DuckDuckGo has introduced a new feature in its web browser that blocks most video ads on YouTube for iPhone and Mac users. This feature is enabled by default in the latest app version, aiming to offer an uninterrupted YouTube experience by removing ads that typically play before and during videos. Users can still enjoy functionalities like viewing history and playlist continuity. However, if a YouTube link opens in the dedicated app on an iPhone, the ad-blocking feature won’t apply; users need to access YouTube through the DuckDuckGo browser instead. The browser utilizes community-maintained filter lists from uBlock Origin and its own rules to reduce breakage, though videos may take slightly longer to buffer. This ad-blocking capability is distinct from Duck Player, the browser’s distraction-free mode, but both can be activated simultaneously. Despite Google’s attempts to counteract ad blockers, such as recent changes in Chrome, DuckDuckGo joins browsers like Brave and Opera in offering YouTube ad blocking. Additionally, DuckDuckGo’s browser provides extensive privacy protections, including ad tracker blocking and cookie pop-up removal, and is available for iOS and Mac users.
Does DuckDuckGo’s Browser Now Block YouTube Ads on iPhone and Mac?
