How to Change Your DNS Settings on a Mac

How to Change Your DNS Settings on a Mac

How to Change Your DNS Server on a Mac

To change your DNS server on a Mac, go to System Preferences > Network. Then select a connection and click Advanced. Next, select the DNS tab and click the plus sign. Finally, enter a DNS address and click OK > Apply.

  1. Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen.
  2. Then select System Preferences.
    apple menu system preferences
  3. Next, select Network.
    mac system preferences network
  4. Then select the connection that you want to change DNS server for. You will see all your different network connections in the left sidebar. You will know which connections you are currently using because they will have a green circle, while the connections you are not using will have a red circle.
  5. Then click on Advanced. You will see this in the bottom-right corner of the window.
    How to Change Your DNS Address on a Mac
  6. Next, click on the DNS tab. You will see this at the top of the window.
    How to Change Your DNS Address on a Mac
  7. Then click on the plus icon (+). You will see this at the bottom of the DNS Servers pane.
    How to Change Your DNS Address on a Mac

    Note: If you see any grayed-out entries already entered in the DNS Servers box, they are assigned to another device, such as your router. You cannot delete the grayed-out entries, but when you add in new entries, the grayed-out ones will be replaced.

  8. Then enter new DNS addresses. You will want to enter a primary and secondary DNS address. When a URL needs to be resolved, your Mac will query the first entry on your DNS server list. If no response is received, it will move on to the next entry. This will go on and on until a response is received or when all servers have been queried.

    Note: You can also change the order of your DNS addresses by dragging them or clicking the minus button at the bottom of the DNS Servers box to delete any entries.

  9. Next, click OK. The Advanced window will close, and you will be brought back to the Network window.
    How to Change Your DNS Address on a Mac
  10. Finally, click on Apply. Your changes won’t go into effect until you click Apply in the Network window.
How to Change Your DNS Address on a Mac

Now that you know how to change your DNS address on a Windows 10 and Mac computer, here are the best third-party DNS addresses you can use.

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