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How to Find Out Which DNS Server You Are Using

Updated · 2 min read

Written by the ScanMyPrivacy team. How we write and check guides · Report a correction

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Your DNS server translates website names like example.com into the numeric addresses computers use. Whoever runs it can see every site name you look up, so it is worth knowing which one you are using. Your device settings tell you what it is configured to use. A test tells you who actually answers.

Windows

  1. Press the Windows key, type cmd and open Command Prompt.
  2. Run ipconfig /all.
  3. Find your active adapter (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and read the DNS Servers lines.

macOS

Open Terminal and run scutil --dns | grep nameserver. The addresses listed are the servers your Mac uses. You can also check System Settings, Network, your connection, Details, DNS.

Linux

On most modern distributions, run resolvectl status. On older systems, run cat /etc/resolv.conf. If you see 127.0.0.53, that is a local helper, and resolvectl status shows the real upstream servers.

Android

Go to Settings, Network and internet, Private DNS. It will say Off, Automatic or a hostname. If it is Off or Automatic, the phone uses the DNS server provided by your Wi-Fi router or mobile network. Tap your Wi-Fi network's details to see the address.

iPhone and iPad

Go to Settings, Wi-Fi, tap the (i) next to your network and scroll to Configure DNS. "Automatic" means the router decides.

What the address means

  • An address like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x is your router, which forwards lookups to someone else, usually your internet provider.
  • 8.8.8.8 is Google Public DNS. 1.1.1.1 is Cloudflare. 9.9.9.9 is Quad9.
  • Anything else is usually your internet provider's own resolver.

Check who really answers

Settings can lie by omission. A VPN, router or app can send lookups elsewhere, and the address in your settings may only be a middleman. The DNS leak test shows which servers actually asked for a set of random names, and whose network they belong to. Compare the result with what your settings say. If they differ and you did not expect it, read do VPNs leak DNS?

Want a different one?

Follow how to change your DNS server. People choose another resolver for speed, filtering or to avoid their provider logging lookups. In some countries, changing it also gets around provider-level blocks; see ISP blocking and DNS in India.

Keep reading

How to Change Your DNS ServerChange your DNS server on Windows 11, macOS, Android, iPhone and your router, with the addresses for Cloudflare, Google and Quad9 and the privacy trade-offs.Do VPNs Leak DNS?Why a VPN can still leak your DNS requests to your ISP, the common causes (IPv6, Windows, browser DoH) and how to test for and fix a DNS leak.ISP Blocking and DNS in India: What Works and What Doesn'tHow Indian ISPs block sites (DNS, SNI, IP), why changing DNS only sometimes helps, and how to check if a block is DNS-level. Privacy trade-offs.DNS requests bypassing your VPN: how to find and fix themA DNS leak sends your lookups to your ISP even with a VPN on. Why it happens on Windows, macOS, Android and iPhone, and how to fix it.How to Hide Your IP AddressFive practical ways to hide your IP address, from VPNs and Tor to proxies and hotspots: what each protects, what it does not, and how to verify.VPN connected but your real IP is still visible: causes and fixesTest shows your real IP while the VPN says connected? Check IPv6, WebRTC, DNS, split tunnelling and a dropped tunnel in order, and how to confirm each.

Frequently asked questions

Is my DNS server the same as my ISP?

By default usually yes. Routers hand out your provider's resolver unless you change it. Many people switch to a public resolver, which moves the visibility from the ISP to that company.

Can the DNS server see the pages I visit?

It sees the site names you look up, not the pages or content on HTTPS sites. That is still a detailed record of where you go.

Why does the leak test show a different server from my settings?

Your router, VPN or browser may forward or override lookups. For instance, a browser with secure DNS enabled bypasses your system settings.