How to Change Your DNS Server (and the Best DNS for Gaming and PS5)

Your internet provider assigns you a DNS server by default, and it's often slower than the free public options from Cloudflare and Google. Switching takes a few minutes on any device, and it can shave real time off page loads and matchmaking on consoles. Here's how to change it everywhere, plus which servers are worth switching to.

The DNS servers worth using

1.1.1.1 vs 8.8.8.8

Both are free, both are run by major companies, and both are reliable enough for everyday use and gaming. The differences that actually matter:

• Speed. Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 tests as the faster resolver in most independent speed tests, though the gap is usually a few milliseconds and depends on your location.
• Privacy. Cloudflare has committed to never selling browsing data and has it audited yearly. Google's privacy policy also states it doesn't sell DNS query data, but it's tied into Google's broader account and ad ecosystem.
• Compatibility. Both support DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS. Google DNS has been around longer and is the safer default if a specific device or router has compatibility issues with newer resolvers.

For most people, either works fine. If your priority is raw speed, try 1.1.1.1 first. If you want the option with the longest track record, use 8.8.8.8. You can test both against your current DNS with a DNS lookup to compare response times from your own connection.

How to change DNS on Windows 10 and 11

1. Open Settings and go to Network & Internet.
2. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), then Edit next to DNS server assignment.
3. Switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
4. Turn on IPv4, and enter your preferred DNS (for example, 1.1.1.1) and alternate DNS (1.0.0.1).
5. Click Save.

To confirm it took effect, open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /all, then check the DNS Servers line.

How to change DNS on Mac

1. Open System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS), then Network.
2. Select your active connection and click Details (or Advanced on older versions).
3. Go to the DNS tab.
4. Click the + button and add your preferred DNS addresses.
5. Click OK, then Apply.

iPhone DNS settings

1. Open Settings > Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the (i) icon next to your connected network.
3. Scroll to Configure DNS and tap it.
4. Switch to Manual.
5. Remove the existing server and add your preferred one, then tap Save.

This only applies to that specific Wi-Fi network. If you switch networks, you'll need to repeat it, or set DNS at the router instead.

Changing DNS at the router (covers every device at once)

Setting DNS on your router applies it to every device on your network without configuring each one individually.

1. Find your router's IP, usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1. Check the label on the router if you're not sure.
2. Log in with the router's admin credentials.
3. Look for DNS Settings, usually under WAN, Internet, or DHCP settings.
4. Replace the ISP-assigned DNS with your preferred servers.
5. Save and reboot the router.

Comcast (Xfinity) routers, along with most ISP-provided routers, ship with the ISP's own DNS set by default. Changing it here overrides that for every device that connects, including consoles.

Best DNS for gaming and PS5

DNS doesn't reduce your ping to game servers directly, ping depends on your route to the specific server. What a faster DNS does is speed up the initial connection: matchmaking, loading friend lists, and store pages, since those all involve DNS lookups before the actual game traffic starts.

On PS5:

1. Go to Settings > Network > Settings.
2. Select Set Up Internet Connection.
3. Choose your network, then select Advanced Settings.
4. Under DNS Settings, switch from Automatic to Manual.
5. Enter your primary DNS (1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8) and secondary DNS (1.0.0.1 or 8.8.4.4).
6. Confirm and test the connection from the same menu.

For gaming specifically, Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is a common recommendation because of its low average latency, but the real bottleneck for most gaming issues is your route to the game server or your local network congestion, not DNS. If matchmaking or store loading feels slow, changing DNS is worth trying first since it takes two minutes. If your actual in-game ping is high, DNS won't fix that.

If a DNS server stops responding

If you set a manual DNS and then see "DNS server does not respond" errors, the server may be temporarily unreachable, or a firewall or VPN is blocking the port. Switch back to automatic to confirm your internet still works, then try a different provider's DNS (for example, switch from 1.1.1.1 to 8.8.8.8) before troubleshooting further. You can check whether a specific DNS server or domain is resolving correctly at all with a DNS lookup.