The Domain Name System (DNS) is like a phone book for the internet that matches domain names with IP addresses. Your device uses DNS servers to find the websites you want to visit. By default, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides your device with DNS servers. But this means that your ISP can see and track what websites you visit, and even sell your browsing data to third parties.

To protect your online activity from being tracked, Mozilla VPN encrypts your DNS traffic just like any other traffic coming from your device and routes it to a secure DNS server in the VPN network, that keeps your activity safe from prying eyes. But maybe you want more control over your DNS settings. Or you want to use a different DNS server with some extra features, like blocking certain kinds of content. That's where Custom DNS comes in. With Custom DNS, you can choose any DNS server you want and use it with Mozilla VPN, switching between different DNS servers at any time.

This article will show you how to change your DNS settings on Mozilla VPN and why you might want to do that.

Standard DNS

Mozilla VPN's default DNS settings are designed to deliver optimal privacy, security and speed when you browse the web. This is the best option for most users, and you should keep it unless you have a particular reason to change them. Standard DNS is how your DNS settings are set up by default when you install Mozilla VPN. However, if you have changed it to a Custom DNS and want to go back to the default option, follow these steps:

Open Mozilla VPN, and at the bottom right, click (or tap) the Settings icon.
Select Preferences.
Select DNS settings.
Select the Use standard DNS option.

Good work! You've restored your standard DNS settings and will connect to the internet through Mozilla VPN's DNS servers.

Custom DNS

A custom DNS lets you pick a different DNS server than the standard one used by Mozilla VPN. It can have some benefits like faster browsing, better security and more options to customize your online experience. But it can also cause some problems if you don't set it up correctly, don’t understand trade-offs or if it doesn't work well with what you're doing online.

To select a custom DNS, do the following:

Open Mozilla VPN, and at the bottom right, click (or tap) the Settings icon.
Select Preferences.
Select DNS settings.
The custom DNS option allows input of the DNS of your choosing. Select it and type your preferred DNS server address (such as 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare's DNS or 8.8.8.8 for Google Public DNS).
If any of Mozilla VPN's Privacy features are checked, you'll see a message prompting you to confirm that you want to override the Privacy features settings. This is because those features also work by using custom DNS servers, so they can’t be simultaneously on if you set a Custom DNS of your choosing. Click Confirm to proceed.
Also, if an invalid DNS server address is entered, the text box will turn red, and you will need to update the address to proceed.