How to Change Your DNS Settings

Step 1: Choose a DNS provider

Pick one of these proven public DNS resolvers:

• 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare) — fastest globally, strong privacy commitment
• 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 (Google) — excellent reliability, global network
• 9.9.9.9 / 149.112.112.112 (Quad9) — blocks malicious domains, privacy-focused

Avoid your ISP's default DNS — it is typically slower and logs all your lookups.

Step 2: Change DNS on your router (recommended)

Log into your router admin panel (192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Navigate to WAN or Internet settings. Find the DNS server fields and enter your chosen primary and secondary DNS. Save and reboot the router. This applies the new DNS to all devices on your network.

Step 3: Change DNS on Windows

Settings > Network and Internet > Change adapter options > right-click your connection > Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties > Use the following DNS server addresses. Enter your primary and secondary DNS. Repeat for IPv6 if you use it.

Step 4: Change DNS on macOS

System Settings > Network > select your connection > Details > DNS tab > click + to add DNS servers, enter your values, click OK. You may need to flush the DNS cache after: run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder in Terminal.

Step 5: Change DNS on iOS

Settings > Wi-Fi > tap the (i) next to your network > Configure DNS > Manual > remove existing entries, add your DNS server IPs. Note: this applies per-network, not globally on iOS without a configuration profile or VPN.

Step 6: Verify the change

Test that DNS changed by running nslookup google.com in Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (macOS). The 'Server' line should show your new DNS IP, not your ISP's. You can also visit SpeedTestHQ DNS Leak Test to confirm which resolver is being used.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing DNS affect speed?

It reduces page load start time by 20–200 ms per new domain lookup. Browsing many links in rapid succession benefits most. Download speeds, video streaming throughput, and latency to servers are unaffected — DNS only controls the lookup before the connection.

Is it safe to use Google or Cloudflare DNS?

Both are well-established and widely used. Cloudflare commits to not logging querying IPs beyond 25 hours and not selling data. Google uses DNS data for its broader systems. For maximum privacy, use Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) with DNS-over-HTTPS enabled.

What is DNS-over-HTTPS and should I use it?

DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) encrypts DNS queries so your ISP cannot see which domains you are looking up. Standard DNS is plaintext. Enable DoH in your router if supported, or in Chrome/Firefox settings under Security. Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) and Google (8.8.8.8) both support DoH.