How to Change Your DNS Server on Windows, Mac, Linux, Smartphones, and Routers

Most people never think about DNS settings, yet DNS plays a critical role in how fast, private, and secure your internet connection really is. Every time you type a website address into your browser, a DNS server translates that human-friendly domain into an IP address your device can understand.

By default, your internet service provider (ISP) handles this process — which means it can see, log, and sometimes even restrict your browsing activity. Switching to a custom DNS server is one of the simplest ways to improve browsing speed, enhance privacy, and bypass certain forms of censorship.

In this complete guide, you’ll learn what changing DNS actually does, when it’s a good idea, the risks to avoid, and step-by-step instructions to change DNS on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and popular routers.

What Is DNS and Why It Matters

DNS (Domain Name System) acts like the internet’s phone book. Instead of remembering numerical IP addresses like 142.250.190.14, DNS lets you access websites using readable names like google.com.

The DNS server you use affects:

• How quickly websites load
• Who can see your browsing requests
• Whether certain domains are blocked or filtered
• Your exposure to phishing and malicious websites

Is Changing Your DNS a Good Idea?

In most cases, yes — as long as you choose a trustworthy DNS provider.

Benefits of Changing Your DNS Server

1. Faster browsing speeds
Some public DNS providers are significantly faster than ISP DNS servers, especially during peak hours. A faster DNS means quicker website lookups and snappier page loads.

2. Better privacy protection
Your ISP can log DNS queries by default. Switching DNS reduces the amount of browsing data your ISP can collect. Many privacy-focused providers also support DNS over HTTPS (DoH), which encrypts DNS requests.

3. Improved security
Secure DNS services can block:

• Phishing domains
• Malware and ransomware servers
• Known scam websites

4. Access to restricted content
In some regions, ISPs or governments block websites at the DNS level. Using an alternative DNS can sometimes restore access to censored domains.

5. More control for website owners
If you manage a website, proper DNS configuration ensures reliable domain resolution, email delivery (MX records), and optimal performance through TTL tuning.

Potential Risks of Changing DNS

Not all DNS servers are safe. Using an unreliable provider can expose you to serious risks:

DNS cache poisoning
Attackers corrupt DNS records to redirect traffic to malicious websites without your knowledge.

DNS spoofing
Users are silently redirected to fake websites designed to steal credentials or financial data.

DNS hijacking
If a DNS server or your local device is compromised, attackers can force all traffic through malicious IP addresses.

👉 Rule of thumb: only use well-known, reputable DNS providers with transparent privacy policies.

How to Change DNS on Windows 11

Changing DNS has never been a herculean task; it has always been just a matter of knowing where to look and what to do. With these simple steps mentioned below, you will be able to change the DNS address of a computer in a swish.

To do so, first, click on the ‘Start Menu’ icon present on the taskbar of your computer. Then, click on the ‘Settings’ option to launch the app. Alternatively, you can also press the Windows+I shortcut on your keyboard to access it.

On the Settings screen, click on ‘Network & Internet’ option from the left panel of the window.

After that, click on the ‘Ethernet’ tile present to the right of your screen.

Then, locate the ‘DNS server assignment’ field and click on the ‘Edit’ button present on the far right edge of it. This will open an overlay dialog box on your screen.

On the Edit DNS settings dialog, click on the drop-down menu and select the ‘Manual’ option.

Once selected, click on the toggle switch present under the ‘IPv4’ option to push it to the ‘On’ position.

Next, enter your Preferred DNS address in the text box present under the respective field. Now, click on the drop-down menu present under the ‘Preferred DNS encryption’ field and choose the ‘Encrypted preferred, unencrypted allowed’ option.

You can also choose an alternate DNS address in case the primary goes down. To do so, enter the alternate address in the text box under the field stating so. Once you set everything according to your preference, click on the ‘Save’ button from the bottom of the overlay panel to confirm your settings and close the window.

Note: You can also enter an alternate DNS address from a different service provider here.

And that’s it you have successfully changed the DNS settings on your Windows 11 machine.

Change DNS Settings From Control Panel on Windows 11

Windows also allow you to change your DNS settings from the Control Panel. Moreover, using Control Panel you can set different DNS servers for different connection modes if you wish to do so.

For example, on your home WiFi, you wish to use your default ISP-provided DNS address whilst use any other preferred DNS service when you connect with LAN on your work network.

To do so, press the Windows+R shortcut on your keyboard to bring up the ‘Run Command’ utility. Then, type control and hit Enter on your keyboard to launch the Control Panel.

From the Control Panel window, locate and click on the ‘Network and Sharing center’ option.

Then, click on the ‘Change adapter settings’ present on the left section of the screen. This will open another Control Panel window on your screen.

After that, right-click on your preferred connection mode and choose the ‘Properties’ option from the context menu.

Now, from the ‘Properties’ window, locate the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP4)’ option and double-click on it. This will open a new window on your screen.

Next, from the ‘Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP) Properties’ window, click on the radio button preceding the ‘Use the following DNS server addresses:’ option. Then, enter your preferred DNS address in the space provided and click ‘OK’ to confirm and close.

How to Change DNS on macOS

You can follow the steps below to change the DNS Servers on your Mac.

1. Click on Apple Logo in the top-menu bar and select System Settings in the drop-down menu.

2. From the Settings screen, go to Network tab and click on the Lock Icon.

3. When prompted, enter your Admin Account User Name and Password.

4. Next, select your Wi-Fi Network in the left-pane and click on the Advanced button in the right-pane.

5. On the Wi-Fi screen, go to DNS tab and click on the + Plus button located at bottom-left corner of the DNS Servers box.

6. If you want to switch to Google, enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as the DNS Servers and click on OK to save these settings.

Note: If you want to use OpenDNS, enter 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220.

How to Change DNS on Linux

Steps may vary depending on your distribution.

If you wish to change your DNS system on your Linux device, then this guide shall help you.

1. Access Terminal screen from Activities or press Ctrl +T to open the terminal.

2. In most of the Linux operating systems, the DNS servers that the system use for name resolution are defined in /etc/resolv.conf file. To make the changes, we need to open the resolv.conf file with an editor, such as nano. Enter the following commands to open the file.

sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf

3.  Type your sudo password and press Enter key to proceed to the next step.

 4. When the text editor opens, type in these lines:

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

The above servers are Google DNS server addresses.  

5. Next step is to save and close the file. Press Ctrl + X and then press Y to save and close the file. Now continue typing in the terminal.

6. To make resolv.conf immutable to changes, type the following command in the terminal.

sudo chattr +i /etc/resolv.conf

7. Once the files are saved, you can initiate the changes in three ways – reboot, flip the network adapter toggle switch off and back on, or run the following command. Here we had run the command.

sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart

8. To ensure that your new settings are working, ping the domain name. Here we had ping Google.com.

ping -c3 Google.com

 You should see a result similar to the following one.

9. If you receive an unknown host message, then cross-verify the IP addresses that you set as your DNS servers.

10. To reset the DNS, follow steps 1 to 3. Remove the following and proceed to step 5.

nameserver 8.8.8.8
nameserver 8.8.4.4

How to add or remove DNS in Network Manager on Linux devices?

This guide will help reset DNS for customers who have StrongVPN manually connected on their devices.

1. The first step is to click on the Network icon from the bottom right of your Linux machine. Select Network Connections.

2. Select to highlight your VPN connection and click on the Edit button.

3. To add DNS, click IPV4 tab. Select either Manual or Automatic (DHCP) from the drop-down for Method field. For Manual, add IP Address netmask, gateway and your preferred DNS. Click on the Save button to save the Settings.

4. If you are selecting Automatic (DHCP) for the Method, enter the DNS in the Additional DNS Servers field and click on the Save button.

How to Change DNS on Android

1- Open your phone’s settings.

2- Tap on Connections or Network & internet.

3- Tap on Private DNS. If you don’t see the ‘Private DNS’ option, you may have to tap on More connection settings or Advanced.

4- Tap on Private DNS provider hostname to enable this option.

5- Enter dns.google or one.one.one.one (Cloudflare) or 1dot1dot1dot.cloudflare-dns.com or dns.quad9.net or dns.adguard.com in the field below Private DNS provider hostname. You may need to test these DNS providers to see which one works best for you in terms of speed.

6- Tap on Save.

Your Android smartphone is now using a private DNS provider.

Set up DNS on Android using DNS changer apps

If your smartphone runs an older version of Android, then you can use a DNS changer application to change the DNS on your smartphone.

Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and BGNmobi’s DNS Changer are free DNS changer apps. You can find these apps in the Google Play app store.

• 1.1.1.1 on Google Play
• DNS Changer on Google Play

BGNmobi’s DNS Changer allows you to select from a list of DNS providers, while Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 app only allows you to connect to their DNS servers, and Quad9 Connect also only allows you to connect to their DNS servers.

Notes:

• When you’re using Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 app, you don’t need to use the WARP feature, which is a VPN service. WARP is probably enabled by default. You can disable WARP by tapping on the ≡ menu button in the top right corner, and then tapping on 1.1.1.1.
• When you use a DNS changer app for the first time, it will ask your permission to set up a VPN profile on your smartphone.
• If you want to use a VPN, then you will have to disconnect and close the DNS changer app first. You cannot use both at the same time.
• You may need to test DNS providers to see which one works best for you in terms of speed.
• The Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 app doesn’t show ads. BGNmobi’s DNS Changer will show ads.

If Cloudflare’s DNS is fast for you, then I recommend their official 1.1.1.1 app.

Set up DNS on Android via Wi-Fi settings

The steps below work for all Android smartphones, but this method only works for Wi-Fi networks.

1- Open your phone’s settings.

2- Open Connections or Network & internet.

3- Open the Wi-Fi settings.

4- Tap on the gear icon next to the Wi-Fi network your phone’s connected to, or press and hold the Wi-Fi network and then tap on Modify or Modify Network.

5- Tap on Advanced or Advanced options.

6- Change IP settings from DHCP to Static (Tap on IP settings > Static).

7- Enter the desired DNS server addresses in the DNS 1 field and DNS 2 field.

You can use the DNS server addresses below.

Google Public DNS:

• DNS 1: 8.8.8.8
• DNS 2: 8.8.4.4

Cloudflare DNS:

• DNS 1: 1.1.1.1
• DNS 2: 1.0.0.1

Quad9 DNS:

• DNS 1: 9.9.9.9
• DNS 2: 149.112.112.112

AdGuard DNS:

• DNS 1: 94.140.14.14
• DNS 2: 94.140.15.15

You may need to test DNS providers to see which one works best for you in terms of speed.

8. Tap on Save.

You may need to disconnect from the Wi-Fi network and reconnect for the changes to take place.

Your smartphone is now using other DNS servers.

How to Change DNS on iPhone and iPad (iOS)

Changing DNS on your iPhone/iPad or iPod is also very easy. You can change DNS for both Wi-Fi and Cellular networks. However, without a third-party app, you can’t do it for cellular.

Change DNS on iPhone/iPad/iPod for Wi-Fi

You can do it by following these instructions.

• First, go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
• Then, tap on the exclamatory sign next to your Wi-Fi network name.

• Now, tap on Configure DNS.
• Set the settings to Manual and add/change your DNS addresses.
• At last, save the settings.

In this way, you can change DNS settings on iPhone, iPad, or iPod for Wi-Fi.

Change DNS on iPhone/iPad/iPod for Cellular Data (3G, 4G, 5G)

Apple has not made any option to change DNS for cellular data. So, if you rely on a 4G or 5G connection, you will need a third-party app. There are some third-party DNS-changing apps. You can use any of them you want.

But I suggest an app called “Trust DNS.” It allows you to choose from preset DNS addresses. It also has the option to set your own preferred DNS. After choosing your DNS, you can tap on connect. It will use your DNS through a VPN network.

All third-party apps can’t change DNS directly. These are kinds of VPN services that pass your traffic through VPN tunnels. The app I have mentioned above is no different. It is an app from Surfshark VPN.

Verify if the DNS change has started taking effect

Flushing DNS or restarting your device usually makes your DNS changes take effect. But to be sure, you can verify if the change worked.

One easy way is to set your DNS to 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220. Then, on your iPhone or Mac, visit OpenDNS Welcome page. If you see a “Welcome to OpenDNS” message, your DNS change was successful. If not, check your DNS settings and flush the DNS cache again.

This article explains how you can change DNS settings on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod. If you know of any better methods, feel free to share them in the comment box.

How to Change DNS on Your Router (All Devices at Once)

Changing DNS on your router applies the same settings to every device connected to your network.

ASUS Routers

1. Go to http://192.168.1.1
2. Open WAN → Internet Connection
3. Disable Connect to DNS server automatically
4. Enter your DNS servers
5. Click Apply

Netgear Routers

1. Log in using your router’s default gateway
2. Go to Internet Settings
3. Select Use these DNS servers
4. Enter Primary and Secondary DNS
5. Apply and reboot if prompted

Linksys Routers

1. Visit http://192.168.1.1
2. Open Setup → Basic Setup
3. Enter DNS under Static DNS 1 & 2
4. Click Apply

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when I change my DNS?

It can improve browsing speed, enhance privacy, block malicious sites, and help bypass DNS-level restrictions.

How can I test if my DNS works?

Use:

nslookup google.com

If an IP address is returned without errors, your DNS is functioning correctly.

How do I check my current DNS?

• Windows: ipconfig /all
• macOS: networksetup -getdnsservers Wi-Fi

Conclusion

Changing your DNS server is one of the easiest yet most effective ways to take control of your internet experience. Whether your goal is faster browsing, stronger privacy, improved security, or escaping ISP restrictions, a reliable DNS provider can make a noticeable difference.

The key is choosing a trusted DNS service and configuring it correctly on your devices or router. Once set up, the benefits work quietly in the background — protecting your data every time you go online.