How to Set Up Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 DNS on Any Device or Router

Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is one of the fastest and most privacy-focused public DNS resolvers on the internet. Independent benchmarks from DNSPerf consistently rank it as the quickest resolver worldwide, and unlike your ISP's default DNS, Cloudflare commits to never selling your browsing data. Whether you're tired of slow page loads, DNS-based tracking, or you simply want more reliable name resolution, switching to 1.1.1.1 takes under five minutes on almost any device. This guide covers the exact steps for Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android, and the most common home routers.

What Is Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and Why Should You Use It

Every time you type a domain name into a browser, your device asks a DNS resolver to translate that name into an IP address. By default, your ISP assigns you their own resolver, which is often slow, sometimes unreliable, and frequently used to log your queries for advertising purposes. Cloudflare launched 1.1.1.1 on April 1, 2018 as a free alternative that prioritises speed and privacy. The primary address is 1.1.1.1 and the secondary is 1.0.0.1. For IPv6 networks, the addresses are 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001.

Cloudflare also operates two additional variants. 1.1.1.2 and 1.0.0.2 block known malware domains, while 1.1.1.3 and 1.0.0.3 block both malware and adult content. You can choose whichever tier suits your household or network policy.

Setting Up 1.1.1.1 on Windows 11 and Windows 10

Windows lets you set DNS per network adapter. If you switch between Wi-Fi and Ethernet, configure both.

1. Open Settings and go to Network and Internet.
2. Click your active connection — either Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
3. Click the adapter name link, then click Edit next to DNS server assignment.
4. Switch the dropdown from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
5. Toggle IPv4 on. Enter 1.1.1.1 as the preferred DNS and 1.0.0.1 as the alternate.
6. If your network uses IPv6, toggle that on too and enter 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001.
7. Click Save.

On Windows 10, the path is Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings. Right-click your active adapter, choose Properties, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), click Properties, then enter the DNS addresses manually.

After saving, flush the DNS cache so stale entries do not interfere:

You should see the message: Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Setting Up 1.1.1.1 on macOS

1. Open System Settings (macOS Ventura and later) or System Preferences on older versions.
2. Go to Network, select your active interface (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and click Details (or Advanced on older macOS).
3. Click the DNS tab.
4. Click the + button and add 1.1.1.1, then add 1.0.0.1.
5. Click OK, then Apply.

Clear the macOS DNS cache with:

You will not see output from these commands — a silent exit means success. Open a browser and load a few sites to confirm things are working.

Setting Up 1.1.1.1 on iPhone and iPad

iOS does not have a system-wide DNS setting for all connections. You configure it per Wi-Fi network. For cellular data, you need Cloudflare's official app (covered below).

1. Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the (i) icon next to your connected network.
3. Scroll down to Configure DNS and tap it.
4. Switch from Automatic to Manual.
5. Delete any existing DNS entries, then tap Add Server.
6. Add 1.1.1.1, then tap Add Server again and add 1.0.0.1.
7. Tap Save in the top-right corner.

For a system-wide solution that also covers cellular, download the free 1.1.1.1 app from the App Store. It installs a VPN configuration profile that routes all DNS queries through Cloudflare regardless of whether you're on Wi-Fi or LTE/5G. Toggle the connection inside the app and you're done.

Setting Up 1.1.1.1 on Android

Android 9 and later support Private DNS, a DoT (DNS over TLS) feature that encrypts queries system-wide, including on cellular.

1. Open Settings and go to Network and Internet (the exact path varies slightly by manufacturer).
2. Tap Private DNS.
3. Select Private DNS provider hostname.
4. Enter one.one.one.one and tap Save.

Android will connect to Cloudflare's resolver over port 853 with TLS encryption. This is actually more secure than manually setting IP addresses, because the connection is authenticated and encrypted end to end.

On older Android (8 and below) or per-network configuration, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, long-press your network, tap Modify Network, expand Advanced Options, change IP settings to Static, and fill in 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 in the DNS fields. Note that static IP on Android also requires you to manually set your IP address, gateway, and subnet mask — get those from your router's DHCP table first.

Setting Up 1.1.1.1 on Your Router

Configuring DNS at the router level is the most efficient approach because every device on your network inherits the setting automatically — phones, smart TVs, game consoles, everything. You only need to change it in one place.

TP-Link Routers (Archer and TL series)

Admin URL: http://tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1

1. Log in with your admin credentials (default is usually admin / admin).
2. Go to Advanced > Network > Internet.
3. Scroll down to the DNS section. Uncheck Get DNS server automatically if that option is visible.
4. Enter 1.1.1.1 as Primary DNS and 1.0.0.1 as Secondary DNS.
5. Click Save. Your router will reconnect briefly.

Netgear Routers (Nighthawk, Orbi)

Admin URL: http://routerlogin.net or 192.168.1.1

1. Log in and navigate to Advanced > Setup > Internet Setup.
2. Scroll to the DNS Addresses section.
3. Select Use These DNS Servers.
4. Enter 1.1.1.1 (Primary) and 1.0.0.1 (Secondary).
5. Click Apply.

ASUS Routers (RT and ZenWiFi series)

Admin URL: http://asusrouter.com or 192.168.1.1

1. Log in and go to WAN in the left sidebar.
2. Under WAN DNS Setting, set Connect to DNS Server automatically to No.
3. Enter 1.1.1.1 as DNS Server 1 and 1.0.0.1 as DNS Server 2.
4. Scroll down and click Apply.

Linksys Routers

Admin URL: 192.168.1.1

1. Log in and go to Connectivity > Internet Settings (for newer firmware) or Setup > Basic Setup (classic firmware).
2. Locate the Static DNS fields.
3. Enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.
4. Click Apply Settings.

D-Link Routers

Admin URL: 192.168.0.1

1. Log in and go to Setup > Internet.
2. Scroll to DNS Settings and enter 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.
3. Click Save Settings.

How to Verify Your DNS Is Now Using Cloudflare

The easiest check is Cloudflare's own test page. Open a browser and visit https://1.1.1.1/help. The page will tell you whether your DNS queries are being handled by Cloudflare, whether DoT or DoH (DNS over HTTPS) is active, and whether your ISP's resolver is still in the path.

From the command line, you can query a domain and inspect which server responds:

On macOS or Linux, use dig for more detail:

Look for SERVER: 1.1.1.1#53 in the output to confirm you're hitting Cloudflare directly. Response times in the Query time field should be under 20ms for most North American and European locations.

You can also use the DNS Propagation Checker to see how your domain resolves from multiple global locations — useful if you're testing a new DNS setup alongside a recent domain change.

Using DNS over HTTPS with 1.1.1.1

Modern browsers can use DNS over HTTPS (DoH) independently of your OS or router settings. This is useful if you're on a restricted network where port 53 traffic is monitored or manipulated.

In Firefox: go to Settings > Privacy and Security, scroll to DNS over HTTPS, select Max Protection, and choose Cloudflare from the dropdown.

In Chrome: go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Security, enable Use secure DNS, choose With a custom provider, and enter:

Edge follows the same path as Chrome. Safari on macOS Ventura supports DoH via a configuration profile — Cloudflare provides one for download at https://1.1.1.1/family/ for the malware-blocking and family-safe variants.

Troubleshooting Common Issues After Switching

Sites load slower than before: This occasionally happens if your router's DHCP lease is still pointing client devices to the old resolver. Reconnect each device to the network, or reboot the router to force a lease renewal.

Certain sites or services stop working: Some corporate VPNs and split-horizon DNS setups require the ISP's resolver for internal domains. If you're on a work VPN, set DNS back to automatic while connected, or configure the VPN client to push its own DNS.

Router won't save the DNS fields: A few ISP-supplied modems in bridge mode lock DNS settings. If your router shows greyed-out DNS fields, contact your ISP or switch to per-device configuration instead.

DNS still resolving through old server: Run ipconfig /all on Windows or scutil --dns on macOS to see which DNS servers are actively being used. If the old addresses still appear, flush the cache and check that no VPN software or third-party security suite is overriding your DNS settings.

Preventing DNS Reversion

ISP routers sometimes push DHCP option 6 (DNS server override) to client devices on each lease renewal, overwriting your manual settings. To prevent this permanently, configure DNS at the router level rather than on individual devices. If you are forced to configure devices individually (for example, on a corporate network), document the settings and consider a monitoring script that alerts you if the resolver changes:

Cloudflare's whoami.cloudflare TXT record returns the IP address of the resolver that answered the query. If the response stops matching a Cloudflare IP range (such as 1.1.1.x or 1.0.0.x), you know your settings have been overridden. You can automate this check with a cron job and send an email alert if the result changes.

Switching to Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 is one of the simplest performance and privacy improvements available to any network, and it costs nothing. The steps above cover virtually every platform you're likely to encounter, and the verification commands give you immediate confidence that the change is live and working correctly.