What a DNS server does

DNS, the Domain Name System, translates names like example.com into IP addresses. Every time you open a website or an app connects to a service, your device asks a DNS resolver for the address. By default, that resolver is usually run by your internet provider.

A slow resolver delays the start of every page load. A resolver can also see which domains you look up and, depending on its policy, may log them. Switching to a well-run public DNS service can improve speed, reliability and privacy, and some services also block malware or adult content.

Changing DNS does not hide your IP address and does not change your download speed once a page starts loading.

Popular free public DNS services

Each of these services is free and widely used. Use both the primary and secondary addresses so your device can fall back if one is unreachable.

Cloudflare and Quad9 publish privacy commitments and support encrypted DNS. Filtering variants are useful for families and schools.

  • Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 (privacy-focused, fast). Malware blocking: 1.1.1.2; family filter: 1.1.1.3.
  • Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 (reliable, global).
  • Quad9: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112 (blocks known malicious domains).
  • OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 (FamilyShield filtering available).
  • IPv6 examples: Cloudflare 2606:4700:4700::1111, Google 2001:4860:4860::8888.
Compare resolver response times from a terminal
nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1
nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8
nslookup example.com 9.9.9.9

Change DNS on Windows and Mac

Windows 11: open Settings, Network & internet, choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open the connected network’s hardware properties, click Edit next to DNS server assignment, choose Manual, turn on IPv4 and enter the preferred and alternate DNS. Windows 11 can also turn on DNS over HTTPS here for supported resolvers.

Windows 10: open Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, Change adapter settings, right-click your adapter, Properties, Internet Protocol Version 4, Properties, then “Use the following DNS server addresses”.

macOS: open System Settings, Wi-Fi or Network, Details next to the connection, select DNS, press the plus button and add the new servers, then remove the old ones and click OK.

Change DNS on iPhone, Android and the router

iPhone and iPad: open Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the “i” next to the network, Configure DNS, Manual, then add the servers. This applies only to that Wi-Fi network. Android 9 and later: open Settings, Network & internet, Private DNS, and enter a hostname such as one.one.one.one or dns.google. Private DNS applies to Wi-Fi and mobile data and is encrypted.

Router: sign in to the router’s admin page, find the WAN, Internet or DHCP settings, and replace the DNS fields with your chosen servers. Every device that gets its settings from the router then uses the new DNS, including smart TVs and game consoles that have no DNS menu.

If you use a VPN, it may override these settings with its own DNS. That is normally what you want, because it prevents DNS leaks.

  1. Pick a resolver and note both addresses.
  2. Change DNS on the router to cover every device, or on one device to test first.
  3. Restart the browser or reconnect to the network.
  4. Visit a few sites and confirm everything loads normally.

Troubleshooting and common questions

If websites stop loading after a change, check for typing mistakes in the addresses, then switch back to automatic DNS to confirm the problem is DNS-related. Some hotel and airport Wi-Fi sign-in pages only work with the network’s own DNS; switch back temporarily to log in.

Will changing DNS make my internet faster? It can make pages start loading sooner if your provider’s resolver is slow, but it will not raise your download speed. Run a speed test before and after to see the overall effect.

Is it safe? Yes. Reputable public resolvers are run by large security and infrastructure companies. You can always return to automatic settings.