How to use Private DNS on an Android phone or tablet

Configuring a Private DNS provider on your Android device secures your internet connection, bypasses network restrictions, and improves overall browsing privacy.

The steps on this page work for all modern Android phones and tablets, including Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Motorola, OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Oppo devices.

How to use private DNS on Android

  1. Open your device's settings.
  2. Tap on Network & internet (or navigate to Connections > More connection settings on Samsung Galaxy devices).
  3. Select the Private DNS option. (If it is not visible, use the settings search bar to find 'Private DNS').
  4. Change the selection to Private DNS provider hostname.
  5. Type your preferred DNS hostname (such as one.one.one.one or dns.google) into the input field.
  6. Tap Save to apply the changes.
    Setting the Private DNS provider hostname to Cloudflare on an Android device

Popular Private DNS Hostnames to use

When filling out Step 5, copy and paste one of these trusted, free hostnames depending on your goal:

Provider Hostname to Enter Primary Benefit
Cloudflare one.one.one.one Maximum speed and privacy
Google Public DNS dns.google Reliability and fast resolution
AdGuard dns.adguard.com Blocks system-wide mobile ads
Quad9 dns.quad9.net Blocks malicious/phishing domains

Why should you enable Private DNS?

Private DNS is a security feature built natively into Android 9 and newer. It forces your device to handle all DNS lookups over TLS (DoT). This ensures that third parties, network administrators, or internet service providers (ISPs) cannot snoop on your web requests or tracking logs.

Beyond privacy, utilizing an alternate hostname can significantly increase network latency resolution and assist you to unblock websites restricted by local ISPs.

For older devices (Android 8 and older)

Legacy versions of Android do not feature a native system-wide Private DNS setting toggle. If your device runs Android 8 or older, you can achieve the exact same encryption benefits by downloading Cloudflare's official 1.1.1.1 app directly from the Google Play Store.

Related:

How to set up DNS on any Android phone or tablet

How to access blocked websites on Android (6 safe methods)

Android

References:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-turn-on-private-dns-mode-on-android-and-why-you-should/

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/how-to-enable-private-dns-on-android/

https://www.makeuseof.com/android-private-dns-everything-you-need-to-know/

https://www.howtogeek.com/795644/how-to-enable-secure-private-dns-on-android/