddit, you need to type “!reddit.” DuckDuckGo currently supports 13000 bangs, which cover all of the famous and most searched for websites.
Generate your own QR Codes and Complicated Passwords
You can use the search engine to scour the web for something. Also you can use it to generate passwords by selecting the number of characters in it. You can also create your QR code by typing QR in the search box and then the URL link that you want the QR code to lead to, and DuckDuckGo is going to take care of the rest.
Keyboard Shortcuts for DuckDuckGo is a Huge QoL
DuckDuckGo has a lot of keyboard shortcuts that can make your searching experience much easier. They work whether you are running it on a macOS or Windows. For example, you can use the Up and Down arrow to toggle through the search results. You can also use the Left and Right arrows to toggle through the opened tabs. You can easily learn about the different shortcuts by searching for the DuckDuckGo cheat sheet.
Limit The Search Results according to Publish Date
We understand how badly frustrating it could be when you search for something that you need to be up to date, and the first results are from 5 years ago. DuckDuckGo understands that, and this is why it enables you to restrict search results based on these pages’ publish or update date.
