DuckDuckGo launches beta version of app tracking protection to help you prevent apps from tracking your activity. This feature utilizes Android's local VPN connection protocol to monitor network activity and intercept applications when they attempt to send data to third-party services.

While Apple has implemented App Tracking Transparency (ATT) in iOS 14.5, Google has not implemented its Privacy Sandbox, which announced earlier this year, which will include similar App Tracking Protection. Therefore, third-party applications like DuckDuckGo are particularly important.

Install or update DuckDuckGo

If you have not installed the DuckDuckGo browser, please install it from the Google Play Store. Or, if it is installed on your Android device, update to version 5.143.1 or later.

Play Store Link: DuckDuckGo (Free)

When you first open a browser, you will be asked if you want to set it as the default browser. This is not necessary to use the app tracking protection feature. If you are using Android 13, you can also choose to grant or deny notification permissions. Allowing notification permissions can bring some benefits, which will be explained in detail later.

Open Settings

After opening the DuckDuckGo browser, open the overflow menu (three vertical dots), select Settings, and scroll down and click Apply Tracking Protection.

Enable application tracking protection

When you first use it, you will see two instructions pages explaining why this feature should be used and how it works. Click the "Continue" button at the bottom of the previous two pages to continue.

On the third page, DuckDuckGo emphasizes that application tracking protection is not a VPN (virtual private network). It uses a local VPN connection, so your data is not routed through an external server like a regular VPN.

A traditional VPN securely encrypts all your traffic and rerouts through its servers, which can significantly slow down. DuckDuckGo's VPN is located in your local network, and is more like a filter that finds and blocks any trace requests found in the list as traffic passes. Unfortunately, once traffic is protected through DuckDuckGo's app tracking, you can no longer use a regular VPN.

Click "Enable App Tracking Protection" to continue.

A Connection Request dialog box will pop up to set up a VPN connection. Again, DuckDuckGo uses a local VPN to identify when apps send data to third-party trackers and block these attempts. Click "OK" to confirm.

App Tracking Protection is now enabled; click "I know!" to continue.

Monitor application traffic

With App Tracking Protection enabled, you will see a dashboard showing the results of app activity (there will be a streamer celebrated when you first use it). There is also a switch that turns off this function.

The DuckDuckGo blog post states that some applications are excluded from tracking protection due to the functionality of their applications, including browsers and applications that launch browsers in applications. However, as developers continue to test beta, the waitlist for the app has been cut in half.

If you enable notifications for DuckDuckGo, you can access this dashboard with one click from the lock screen or notification bar.

If the apps don't work properly, you can turn off tracking and report them. Find the Help Us Improve link at the top of the dashboard or the "App Is Problem?" action in the notification panel.

Cover photos and screenshots courtesy of Tommy Palladino/Gadget Hacks.

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