In short. Doubao retrieves public information from third-party webpages for answers and uses open-page content for webpage questions, summaries and translation.

Definition: Doubao web search is the assistant's automated retrieval of public information from third-party webpages to compose answers. As of 17 October 2026, Doubao also documents page-reading functions that answer questions using the webpage a user is visiting.

Key facts

Doubao's official desktop product page provides an entry point for downloading its desktop client.
Doubao's User Agreement, section 2.2.2, describes automatic search when the assistant detects search intent or a user selects AI search, with search sources and related content displayed above the reply.
Doubao's Privacy Policy, section 1.5.1, says webpage questions, summaries and translations use the content of the page currently being visited.

When does Doubao retrieve web information?

The User Agreement describes a search triggered either by detected intent or by explicit selection of the AI search function. It says Doubao automatically searches public information from third-party webpage links and integrates information from those sources into its response using the model's natural-language understanding.

The original Chinese feature wording in that clause is:

AI搜索

This means “AI search.” The agreement places the search sources and related content above the response. It also warns that an answer can contain inaccuracies even when sources are displayed, specifically mentioning numbers, times and factual descriptions that require verification.

How does Doubao read an open page?

The Privacy Policy describes webpage question answering in Doubao and its browser extension. Its examples include webpage summaries and translation. These answers use the content of the webpage currently being visited. The policy asks users to respect the original page's access and content-use policies, together with their organization's requirements where applicable.

The same policy separately describes sharing a third-party application through the quick “Ask Doubao” function: Doubao accesses the open page of the application the user actively selects, and answers use that open page. It also states that desktop and mobile feature ranges can differ. These provisions identify the content supplied to page-reading interactions and the surface on which each interaction occurs.

What can a website owner check?

Doubao's User Agreement makes the displayed sources a useful starting point for reviewing an answer. A website owner can compare a linked source's actual wording with the claim in the response, including any numerical or time-sensitive detail. For page-reading reviews, the Privacy Policy identifies the open webpage as the material used for questions and summaries. The reviewed documents provide no website ranking or source-selection formula.

FAQ

Do you have to select AI search explicitly?

Doubao's User Agreement also describes automatic search when it detects that you intend to search online. Explicit selection is another documented trigger.

What content does webpage summarization use?

According to Doubao's Privacy Policy, webpage question answering, including summaries and translation, uses the content of the page you are currently visiting in Doubao or its browser extension.

Sources

Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer