iPhone and iPad

1. Open DNS Security.
2. Choose a DNS profile in the Config tab.
3. Turn on DNS in the Connect tab.
4. When prompted, open the Settings app.
5. Go to General › VPN & Network › DNS.
6. Select DNS Security.

Return to DNS Security and check the Status tab. It shows the active DNS profile, the protocol in use and your network status.

Mac

On macOS 13 Ventura or later:

1. Open DNS Security, choose a DNS profile and turn it on.
2. Open System Settings.
3. Go to Network › VPN & Filters.
4. Under Filters & Proxies, enable DNS Security.

On earlier macOS versions, open System Preferences › Network, choose DNS Security and make the service active.

Switch DNS providers

Pick a different profile in the Config tab and DNS Security updates the system setting. DNS over HTTPS profiles end in -DOH and DNS over TLS profiles end in -DOT. Not sure which to use? Read What is DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS?

With DNS Security Pro (or Lite with the Pro upgrade) you can also:

• add your own DoH or DoT server as a custom profile,
• turn encrypted DNS on or off automatically for specific Wi-Fi networks (SSIDs),
• switch profiles from Shortcuts or other apps with the URL scheme.

Troubleshooting

DNS is not active after I turned it on. iOS only uses the profile after you select it. Go to Settings › General › VPN & Network › DNS and make sure DNS Security is selected. You can open this guide again from the Connect or About screen in the app.

Some websites do not load on a captive Wi-Fi network. Hotel and airport Wi-Fi login pages sometimes block encrypted DNS. Switch to Automatic DNS in Settings until you have signed in, then select DNS Security again. With Pro you can create a Wi-Fi SSID rule so this happens automatically.

I use another VPN or DNS app. iOS uses one DNS setting at a time. If another app also manages DNS, choose which one to use under General › VPN & Network › DNS.

Still stuck? Open an issue on GitHub and describe your device and iOS version.