I left Google Search for something simpler, and I should have done it sooner

10 Jun 2026, 16:15 by Anu Joy · Android Police

Google has spent the past year pushing AI-powered search, from AI Overviews to the new AI Mode announced at Google I/O.

Whether you love those features or not, they represent a major shift in how Google thinks search should work.

That got me wondering whether I still enjoyed using Google Search.

I've used it for so long that I rarely questioned it, but somewhere along the way, searching started feeling more complicated.

Between AI summaries, sponsored results, and discussion threads, I often found myself scrolling through layers of content before reaching the links I wanted.

So, I decided to try a search engine that takes a much simpler approach: DuckDuckGo.

I was surprised by how quickly I adapted to DuckDuckGo and how frequently I found myself preferring it.

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Posts 1
By Faith Leroux

Google Search stopped feeling like a search engine

A typical Google search can include AI-generated summaries, shopping modules, videos, knowledge panels, sponsored results, and discussion threads before you even reach the traditional list of web pages.

But when I'm researching a topic or looking for recommendations, I often don't want Google to summarize the internet for me. More specifically, I want to quickly scan a list of sources and decide which ones are worth opening.

I increasingly find myself scrolling past blocks of content that Google believes are helpful before reaching the actual search results.

DuckDuckGo gets out of the way

The first thing I noticed after switching to DuckDuckGo was the absence of distractions.

DuckDuckGo's results pages feel refreshingly straightforward. I enter a query, get a list of results, and start clicking.

There are still search features and shortcuts available when I need them, but they don't dominate the page or compete for attention in the same way.

That simplicity made searches feel faster, even when they weren't necessarily delivering information any quicker.

I also found myself scrolling less. On Google, I often feel like I'm navigating through layers of content before reaching the websites I want to visit. DuckDuckGo puts those links front and center, which is exactly what I expect from a search engine.

DuckDuckGo's AI features are optional

One thing I appreciated after switching to DuckDuckGo is that it hasn't entirely ignored AI.

The search engine includes its own AI-powered features, including Search Assist, which can generate a brief answer at the top of certain search results.

Unlike Google's AI Overviews, however, DuckDuckGo treats it more like an optional layer on top of search rather than the centerpiece of the experience. More importantly, it gives me control over how often I see AI results.

By clicking the settings cog on the Search Assist window, I can choose whether it appears: Often, Sometimes, On Demand, or Never.

If I don't want AI-generated summaries in my search results at all, I can turn off Search Assist entirely with a couple of clicks.

That level of customization extends beyond Search Assist. DuckDuckGo also lets users turn off its AI chat features and hide AI-generated images from search results.

Bangs helped me skip the search results page entirely

The feature that convinced me to stick with DuckDuckGo wasn't privacy. It was DuckDuckGo's Bangs.

If you've never used them before, Bangs are shortcuts that send your search directly to another website.

Instead of searching for a product and then clicking through to Amazon, I can type !a wireless earbuds and jump straight to Amazon's search results.

The same idea works for hundreds of websites, including YouTube, Reddit, Wikipedia, GitHub, and countless others.

Over time, I realized that many of my searches weren't really web searches at all. When I searched for a product, I usually wanted Amazon. When I searched for a discussion, I often wanted Reddit.

When I looked up a tutorial, there was a good chance I was heading to YouTube. Google would still take me through its results page first, while Bangs lets me skip that step entirely.

Google still wins in some situations

As much as I've enjoyed using DuckDuckGo, the switch also reminded me why Google remains the default search engine for most people.

There are still plenty of situations where Google's scale and ecosystem give it a clear advantage.

Local searches are probably the best example. If I'm looking for nearby restaurants, checking business hours, comparing reviews, or finding a place on a map, Google's integration with Maps is hard to beat.

Google also tends to perform better for highly specific searches. Whether I'm looking for obscure technical documentation or researching a niche topic, Google's ranking algorithms can still surface the right result more reliably.

Ironically, the knowledge panels, maps integration, shopping tools, and AI features can be incredibly convenient when they align with what you're trying to accomplish.

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Posts 24
By Will Sattelberg

The search engine that earned a permanent place in my browser

After years of using Google Search, I'd stopped noticing how much was happening on the results page. It wasn't until I switched away that I realized how often I just wanted a list of relevant websites.

DuckDuckGo won't replace Google for every search I make, but it has become my default search engine.

Between its cleaner results pages, customizable AI features, and incredibly useful Bangs shortcuts, it offers a search experience that feels more focused.