Those are my top choices. A list of additional free DNS servers can be found in the table near the bottom of the page.

The Top Free & Public DNS Servers

Below are more details on these free DNS servers that you can use instead of the ones assigned to your device automatically.

Google: 8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4 

Google Public DNS offers three main benefits: faster browsing, enhanced security, and accurate results without redirects. I use it on my devices.

• Primary DNS: 8.8.8.8
• Secondary DNS: 8.8.4.4

There are also IPv6 versions:

• Primary DNS: 2001:4860:4860::8888
• Secondary DNS: 2001:4860:4860::8844

Google achieves fast speeds with its public DNS servers by hosting them in data centers worldwide. This means when you access a web page using the IP addresses above, you’re directed to the nearest server.

In addition to traditional DNS over UDP/TCP, Google provides DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and TLS (DoT).

Control D: 76.76.2.0 & 76.76.10.0

Control D stands out with multiple DNS servers, each categorized by theme. The “Uncensored” resolver proxies commonly blocked websites in most countries, bypassing IP blocking of news sites. Other servers can block malicious websites, ads and trackers, social networks, or adult content.

The basic option, “Unfiltered,” offers DNS query privacy and security:

• Primary DNS: 76.76.2.0
• Secondary DNS: 76.76.10.0

IPv6 is supported, too:

• Primary DNS: 2606:1a40::
• Secondary DNS: 2606:1a40:1::

A unique feature of Control D is the custom configurations. For example, you can combine trackers, ads, malware, phishing, and government sites into a custom filter to block all that content.

Premium filters are available for a low cost that can block things like crypto exchanges and VPNs. Control D also supports DoH and DoT.

Quad9: 9.9.9.9 & 149.112.112.112

Quad9 offers free public DNS servers that protect devices from cyber threats by blocking access to unsafe websites automatically. I appreciated that Quad9 operates without storing your personal data; their website states, “no data containing your IP address is ever logged.”

• Primary DNS: 9.9.9.9
• Secondary DNS: 149.112.112.112

There are also Quad 9 IPv6 DNS servers:

• Primary DNS: 2620:fe::fe
• Secondary DNS: 2620:fe::9

Quad9 doesn’t filter content—only domains that are phishing or contain malware will be blocked. There’s also an unsecured IPv4 public DNS (i.e., no malware blocking) at 9.9.9.10 (2620:fe::10 for IPv6). Quad9 also supports DoH.

OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222 & 208.67.220.220

Used by millions globally, OpenDNS claims 100 percent reliability and uptime since 2006. They offer two sets of free public DNS servers, one specifically for parental controls with numerous filtering options.

• Primary DNS: 208.67.222.222
• Secondary DNS: 208.67.220.220

IPv6 addresses are also available:

• Primary DNS: 2620:119:35::35
• Secondary DNS: 2620:119:53::53

The servers above are for OpenDNS Home. Make a user account to set up custom settings, like for blocking or redirecting websites. I did this for years (coupled with a DDNS service) and was very pleased with how it worked.

For DNS servers that block adult content, use OpenDNS FamilyShield: 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123. Those two also support DNS over HTTPS.

Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 & 1.0.0.1

Cloudflare developed 1.1.1.1 to be the “internet’s fastest DNS directory” (here’s how DNSPerf ranks them). I appreciate their commitment to privacy—they will never log your IP address, sell your data, or use it to target ads.

• Primary DNS: 1.1.1.1
• Secondary DNS: 1.0.0.1

They also have IPv6 public DNS servers:

• Primary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1111
• Secondary DNS: 2606:4700:4700::1001

There are setup directions for all your devices through the link above. Another way to use it is through the 1.1.1.1 app, which provides quick DNS setup on mobile and desktop devices; it also doubles as a VPN. 1.1.1.1 for Families can block malware (1.1.1.2) or malware and adult content (1.1.1.3). It supports DNS over HTTPS and TLS as well.

AdGuard DNS: 94.140.14.14 & 94.140.15.15

AdGuard DNS provides three sets of DNS servers, each with different features. Two sets block ads in games, videos, apps, and web pages. I used these “Default” servers for several months to block ads and trackers and was satisfied with their performance, despite some ads slipping through:

• Primary DNS: 94.140.14.14
• Secondary DNS: 94.140.15.15

IPv6 is supported, too:

• Primary DNS: 2a10:50c0::ad1:ff
• Secondary DNS: 2a10:50c0::ad2:ff

There are also “Family protection” servers (94.140.14.15 and 2a10:50c0::bad1:ff) that block adult content, plus everything included in the “Default” servers. Non-filtering servers are available if you’re not interested in blocking anything: 94.140.14.140 and 2a10:50c0::1:ff.

These servers are also available as DNS over HTTPS, TLS, and QUIC, as well as DNSCrypt. Compared to paid AdGuard DNS plans, free users are limited to five devices and are permitted far fewer monthly requests.

CleanBrowsing: 185.228.168.9 & 185.228.169.9

CleanBrowsing offers three free public DNS server options: a security filter, adult filter, and family filter. The security filter, the most basic of the three, updates hourly to block malware and phishing sites:

• Primary DNS: 185.228.168.9
• Secondary DNS: 185.228.169.9

IPv6 is also supported:

• Primary DNS: 2a0d:2a00:1::2
• Secondary DNS: 2a0d:2a00:2::2

The adult filter (185.228.168.10) prevents access to adult domains, and the family filter (185.228.168.168) blocks proxies, VPNs, and mixed adult content. They both also block the same domains supported by the security filter.

For more features, subscribe to one of the CleanBrowsing premium plans. This service supports DoH and DoT as well.

Alternate DNS: 76.76.19.19 & 76.223.122.150

Alternate DNS  is a free public DNS service that blocks ads before they reach your network. It works well, in my experience, but it’s not entirely perfect.

• Primary DNS: 76.76.19.19
• Secondary DNS: 76.223.122.150

Alternate DNS has IPv6 DNS servers, too:

• Primary DNS: 2602:fcbc::ad
• Secondary DNS: 2602:fcbc:2::ad

You can sign up with Alternate DNS for free, but there’s also a Family Premium DNS option that blocks adult content.

Why Use Different DNS Servers?

You might want to change the DNS servers assigned by your ISP if you suspect a problem with them. An easy way to test for DNS server issues is by typing a website’s IP address into your browser. If you can access the website with the IP address but not the name, the DNS server is likely having issues.

Another reason to change DNS servers is if you’re looking for a better-performing service. Many people complain that their ISP-maintained DNS servers are sluggish and contribute to a slower overall browsing experience. If your existing DNS servers are really bad, you might find that you can even double your internet speed by just changing these servers.

Other common reasons to use DNS servers from a third party are to prevent logging of your web activity so that you can have a more private browsing experience, and to circumvent the blocking of certain websites.

Know, however, that not all DNS servers avoid traffic logging. If that’s what you’re interested in, make sure you read through the FAQs on the DNS provider’s site to make sure it’s going to do (or not do) what you’re after.

If, on the other hand, you want to use the DNS servers that your specific ISP, like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast/XFINITY, etc., has determined is best, then don’t manually set DNS server addresses at all—just let them auto assign.

Finally, in case there is any confusion, free DNS servers do not give you free internet access. You still need an ISP for access—DNS servers just translate between IP addresses and domain names so that you can access websites with a human-readable name (like lifewire.com) instead of a difficult-to-remember IP address.

Additional DNS Servers

Here are several more public DNS servers: