Best Public DNS Servers

Choosing the right DNS server can significantly impact your browsing speed, security, and privacy. While your ISP provides default DNS servers, switching to a public DNS service often delivers better performance and additional features like malware blocking.

DNS Server Comparison

Here's a quick comparison of the top public DNS providers:

Provider	Primary DNS	Secondary DNS	Best For
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1	1.0.0.1	Speed & Privacy
Google	8.8.8.8	8.8.4.4	Reliability
Quad9	9.9.9.9	149.112.112.112	Security
OpenDNS	208.67.222.222	208.67.220.220	Family Safety
Control D	76.76.2.0	76.76.10.0	Customization

Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1)

Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is consistently ranked as the fastest public DNS resolver. It's backed by Cloudflare's massive global network and has a strong privacy policy — they don't sell your data and purge logs within 24 hours.

Cloudflare DNS Addresses

# Standard
Primary:   1.1.1.1
Secondary: 1.0.0.1

# IPv6
Primary:   2606:4700:4700::1111
Secondary: 2606:4700:4700::1001

# Malware Blocking (1.1.1.1 for Families)
Primary:   1.1.1.2
Secondary: 1.0.0.2

# Malware + Adult Content Blocking
Primary:   1.1.1.3
Secondary: 1.0.0.3

Google Public DNS

Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) has been a go-to choice since 2009. It's extremely reliable with Google's infrastructure backing it, though privacy-conscious users may prefer alternatives since Google does log query data.

Google DNS Addresses

# IPv4
Primary:   8.8.8.8
Secondary: 8.8.4.4

# IPv6
Primary:   2001:4860:4860::8888
Secondary: 2001:4860:4860::8844

Quad9

Quad9 is a non-profit DNS service focused on security. It automatically blocks access to known malicious domains using threat intelligence from multiple security partners. Great for users who want built-in protection.

Quad9 DNS Addresses

# Secured (Malware Blocking + DNSSEC)
Primary:   9.9.9.9
Secondary: 149.112.112.112

# Unsecured (No Blocking)
Primary:   9.9.9.10
Secondary: 149.112.112.10

# IPv6 Secured
Primary:   2620:fe::fe
Secondary: 2620:fe::9

OpenDNS

OpenDNS (now owned by Cisco) offers both free and paid tiers. The free "Family Shield" option automatically blocks adult content, making it popular for parental controls.

OpenDNS Addresses

# OpenDNS Home
Primary:   208.67.222.222
Secondary: 208.67.220.220

# OpenDNS Family Shield (Adult Content Blocked)
Primary:   208.67.222.123
Secondary: 208.67.220.123

# IPv6
Primary:   2620:119:35::35
Secondary: 2620:119:53::53

How to Change Your DNS

Windows 11

1. Open Settings → Network & internet
2. Click Wi-Fi or Ethernet
3. Click Hardware properties
4. Next to DNS server assignment, click Edit
5. Select Manual, enable IPv4
6. Enter your preferred DNS addresses
7. Click Save

macOS

1. Open System Settings → Network
2. Select your connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)
3. Click Details → DNS
4. Click + to add DNS servers
5. Click OK

Router (Recommended)

For network-wide DNS changes, configure DNS on your router:

1. Access your router admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)
2. Find DNS settings (often under WAN, Internet, or DHCP settings)
3. Enter your preferred DNS addresses
4. Save and reboot the router