HowToUnblockWebsite

How to Change DNS to Unblock Websites

Changing DNS is the cheapest fix for the most common kind of block, and it takes about two minutes once you know where the setting lives on your device. It also has a clear limit: it only defeats blocks that work by name.

The quick answer

Set your DNS servers to 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Do it on the router if you want every device covered, or per device if you only want to change one.

What to do, in order

  1. 1Use these addresses

    Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, usually the fastest. Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Quad9: 9.9.9.9 if you also want malicious domains filtered. Any of them work for unblocking.

  2. 2Windows

    Settings, Network and internet, then your adapter, then Edit under DNS server assignment. Or Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center, Change adapter settings, right-click the adapter, Properties, Internet Protocol Version 4, and set preferred and alternate DNS. The IPv6 entry should be set too if it is enabled.

  3. 3macOS

    System Settings, Network, select the connection, Details, then DNS, and add the servers. Click OK and apply. Recent versions also let you set encrypted DNS profiles if you prefer that route.

  4. 4Android

    Settings, Network and internet, Private DNS, choose a provider hostname, and enter 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com or dns.google. This covers every app and every network, which is why it is usually the better option than the per-network Wi-Fi setting.

  5. 5iPhone and iPad

    Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the information button, Configure DNS, Manual, and add the addresses. This applies to that network only. Install a DNS profile instead if you want it everywhere including mobile data.

  6. 6Chrome and other browsers

    Chrome and Edge have their own secure DNS setting under Privacy and security, which encrypts lookups regardless of the system setting. Firefox has a similar option under Privacy and Security. This is the quickest test because it needs no system access.

  7. 7Your router, to cover everything

    Log into the router and set the DNS servers in its internet or WAN settings. Every device on the network then inherits it. This is the efficient option at home, and it also covers devices such as consoles and televisions that have no DNS setting of their own.

Worth knowing first

  • Flush your DNS cache after changing servers, or you may keep getting the old answer for a while.
  • A DNS change does nothing against IP blocks, country blocks or a site refusing your region. If nothing changed, that is the reason and the answer is a proxy or VPN.
  • Some networks block third-party DNS by redirecting port 53, in which case encrypted DNS over HTTPS on port 443 is the way round it.

If DNS and free tools keep failing

A private static IP address is the version that stays fixed: one address, yours for the month, keeping the same location every session, working in any browser or app that accepts an HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy with nothing installed. One IP is $10 and ten are $60.

See IP plans from $10

Questions people ask about this

Does changing DNS really unblock websites?
It unblocks sites filtered by name, which includes most regulator-ordered ISP blocks and much public network filtering. It does not unblock sites filtered by address or by country.
Which DNS is best for unblocking?
Any major public resolver works. Cloudflare at 1.1.1.1 is usually fastest and Google at 8.8.8.8 is the most widely recognised. Neither filters content by default, which is the point.
Is changing DNS safe?
Yes, and it is a normal setting rather than a modification of your device. The main consideration is that your DNS provider can see the domains you look up, so pick one you are comfortable with.
Is DNS the same as a VPN?
No. DNS only changes who translates domain names into addresses. It does not hide your traffic, change your apparent location or encrypt anything beyond the lookup itself.

Related guides

Start with the complete guide to unblocking a website, which covers every method and a table showing which one defeats which kind of block.