How to block DuckDuckBot in robots.txt
DuckDuckBot is DuckDuckGo's own crawler token, used for parts of its service such as Instant Answers. This page gives the robots.txt rule to disallow DuckDuckBot and explains that DuckDuckGo's main web results draw substantially on Bing, so blocking DuckDuckBot has limited effect on core results.
What DuckDuckBot is
DuckDuckBot is DuckDuckGo's own crawler. DuckDuckGo documents it and publishes guidance for operators. Notably, DuckDuckGo's main web results draw substantially on Bing's index, with DuckDuckBot supporting features such as Instant Answers rather than building the entire result set.
That means blocking DuckDuckBot does not necessarily remove you from DuckDuckGo's core results — Bingbot policy is usually the more meaningful lever there.
The rule
To disallow DuckDuckBot site-wide, target its token:
User-agent: DuckDuckBot Disallow: /
Match the stable token. If your real goal is to control how DuckDuckGo presents your site, review your Bingbot rules as well. DuckDuckGo publishes IP verification guidance for DuckDuckBot; do not invent ranges. robots.txt is a request, not enforcement.
- Token: DuckDuckBot
- Operator: DuckDuckGo (own crawler, supports Instant Answers)
- Core results lean on Bing — review Bingbot too
How it appears in analytics and logs
A request carrying the DuckDuckBot token is DuckDuckGo's own crawler fetching a URL. Because DuckDuckGo leans on Bing for core results, you may see relatively little DuckDuckBot traffic.
Diagnostic use case
Disallow DuckDuckBot if you want to limit DuckDuckGo's own crawling, while understanding its main results rely on other sources, so the effect on your DuckDuckGo presence is limited.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID classifies DuckDuckBot by its token as a search crawler, separate from human analytics, so you can see whether the token reaches your site at all.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a DuckDuckBot block removes you from DuckDuckGo's core results.
- Misspelling the token — it must be exactly DuckDuckBot.
- Inventing IP ranges instead of using DuckDuckGo's verification guidance.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Blocking DuckDuckBot is a publishing-policy choice in a public file. It involves no visitor data and is not an access-control boundary.
Related pages
- DuckDuckBot — DuckDuckGo's crawler
DuckDuckBot is the crawler operated by DuckDuckGo. DuckDuckGo also draws on third-party indexes for some results, so DuckDuckBot is one part of how its results are built. DuckDuckGo documents the crawler and publishes IP addresses operators can use to verify it.
- How to control Bingbot in robots.txt
Bingbot is Microsoft's search crawler. You can target it in robots.txt with the bingbot token, but fully disallowing it typically removes your pages from Bing search over time. For load concerns, Bing offers crawl-control settings in Bing Webmaster Tools rather than relying on a blanket block.
- How to block coccocbot in robots.txt
coccocbot is the crawler operated by Cốc Cốc, a search engine and browser popular in Vietnam. This page gives the robots.txt rule to disallow the coccocbot token and explains that it matters mainly if your audience includes Vietnamese-market users.
- Bot intelligence
See whether the DuckDuckBot token reaches your site.
Sources and verification notes
- DuckDuckGo — DuckDuckBot helpDocuments the DuckDuckBot token, IP verification, and robots.txt handling.
Last reviewed 2026-06-24. Facts are checked against primary/official sources where available; uncertain specifics are marked “Data not yet verified” rather than guessed.