How to change your DNS service on a Windows PC or Mac - and why you should

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How to alteration  the DNS work  connected  your PC oregon  Mac - and wherefore  you should
Lance Whitney / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

  • Changing your DNS tin amended speed, security, and privateness crossed devices.
  • You tin power DNS settings successful Windows, MacOS, oregon straight connected your router.
  • Popular DNS options see Google, Cloudflare, OpenDNS, and Comodo.

The DNS, oregon Domain Name System, serves arsenic a telephone publication for the internet, translating betwixt IP addresses and domain names. By default, your location Windows PC oregon Mac uses immoderate DNS server is acceptable up by your internet provider. But you don't person to instrumentality with that server.

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Why would you privation to alteration it? Here are a fewer reasons.

  • Faster performance. Some ISPs are amended than others. But successful general, a third-party DNS work whitethorn connection speedier and much reliable show than your ain ISP.
  • Better security. Some third-party services tin automatically artifact malicious websites and adjacent supply parental controls to assistance you negociate which sites your kids tin access.
  • Tighter privacy. Some ISPs volition show your DNS activities, though not needfully for nefarious reasons. Still, you whitethorn privation to crook to a third-party work that promises not to support tabs connected your activities.

Such DNS services see Google DNS, Cloudflare, OpenDNS, and Comodo SecureDNS. I typically usage Google DNS, though I've tried these others and person recovered them each to beryllium reliable. Here's however to alteration your PC's DNS settings to usage an alternate provider.

First, let's look astatine however to power the DNS server settings. Then we'll cheque retired immoderate of the third-party DNS providers. Note: The steps to alteration the DNS server are antithetic for Windows 10 and Windows 11. I'll screen Windows 11 first.

How to alteration your DNS settings successful Windows 11

In Windows 11, spell to Settings, prime "Network & Internet," and past click the enactment for "Advanced web settings."

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Go to precocious  web  settings
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Click the introduction for the benignant of transportation you privation to modify: Ethernet oregon Wi-Fi. Then, prime the enactment for "View further properties."

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View further  properties
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Select the mounting for "View further properties" and past click the Edit fastener for DNS server assignment. In the model for Edit DNS settings, click the dropdown paper for Automatic (DHCP) and alteration it to Manual.

Turn connected the power for IPv4. Notice that determination are fields for preferred and alternate DNS servers. The alternate server is utilized if the preferred 1 is unavailable oregon not responding rapidly enough.

Type the IP addresses for the preferred and alternate DNS servers successful the due fields, remembering to adhd the dots successful the close spots. Click Save.

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Change the DNS servers
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

How to alteration your DNS settings successful Windows 10

In Windows 10, spell to Settings and prime "Network & Internet." In the conception for "Advanced web settings," prime the mounting for "Change adapter options."

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Go to precocious  settings
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

In the Network Connections Control Panel window, right-click the icon for the transportation you privation to change, specified arsenic Ethernet oregon Wi-Fi, and prime Properties.

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Select Properties
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

In the Properties window, click the introduction for Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4) and past click the Properties button.

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Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP v4)
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

In the Properties model for Internet Protocol Version 4, prime the vigor fastener for "Use the pursuing DNS server addresses." Type the IP addresses provided by the work of your prime for some servers successful the due fields and click OK. Then adjacent the Properties window.

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Change the DNS server addresses
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

How to alteration your DNS settings connected a Mac

On your Mac, click the Apple icon successful the apical near and prime System Settings. Select Network and past click either Wi-Fi oregon Ethernet depending connected your existent connection.

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Go to Wi-Fi oregon  Ethernet settings
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Click the Details fastener for your existent network. At the adjacent surface showing the antithetic protocols, prime DNS.

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Select the mounting  for DNS
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Click the positive fastener astatine the bottommost of the conception for DNS Servers. Enter the IP code for the preferred DNS server and past click extracurricular the code field. Click the positive fastener again and participate the code for the alternate DNS server. When done, click OK. Then adjacent the System Settings window.

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Add the alternate DNS addresses
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Should you alteration the IPv6 address?

Since the satellite has already tally retired of IP mentation 4 addresses, we've been transitioning to IP mentation 6, which provides a overmuch greater scope of usable addresses. Does that mean you should besides alteration the DNS servers for IPv6? Not necessarily. Most ISPs either don't enactment IPv6 oregon are inactive successful the investigating phase.

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You tin spot if your net supplier has jumped connected committee the mentation 6 bandwagon. Browse to the Test-IPv6 website utilizing your existent connection. The results volition archer you whether your ISP supports the newer protocol. If so, astir third-party services bash supply IPv6 addresses.

Which DNS providers are worthy trying?

Now that you cognize the process for changing your DNS server settings, let's look astatine a fewer third-party services worthy trying.

1. Google Public DNS

Google Public DNS page
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Google Public DNS is 1 of the astir fashionable third-party DNS providers, handling sanction and IP code solution faster than galore different services. Google's DNS server is designed to support you against spoofing attacks that effort to redirect you to malicious sites. The company's website for its DNS work shares details astir its show and information features and offers an contented tracker and a idiosyncratic forum.

Google Public DNS addresses

IPv4: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

IPv6: 2001:4860:4860::8888 and 2001:4860:4860::8844

2. Cloudflare DNS

Cloudflare DNS setup
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Cloudflare DNS is different alternate DNS supplier that aims to beryllium faster than competing services. Cloudflare besides vows that it won't log your IP address, a process utilized by galore ISPs that allows them to grounds the sites you visit.

Cloudflare DNS addresses

IPv4: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

IPv6: 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001

3. OpenDNS

OpenDNS benefits matrix
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Owned and operated by Cisco, OpenDNS offers 2 escaped packages for consumers. On the escaped side, the basal bundle is OpenDNS Home, portion the OpenDNS Family Shield program tin artifact big contented for families with children astatine home.

OpenDNS Home addresses

IPv4: 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220

IPv6: 2620:119:35::35 and 2620:119:53::53

OpenDNS Family Shield addresses

IPv4: 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123

4. Comodo SecureDNS

Comodo Secure DNS page
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET

Coming from a reliable cybersecurity company, Comodo SecureDNS is worthy considering if you're acrophobic astir your online security. The company's DNS work tries to support you from phishing attacks and malware. SecureDNS besides keeps a real-time database of malicious websites and warns you if you effort to entree 1 of them.

Comodo SecureDNS addresses

IPv4: 8.26.56.26 and 8.20.247.20

How to alteration your router's DNS settings

Finally, you tin easy alteration the DNS settings for each the computers and different devices successful your location by switching them straight connected your router. To bash this, motion into your router's firmware. Look for a mounting for net oregon web setup and find the conception for DNS addresses.

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The existing enactment is apt acceptable to get the addresses from your ISP. Change that to manually delegate the addresses, and past benignant the preferred and alternate addresses from the work of your choice. When done, use the caller settings.

Page to alteration  your router's DNS settings
Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
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