Public DNS Servers List

We searched for some top public DNS servers and compiled a list of those servers for you. These are updated DNS servers.

To get information about any server, you can either search by provider, feature, endpoint or IP in the search bar. Or you can select the IP, feature or pricing from the options.

Check the filters as well. You can select your preferred category (privacy, security, family, or ad blocking, etc.) and your region as well. So, select the features you want and get the most suitable DNS server for you.

Let's find some free public DNS servers. The list is given below:

The Best Free and Public DNS Servers

Here are some of the top free and public DNS servers. We have mentioned all the details, so it's easy for you to know what they are offering.

Google

Google Public DNS is high-speed and reliable. It is fast, secure, and supports DNSSEC, DoH, and DoT. The IPv4 DNS of Google:

Google DNS servers are located in data centres worldwide. Hence, it receives high speed with its servers. As a result, whenever you use the IP addresses listed above, you will be directed to the nearest server.

Control D

Control D stands out among others because of its multiple servers. It contains a custom filtering option. You can choose whatever you want to block. It gives you the freedom to block anything that you are concerned about.

You can choose to block ads and trackers, adult content, dating, drugs, gambling, government sites, malware, phishing, and social sites. Control D has the following versions available:

Premium filters are also available on Control D. You can get them by paying a fee. Paying for these filters helps you to block crypto exchanges and VPNs as well. Anyhow, Control D also supports DoT and DoH.

Quad 9

Quad9 is one of the free public servers. It offers security by blocking malicious domains and phishing sites. Quad9 doesn’t store your information, such as personal data or logged details.

So whenever you are doing internet transactions, your details remain hidden. It means you will not face any risk with your transactions. Quad 9 has the following versions available:

Quad9 blocks phishing or malware sites only. It doesn’t filter the content. Quad9 also has an unprotected public DNS version.

It doesn't include malware blocking. The non-secure IPv4 version is 9.9.9.10. While the non-secure IPv6 version is 2620:fe::10, it supports DoH.

Open DNS

Nearly a million people around the globe use OpenDNS. It has been providing a safe, fast and reliable internet browsing experience since 2006.

OpenDNS provides 2 free public DNS servers. One of them is for parents with different filtering options. Open DNS has the following versions available:

You can sign up for custom settings. If you want to block websites like those containing adult content. Just use OpenDNS Family Shield. Its IPs are 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123.

Cloud Flare

Cloudflare provides the fastest internet DNS directory. It develops 1.1.1.1. Cloudflare is known for its privacy features.

They never log your IP address, use it for ads or sell your data to any third party. Whatever you do on the internet, they never save it. Cloudflare has the following versions available:

CloudFlare is an official partner of APNIC. It offers IPs for the Asia Pacific and Oceania regions. You can download their setup on your iOS or Android device.

Moreover, you can also download it on your MacOS, Windows, or Linux. Its router setup is also available. It blocks malware or any adult content. Cloudflare supports DNS over HTTPS and TLS.

Adguard DNS

Adguard blocks trackers and advertisements. It means you don't need to watch ads, whether you are playing or watching videos. Moreover, no tracker can track your internet activity. In short, you get an ad-free and secure experience. The IPv4 and IPv6 versions are:

It provides DNS servers for different purposes. These are Adguard Ad blocker, Adguard VPN and Adguard Home.  Adguard’s family protection servers are 94.140.14.15 and 2a10:50c0::bad1:ff.

These servers block adult content and all the stuff that is blocked in “Default” servers. If you don’t want to block anything, then non-filtering servers are also available, which are 94.140.14.140 and 2a10:50c0::1:ff.

Clean Browsing

Clean browsing is specifically for parents and not for organizations. It blocks explicit content on the internet. Hence, it creates a safe browsing experience for kids. It provides three DNS server options. Its security DNS servers are:

Its family filter blocks adult or pornographic sites. It blocks VPN domains and proxies which bypass the filters. It also blocks mixed content sites and sets YouTube, Bing, Google or others to SafeSearch.

The IPv4 servers are 185.228.168.168 and 185.228.169.168 While IPv6 servers are 2a0d:2a00:1:: and 2a0d:2a00:2::. The adult filter blocks adult content/sites. But it does not block VPNs or proxies. It set Google and Bing to SafeSearch.

DNS4EU

DNS4EU provides privacy to European citizens and organizations. The European Union funded it and it was launched recently in 2025.

DNS4EU is compliant with European privacy laws. It filters malicious, phishing, scam, and other unwanted domains. Its DNS server addresses are:

It offers 5 resolver profiles. Protective profile blocks malware, phishing, scams and malicious domains. Protective + Child Protection profile adds filtering of inappropriate content for children.

Protective + Ad Blocking profile blocks malicious domains and many advertising domains. Protective + Child + Ad blocking combines all the above protections. Unfiltered profile performs standard DNS resolution without filtration. DNS4EU supports DoH and DoT.

Alternate DNS

Alternate DNS helps to block online ads and tracking. It is helpful for users who want lightweight filtering but do not want to install browser extensions or local software.

When someone requests a blocked advertising domain, it automatically refuses to resolve it. Hence, the ad is not loaded. Alternate DNS is not a malware filtering or parental control DNS server. The servers are:

Alternate DNS doesn’t provide a public IPv6 server.

Comodo Secure DNS

Comodo Secure DNS blocks malicious websites. It checks requested domains before returning an IP address.

It determines whether the domain is known to host malware, phishing pages, botnets, or spyware. If the domain is not safe, it blocks access. It may also redirect it to a warning page. The servers are:

Comodo Secure DNS doesn’t provide a public IPv6 server.

Open NIC

Open NIC is a community-operated alternative DNS network. Different volunteers operate DNS servers around the world.

Open NIC provides open internet access, user privacy, minimal censorship, decentralisation, and optional access to DNS namespaces. Their servers are:

It also provides DNSSEC validation and DNSCrypt (on many volunteer servers). DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS are also available on some servers.

You have got the list. But sometimes users are not able to set up their public DNS server. Let's understand its setup for both Windows and Mac.

Before moving forward, you need to know about public DNS…

What is a Public DNS Server?

A public DNS server is free to use for anyone. Usually, the internet provider gives the DNS server. However, you can use the public one as well.

Suppose you configure your computer to use Google's public DNS. When you type google.com. Your computer sends a message to Google’s public DNS server.

Your computer asks, “What is the IP address of Google.com?” Google’s public DNS server looks it up and replies with an IP address. Your browser uses this IP address to connect to Google's website.

How to Set Up a Public DNS Server?

To set up a DNS server on Windows, just follow the given steps:

1. Go to “Settings”

2. Look for “Network and Internet”

3. Select your current connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)

4. Now, scroll down and look for the DNS server assignment and click on “Edit”

5. Now you need to switch it from Automatic to Manual.

6. Select the “On” option of the IPv4 switch.

7. Enter your Alternative DNS server or the preferred one.

8. Now, click on save.

So, the DNS server is set up on Windows.

Now, let's know how to set up a DNS server on a Mac.

1. Click on the Apple logo, which is in the left corner of your screen.

2. Click on system settings.

3. Click on “Network”, which is on the left side of your screen.

4. Select your current connection (Ethernet or Wi-Fi)

5. Next to your connections, click on “Details”

6. On the left side, you will see “DNS”. Click on that

7. Under the DNS server area, click on the plus (+) button.

8. Now add the DNS address.

9. Click on “OK” to save changes.

10. Finally, restart your Mac and reconnect with Wi-Fi.

Why You Should Use DNS Servers?

Most of the devices use the DNS servers which the Internet Service Providers provide. These DNS servers work very well on our devices. However, sometimes users want to switch to different public DNS servers because of some features.

Users choose different public DNS servers because of faster DNS resolutions, improved security, enhanced privacy, content filtering, ad and tracker blocking, DNSSEC Validation and greater control over the internet experience.

All these features compel users to choose different public DNS servers. Therefore, users can secure their online activities or block the content or domains he/she wants to.

FAQs

Can 1.1.1.1 block adult content?

No, 1.1.1.1 doesn’t block adult content. For families, Cloudflare does provide a free 1.1.1.1 service. This service includes automatic filtering.

However, if you specifically want this service, then there are some specific public servers available. These include Control D, Open DNS, Adguard DNS, Clear Browsing, Alternate DNS, etc.

Does Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 hide your IP?

No, Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 doesn’t hide your IP. It just replaces the original IP with the Cloudflare IP. It represents your approximate location. But it does improve privacy and securely handles your DNS requests.

Is DNS better than a VPN?

It depends on the type of service you want. However, we recommend using DNS rather than a VPN. There are many DNS servers that can block malicious websites.

But if we talk about VPN, then these features may or may not be present. DNS servers rarely slow down. While VPN slows down, it can also result in account suspension.

How can I configure my router to use public DNS servers?

To configure your router to use public DNS servers, first, log in to the admin panel of your router. For this, enter the IP address in the web browser.

Now search for WAN, Network, or Internet settings. Search the DNS fields. Now, you need to enter the preferred public DNS server addresses.

What should I consider in a DNS server?

It depends on your service requirements. Users usually consider speed, security, privacy, family shield and other important features like tracking and ad blocking. You can choose DNS servers depending on your needs.