Block Trackers with Private DNS on Android

Most of us don't think about DNS (Domain Name System) at all. It's the phonebook of the internet; when you type "google.com", DNS is the service that looks up the IP address so your phone can find the server. By default, your phone uses whatever DNS your mobile carrier or home Wi-Fi provider gives you. The issue? Your carrier can see every single site you visit because they're the ones looking up the addresses. Even worse, many apps have "trackers" hidden inside them that ping home to let a company know you just opened their app. Setting up a Private DNS is like putting a filter on your water line. It stops those trackers before they even leave your phone, making your browsing faster and much more private.

What Private DNS does

In the old days of Android, changing your DNS meant you had to manually configure every Wi-Fi network you joined. It was a nightmare. Android 9 introduced "Private DNS," which uses a protocol called DNS-over-TLS. This does two big things: first, it encrypts your DNS requests so your ISP (like Verizon or Comcast) can't see what websites you're trying to visit. Second, if you use a provider like NextDNS or AdGuard, the DNS server will simply "refuse" to look up the addresses of known tracking and advertising servers.

I noticed the difference immediately on my phone. When I open a news app that usually has five or six banners, they just don't load. The app tries to ask the DNS for the "ad-server.com" address, and my Private DNS says "I don't know that one." It's incredibly satisfying. However, be aware that this can occasionally "break" things. For example, if you click a sponsored link in a Google search, it might not load because the DNS is blocking the tracking redirect. It's a small price to pay for not being followed around the web.

Picking a provider

You have a few solid choices here. If you just want privacy from your ISP and want things to be fast, Cloudflare is great. Their address is 1.1.1.1, but for the Private DNS setting, you use the hostname 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com. It's reliable and very fast, but it doesn't block ads by default.

If you want to block trackers and ads (which is what I do), AdGuard is the simplest "set it and forget it" option. Their hostname is dns.adguard-dns.com. If you want to get really nerdy and see exactly what is being blocked, NextDNS is incredible. It lets you create a custom profile and see a real-time log of every tracker your phone tries to reach. On my typical Tuesday, I found my phone was trying to "phone home" to nearly 400 different tracking domains. Seeing that number was the "this is annoying" moment that convinced me to never turn Private DNS off. For most people, AdGuard is the easiest starting point.

Setting it up

Setting this up takes less than sixty seconds. On a Pixel or standard Android device, go to Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS. On a Samsung Galaxy, you'll find it under Settings > Connections > More connection settings > Private DNS. It's usually set to "Automatic" by default, which just means "use whatever the Wi-Fi says."

Change the selection to Private DNS provider hostname. Now, type in the address of the provider you chose. For AdGuard, type: dns.adguard-dns.com. Hit save. You won't see a flashy notification, but if you go to a website that usually has lots of ads, you'll notice they're gone. One important tip: if you ever find yourself on a public Wi-Fi network (like at a hotel or airport) that requires you to sign in via a "portal" page, Private DNS might prevent that page from loading. If you can't get the Wi-Fi to work, just temporarily flip this setting back to "Automatic" until you've logged in, then turn it back on. It's a minor quirk, but knowing that fix will save you from a lot of frustration at the airport.