How to Use Google DNS and OpenDNS on Android and iPhone

Change Dns On Android And Iphone

Want to change the DNS on your Android or iPhone? You have landed at the right place. Whichever DNS you select, changing the DNS on an Android device or iPhone is quick and easy. It can make you safer online and enhance your browsing experience. Let’s learn how to use Google DNS and OpenDNS on Android and iPhone.

What Is DNS?

Think of DNS (Domain Name System) as the phonebook of the Internet that converts human-readable website names to machine-readable IP addresses. Basically, every time you type “maketecheasier.com” into your browser, DNS converts this request into an IP address (number), which it then uses to locate and deliver the site to your device.

As humans, we could never remember hundreds of IP addresses, but we can remember named sites like “google.com,” and that’s where DNS comes in handy.

"Configure DNS" option in Settings on iPhone.

DNS is automatically provided by your internet service provider. However, sometimes the default DNS may be slow or not working properly, and that’s why you may consider changing the DNS. On a mobile device, it’s easy to switch to Google DNS or OpenDNS, which are two of the most reliable, fast, and secure DNS servers.

Pro Tip: check out the best DNS servers you can use for free.

How to Change DNS on Android

Follow these steps to change the DNS to Google DNS, OpenDNS, or any other DNS on Android:

  1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
  2. Go to “Network & Internet -> Internet.”
Accessing "Network & internet" options on Android.
  1. Tap on the Settings icon for the Wi-Fi network whose DNS you want to change.
Settings icon next to Wi-Fi on Android.
  1. Tap on the Edit (pencil) icon at the top. Expand “Advanced options” in the pop-up. If you see the IP settings option, jump to step #6.
Editing network details on Android.
  1. If you don’t see the IP settings option, press and hold the name of the network you want to change. Once the information box appears, select “Modify Network.”
Networks view on older Android.
  1. To adjust your Android DNS settings, tap on the small arrow under “IP settings” and switch from “DHCP” to “Static.”
Changing "IP settings" status on Android.
  1. Once selected, a number of text fields will appear with the DNS settings that are available to edit. We only need to focus on the DNS field. Scroll down and tap the text field under DNS 1. Type “208.67.222.222” for the OpenDNS server. Similarly, type “208.67.220.220” in the DNS 2 field. Likewise, to use Google DNS servers, just change the DNS 1 and 2 to “8.8.8.8” and “8.8.4.4,” respectively.
Adding new DNS addresses on Android.
  1. Lastly, click the “Save” button to confirm the change. You can test the DNS settings for OpenDNS by opening your web browser and navigating to https://welcome.opendns.com/, where you will see a confirmation message.

Note: if the “Save” button appears grayed out, you must fill in the “IP address,” “Gateway”, and “Network prefix length” fields as well. For that, simply enter whatever is shown as grayed-out data in those fields.

Adding IP address information and saving on Android.

Tip: get up to speed on how to set a metered connection on Android.

How to Change DNS on Samsung Galaxy

Follow these steps to change the DNS servers on Samsung phones:

  1. Open Settings on your Samsung Galaxy phone.
  2. Go to “Connections -> Wi-Fi.”
Accessing "Connections" in Settings on Samsung Galaxy phone.
  1. Tap on the Settings icon next to the Wi-Fi network whose DNS you want to change.
Settings icon next to Wi-Fi connection on Samsung Galaxy phones.
  1. Tap on “View more” to expand the Wi-Fi settings.
"View more" option on Samsung Galaxy phones.
  1. Tap on “IP settings” and select “Static.”
Changing "IP settings" status on  Samsung Galaxy phones.
  1. Tap the text fields for “DNS 1” and “DNS 2” and enter the addresses as described for Androids.
Adding new DNS addresses on  Samsung Galaxy phones.
  1. Tap on “Save” to confirm the changes.
Saving changes on  Samsung Galaxy phones.

Tip: learn the top reasons you are not getting service on your iPhone.

How to Change DNS on iPhone

To change the DNS server used by your iPhone, follow these steps:

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap on “Wi-Fi.”
  3. Tap on the “(i)” icon next to the Wi-Fi network whose DNS you want to modify.
Accessing "Wi-Fi" options under Settings on iPhone.
  1. Hit the “Configure DNS” option and select “Manual.”
"Configure DNS" option on iPhone.
  1. Remove any existing DNS server by pressing the red “-” icon next to it, then tapping the “Delete” button.
Deleting current "DNS Severs" on iPhone.
  1. Press the “Add server” button and add one of the DNS server pairs mentioned above for Android phones.
Adding new DNS server on iPhone.
  1. Tap on “Save” to confirm the changes.
Saving new DNS settings on iPhone.

Tip: learn how to fix Safari not working on iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of using Google or OpenDNS?

Changing your default DNS to OpenDNS or Google DNS speeds up your browsing experience through central load balancing and caching. It also makes browsing more secure, as these providers negate many of the attacks and requests that are harmful in nature.

Can you change DNS for a mobile network?

Changing DNS only works on Wi-Fi networks. The DNS servers cannot be changed when using a cellular network.

Do you have to change DNS for every Wi-Fi?

Yes, changing DNS works on a per-network basis. If you connect to a new network, you will have to repeat the setup process. Fortunately, it is a one-time task, and your phone will remember the DNS settings for known networks.

All screenshots and images by Mehvish Mushtaq.

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Mehvish Mushtaq

Mehvish is a tech lover from Kashmir. With a degree in computer engineering, she's always been happy to help anyone who finds technology challenging. She's been writing about technology for over six years, and her favorite topics include how-to guides, explainers, tips and tricks for Android, iOS/iPadOS, Windows, social media, and web apps.