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Search defaults to UK. How undo? Using Duck Duck Go for search.

  • 8 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by ezameht

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My default search engine is Duck Duck Go. I frequently use a VPN.

I am usually in North America and want to search sites in North America. When I run a search by typing a search term in Firefox, I get results beginning in UK, and I see that a blue toggle switch has been set to UK. (See image.)

This started 2-3 weeks ago.

How do I set things so that my searches begin in North America?

I have checked "about:config" preferences and do not see anywhere that UK is specified. I don't see a region preference setting, either.

Thank you.

My default search engine is Duck Duck Go. I frequently use a VPN. I am usually in North America and want to search sites in North America. When I run a search by typing a search term in Firefox, I get results beginning in UK, and I see that a blue toggle switch has been set to UK. (See image.) This started 2-3 weeks ago. How do I set things so that my searches begin in North America? I have checked "about:config" preferences and do not see anywhere that UK is specified. I don't see a region preference setting, either. Thank you.
Attached screenshots

All Replies (8)

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I wonder whether this got saved in a cookie. While you are on the results page, press Shift+F9 to open the Storage Inspector panel. Perhaps you will be able to recognize a cookie that specifies U.K. results. If not, you could just try deleting all of them and see whether that cleans it out. That might also flush other DDG preferences such as light/dark theme and where results open (same tab/new tab).

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Cookies are deleted daily, so that's not a solution.

One of the preferences in about:config had the region set for "RO". I don't know where that came from, but I changed it to US. Now when I search, the results simply say "All regions", and US results come first.

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This also happens on my Android - it defaults to UK for searches. Firefox is synched between the PC and Android.

HELP ==> Firefox is LOSING ITS USEFULNESS because of this problem.

What is the solution?

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Any improvement if you update your Region in https://duckduckgo.com/settings ?

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Thanks for the suggestion. That was already set to All Regions, but searches are still UK.

So no, that didn't help.

Modified by ezameht

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Is there anything in the results page URL that seems to specify the region that might override that setting?

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What is the value of browser.search.region in about:config?

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It says browser.search.region US

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