Every time you type a website address like google.com into your browser, an invisible system springs to life behind the scenes. That system is the Domain Name System (DNS), often described as the “phonebook of the Internet.”
Computers and other networked devices communicate using numerical IP addresses, such as 142.250.190.46, rather than human-friendly website names. DNS translates domain names into the IP addresses that devices need to connect to websites and online services.
Without DNS, you would have to remember numerical IP addresses for every website you wanted to visit.
Here is a look at how DNS works, why you might want to change your DNS provider, which public DNS services are available, and how to change DNS settings across your devices.
How Does DNS Work?
When you enter a website address such as google.com, your device needs to find the IP address associated with that domain.
A simplified version of the process looks like this:
You enter google.com
↓
Your device asks a DNS resolver
↓
The DNS resolver finds the IP address
↓
Your device connects to the website
For example:
google.com
↓
142.250.x.x
↓
Google's server
Your browser and operating system handle much of this process automatically, so you usually never notice it happening.
DNS responses can also be cached by your device, browser, router, or DNS resolver. When a cached result is still valid, your device may not need to perform a new DNS lookup every time you visit a website.
Why Consider Changing Your DNS?
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) normally assigns DNS servers automatically. These servers may work perfectly well, but they aren’t necessarily the fastest, most privacy-focused, or most security-oriented option for your particular needs.
You can instead use a public DNS provider such as Cloudflare, Google Public DNS, Quad9, AdGuard DNS, or NextDNS.
Depending on the provider, changing DNS can offer several benefits:
1. Faster DNS Lookups
A well-connected DNS provider with servers close to your location can sometimes respond to DNS queries faster than your ISP’s resolver. This can reduce the time required to resolve a website’s domain name and may make websites begin loading faster.
However, there is an important distinction: changing DNS does not increase your Internet connection’s bandwidth. For example, switching DNS will not turn a 50 Mbps Internet connection into a 100 Mbps connection. The potential improvement is mainly in DNS resolution time, not your underlying Internet speed.
2. Potentially Better Privacy
DNS providers have different privacy policies and data-retention practices. Some providers publish privacy commitments and retain DNS-related information for limited periods, while others may offer additional privacy-focused features.
However, changing DNS does not make you anonymous. The DNS provider you use can potentially see your DNS queries, depending on the protocol and provider’s logging practices. For this reason, it is worth checking the privacy policy of your chosen DNS provider rather than assuming that every public DNS service provides the same level of privacy.
Encrypted DNS technologies such as DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) can also prevent other parties on the network from easily reading your DNS requests.
3. Built-in Security
Some DNS providers offer security-focused filtering. For example, security-oriented DNS services can block known malicious domains associated with:
- Malware
- Phishing
- Fraud
- Botnets
- Other security threats
This can prevent your device from resolving certain dangerous domains in the first place.
However, DNS filtering is one layer of security, not a replacement for antivirus software, browser protection, operating-system security updates, or good security practices.
4. Avoid Some DNS-Based Blocking
In some cases, an ISP or network administrator may restrict access to a domain by interfering with DNS resolution. If the restriction is purely DNS-based, changing to another DNS resolver may allow the domain to resolve normally.
However:
- Changing DNS cannot bypass every type of Internet blocking or geographic restriction.
- If blocking occurs at another level—for example, through IP filtering, firewall rules, application-level restrictions, or the website itself—changing DNS may have no effect.
5. Network-Wide Ad and Tracker Blocking
Some DNS providers offer filtering that can block domains associated with advertisements, trackers, malware, adult content, or other unwanted categories.
Services such as AdGuard DNS and NextDNS provide configurable DNS-level filtering. When configured on a router, these rules can apply to many devices on your home network without requiring separate software on every device.
However, DNS-based ad blocking has limitations. It cannot necessarily block every advertisement, especially when advertising content is delivered from the same domain as legitimate website content.
Choosing the Right Public DNS Provider
Different DNS providers focus on different priorities.
| Provider | Primary IPv4 | Secondary IPv4 | Best For |
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 | General use, performance, and privacy-focused DNS |
| Google Public DNS | 8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 | Reliability and global availability |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112 | Security and malicious-domain blocking |
| AdGuard DNS | 94.140.14.14 | 94.140.15.15 | Ad and tracker filtering |
There isn’t one DNS provider that is automatically the fastest for everyone. The best choice can depend on your location, ISP, network conditions, and what you value most—such as performance, security, privacy, or filtering.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Change DNS on Your Devices
Android (Android 9 and Later)
Modern Android versions include Private DNS, which supports encrypted DNS using DNS-over-TLS (DoT). The exact menu names can vary depending on your phone manufacturer and Android version.
Generally:
- Open Settings.
- Go to Network & Internet, Connections, or a similar option.
- Tap Private DNS.
- Select Private DNS provider hostname.
- Enter the hostname of your preferred provider.
- Tap Save.
For example:
- Cloudflare:
one.one.one.one - Google:
dns.google - Quad9:
dns.quad9.net
Important: When using Android’s Private DNS setting, enter the provider’s hostname, not its IPv4 address (e.g., use
one.one.one.one, not1.1.1.1).
iPhone and iPad (iOS)
To manually configure DNS for a Wi-Fi network:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Wi-Fi.
- Tap the ⓘ (Info) icon next to your connected network.
- Scroll down and select Configure DNS.
- Change Automatic to Manual.
- Remove the existing DNS entries if necessary.
- Tap Add Server.
- Enter your preferred DNS addresses (e.g.,
1.1.1.1and1.0.0.1). - Tap Save.
Important: Manually configured DNS settings here apply exclusively to the selected Wi-Fi network. They do not change DNS resolution when using cellular/mobile data. If you need encrypted DNS across both Wi-Fi and mobile networks, download a native signed mobile configuration profile (via
.mobileconfigfiles from generators like encrypted-dns.party) or use a dedicated DNS client app.
Windows 10 and Windows 11
You can manually configure DNS through Windows Settings:
- Press
Win + Ito open Settings. - Click Network & internet.
- Select your active connection, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Click DNS server assignment and select Edit.
- Change the setting to Manual.
- Turn IPv4 on.
- Enter your preferred DNS addresses (e.g., Preferred:
1.1.1.1, Alternate:1.0.0.1). - Click Save.
macOS
To change DNS on a Mac:
- Open the Apple menu.
- Select System Settings.
- Click Network.
- Select your active connection, such as Wi-Fi.
- Click Details…
- Select DNS.
- Click the + button under DNS Servers.
- Enter your preferred DNS addresses (e.g.,
1.1.1.1and1.0.0.1). - Click OK and then Apply.
Changing DNS at the Router Level
If you want to use a different DNS provider across your entire home network, changing the DNS settings on your router can be more convenient than configuring every device individually.
Your router can provide its DNS settings to devices connected to your network through DHCP. This can cover devices such as:
- Smartphones
- Laptops
- Desktop computers
- Smart TVs
- Tablets
- Gaming consoles
- Smart home devices
However, this works only for devices that actually use the DNS settings supplied by the router. Some devices, applications, or web browsers may use their own DNS configuration or encrypted DNS service.
How to change router DNS
The exact instructions depend on your router manufacturer and firmware, but the general process is:
- Open a web browser.
- Enter your router’s gateway address (commonly
192.168.1.1or192.168.0.1). - Log in to the router’s administrator interface.
- Look for DNS Settings, Internet, WAN, DHCP, or a similar section.
- Replace the existing DNS addresses with your preferred servers (e.g., Primary:
1.1.1.1, Secondary:1.0.0.1). - Save or apply the changes.
- Reconnect your devices if necessary.
A router does not always need to be restarted after changing DNS. In some cases, saving the configuration and reconnecting devices is enough.
Browser-Level DNS Overrides (DoH)
Even after changing your operating system or router DNS, modern desktop browsers (such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Brave) may maintain their own DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) settings.
If your custom DNS setup seems to be ignored while browsing, check your browser settings:
- Chrome / Brave: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Use secure DNS.
- Firefox: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > DNS over HTTPS.
Adjusting these settings ensures your browser uses your intended provider or adheres strictly to your operating system’s DNS defaults.
DNS Is Not the Same as a VPN
One of the most common misconceptions is that changing DNS is similar to using a VPN. It isn’t.
DNS primarily handles domain-name resolution:
Plaintext
google.com
↓
DNS resolver
↓
IP address
A VPN works differently by routing your network traffic through a VPN server and typically encrypting the connection between your device and that VPN server.
| Feature | DNS | VPN |
| Resolves domain names | Yes | Yes |
| Routes network traffic through a VPN server | No | Yes |
| Can improve DNS lookup performance | Yes | Can affect overall connection speed |
| Can provide DNS-level filtering | Yes | Varies |
| Encrypts traffic between your device and server | Optional (DoT/DoH) | Yes |
| Hides your public IP address from websites | No | Yes |
| Makes you anonymous | No | No |
So if your goal is simply to use a different DNS resolver, you generally do not need a VPN.
How to Test Whether a New DNS Is Actually Better
Don’t assume that a popular DNS provider will automatically be faster for you. DNS performance varies depending on your location, ISP, network, router, DNS provider, and current network conditions.
To find out which resolver actually works best for your specific connection, run dedicated benchmarking utilities:
- GRC DNS Benchmark (Windows): Evaluates response times across hundreds of resolvers, measuring cached vs. uncached lookup speeds.
- NameBench (Windows, macOS): An open-source tool that analyzes your browser history to test which DNS servers deliver optimal performance for the specific sites you visit.
- DNSPerf (Web-based): Provides real-time metrics on public DNS provider latency and uptime broken down by global regions.
If you notice connection problems or slower resolution after changing DNS, simply return the setting to Automatic or restore your previous DNS servers.
Final Thoughts
Changing your DNS is a simple way to experiment with how your devices handle domain-name resolution. A different DNS provider may offer faster DNS lookups, additional security filtering, different privacy policies, or ad and tracker blocking, depending on the service you choose.
However, DNS is not a magic way to increase your Internet bandwidth or guarantee anonymity. For general use, services such as Cloudflare, Google Public DNS, Quad9, and AdGuard DNS are popular options, each with different strengths.
If you’re unsure where to start, Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 is a simple general-purpose choice. The most important thing is to choose a DNS provider based on what you actually need—performance, privacy, security, or filtering—rather than assuming that one DNS service is universally better than another.
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