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How to Change the DNS Settings on Your Phone

Edited 2 days ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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How to Change the DNS Settings on Your Phone

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The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the phonebook of the Internet. It translates domain names, which are easy for humans to remember, into IP addresses, which are necessary for computers to locate and communicate with each other. Sometimes, you may need to change the DNS settings on your phone to improve Internet speed, bypass geographic restrictions, or enhance privacy and security.

This guide will show you how to change DNS settings on both Android and iOS devices. The process may vary slightly depending on the version of your operating system and the brand of your phone, but overall the steps should be similar.

Changing DNS settings on Android

1. Open Settings

Start by opening the Settings app on your Android device. You can usually find the Settings app on your home screen or in the app drawer.

2. Select Network & Internet

Scroll down and tap Network & Internet. This section contains all the settings related to your Wi-Fi, mobile network, and other connectivity options.

3. Select Wi-Fi

Tap Wi-Fi to view a list of available Wi-Fi networks. Make sure you are connected to the Wi-Fi network you want to configure.

4. Long press on your Wi-Fi network

Find your connected Wi-Fi network in the list and long press on it. A context menu with more options will appear.

5. Modify the network

Select Modify Network or Manage Network Settings from the context menu. This will open a dialog where you can change the network settings.

6. Show advanced options

In the dialog that appears, scroll down and check the box or tap the toggle switch for Advanced options. This will reveal additional settings for your network.

7. Change IP settings to static

Under the IP Settings section, change the IP settings from DHCP to Static. This allows you to enter DNS addresses manually.

8. Enter new DNS servers

Scroll down to the DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields. Enter the new DNS servers you want to use. Here are some popular DNS servers you can use:

Enter the primary DNS address in the DNS 1 field and the secondary DNS address in the DNS 2 field.

9. Save changes

Once you have entered the new DNS servers, tap Save or Apply to apply the changes. Your network connection will be refreshed, and you will be able to use the new DNS servers.

Changing DNS settings on iOS (iPhone/iPad)

1. Open Settings

Open the Settings app on your iOS device. The Settings app is typically found on the Home screen.

2. Select Wi-Fi

Tap Wi-Fi in the Settings menu. This will display a list of available Wi-Fi networks.

3. Tap the "i" icon

Find the Wi-Fi network you're currently connected to and tap the little "i" icon next to it. This will open the network details screen.

4. Configure DNS

In the Network details screen, scroll down to the DNS section and tap Configure DNS.

5. Select Manual

By default, the DNS setting will be set to Automatic. Tap Manual to switch to manual DNS configuration.

6. Add DNS servers

After selecting Manual, you will see the option to add a server. Tap Add Server and enter the primary DNS server address. Repeat the process to add a secondary DNS server. Here are some popular DNS servers you can use:

Enter the primary DNS address first, then tap Add Server again to enter the secondary DNS address.

7. Remove old DNS servers

If there are any existing DNS servers listed under the DNS Servers section, tap the red minus (-) icon next to them to remove them. This ensures that your device uses the new DNS server you just added.

8. Save changes

Once you've added the new DNS servers and removed the old ones, tap Save or Done in the top right corner to apply the changes. Your Wi-Fi connection will refresh, and you'll be able to use the new DNS servers.

Changing DNS for mobile data on Android

Unfortunately, Android does not provide any native option to change DNS settings for mobile data connections (3G/4G/5G). However, you can use third-party apps from the Google Play Store to achieve this. One such app is "DNSChanger."

Using the DNSChanger app

1. Download DNSChanger

Open Google Play Store and search for DNSChanger. Install the app by tapping Install.

2. Open DNSChanger

Once installed, open the DNSChanger app.

3. Set up DNS servers

In the DNSChanger app, you'll see fields to enter the primary and secondary DNS servers. Enter the DNS server addresses you want to use:

4. Start DNSChanger

After entering the DNS server addresses, tap Start to activate DNSChanger. The app will create a virtual private network (VPN) that will route your internet traffic through the specified DNS servers.

5. Grant permission

DNSChanger will ask for permission to create the VPN connection. Tap OK or Allow to grant the required permissions.

6. Verify DNS changes

After DNSChanger is activated, your mobile data connection will use the specified DNS server. To verify the change, you can use an online DNS leak test tool to check the DNS server being used.

Changing DNS for mobile data on iOS (iPhone/iPad)

On iOS, you can change DNS settings for Wi-Fi connections, but there is no native option to change DNS settings for mobile data (cellular) connections. Like Android, you can use third-party apps to achieve this.

Using a VPN app with custom DNS

Some VPN apps, such as "1.1.1.1: Faster & Safer Internet" by Cloudflare, allow you to specify custom DNS servers. Here's how to use the 1.1.1.1 app:

1. 1.1.1.1 Download VPN

Open the App Store and search for 1.1.1.1: Faster & Safer Internet. Download and install the app.

2. Open the 1.1.1.1 app

Once installed, open the 1.1.1.1 app.

3. Configure DNS

1.1.1.1 Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the app. The app uses Cloudflare's DNS servers (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1) by default, which are fast and secure.

4. Enable VPN

After configuring the app, tap the switch or button to enable the VPN. The app will create a VPN connection, and your mobile data traffic will use Cloudflare's DNS servers.

5. Grant permission

The app will ask for permission to create the VPN configuration. Tap Allow to grant permission.

6. Verify DNS changes

Once the VPN is activated, your mobile data connection will use Cloudflare's DNS servers. You can verify the change using an online DNS leak test tool.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

1. Connection problems

If you experience Internet connectivity issues after changing the DNS settings, double-check the DNS addresses you entered. Make sure there are no typographical errors.

2. Slow internet speed

If your Internet speed drops after changing DNS settings, try using different DNS servers to see if the problem persists. The performance of different DNS servers may vary depending on your location and network.

3. Undoing DNS changes

If you encounter problems and want to revert to the default DNS settings, you can follow the steps above and reset the DNS settings to their original values. For Wi-Fi connections, set the DNS configuration back to automatic or remove manually added DNS addresses.

Conclusion

Changing the DNS settings on your phone can offer many benefits, including improved internet speeds, access to region-restricted content, and enhanced privacy and security. Whether you are using an Android or iOS device, the process is straightforward and can be completed in a few simple steps. By following the guide above, you can easily switch to your preferred DNS server and enjoy a better internet experience.

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