Why Changing Your DNS Is One of the Best Privacy Decisions You'll Make

TL;DR

Every website you visit passes through your DNS resolver first—and your Internet Service Provider is watching. Default DNS servers log every query, building detailed profiles of your browsing habits that can be sold, shared, or subpoenaed. By switching to privacy-focused DNS providers like Mullvad (Sweden), Quad9 (Switzerland), or DNS4EU, you can encrypt your DNS traffic, block malware, and reclaim control over who sees your online activity. This article explains why changing your DNS matters, compares the best European providers, and shows you exactly how to make the switch.

Table of Contents

What Is DNS and Why Does It Matter for Privacy?

Think of DNS as the internet’s phone book.

When you type “reddit.com” into your browser, your computer doesn’t actually know where that website lives. It needs to ask a DNS resolver to translate that human-readable address into a machine-readable IP address like 151.101.1.140. This translation happens before you connect to any website—making DNS the first stop for every single thing you do online.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: whoever controls your DNS can see a complete log of every website you visit.

Not just which sites—they can see:

  • What time you visited
  • How often you go there
  • Which pages you clicked on (each request generates a new DNS query)
  • Pattern analysis showing your daily routines
  • Inference about your interests, politics, health concerns, and more

A 2024 study from Mozilla found that users adopting encrypted DNS reduced third-party tracking visibility by more than 90%. Yet most people still use their ISP’s default DNS servers, which operate with zero privacy protections.

The Hidden Surveillance: What Your ISP Knows

Your Internet Service Provider assigns you DNS servers automatically when you connect. This isn’t a helpful service—it’s a surveillance opportunity.

What ISPs Do With Your DNS Data

According to research from Privacy Guides and multiple privacy advocacy organizations, ISPs routinely:

1. Log Every Query Most ISPs keep DNS logs for 6-24 months. Some jurisdictions legally require this. In the US, ISPs have the legal right to sell your browsing history since 2017.

2. Build Behavioral Profiles DNS queries reveal shopping habits, political leanings, health concerns (WebMD queries), financial situations (payday loan sites), and relationship status (dating apps).

3. Monetize Your Data Many ISPs sell “anonymized” DNS data to advertising networks. But as we learned from the Le Monde investigation on GAID tracking, anonymized data can easily be deanonymized using pattern analysis.

4. Comply With Surveillance Requests Governments regularly request DNS logs. No warrant? Many ISPs comply anyway. Your DNS history is often less protected than your email.

5. Implement Censorship Some ISPs use DNS filtering to block websites. In Europe, this might be court-ordered. In authoritarian countries, it’s comprehensive censorship.

A Real-World Example

In 2025, researchers estimated that global data generation would reach 181 zettabytes—and DNS queries constitute a significant portion of that metadata. Privacy-centric DNS services like Quad9 block over 100 million malware infections and phishing attacks per day, showing just how much traffic flows through these systems.

Why Default DNS Servers Are a Privacy Nightmare

Traditional DNS was designed in the 1980s—long before privacy was a concern. The protocol has three fatal flaws:

1. Plaintext Transmission

Standard DNS queries travel completely unencrypted. Anyone on your network (coffee shop WiFi, work network, ISP) can read every query.

Your ISP sees: User at IP 192.168.1.100 queried "privatehealth-clinic.com" at 14:23

2. No Authentication

There’s no verification that DNS responses are legitimate. This enables:

  • DNS hijacking: Attackers redirect you to malicious sites
  • DNS poisoning: Fake responses get cached
  • Man-in-the-middle attacks: Especially dangerous on public WiFi

3. Information Leakage

Traditional DNS includes unnecessary information in queries through a feature called EDNS Client Subnet (ECS). This shares your approximate location with every DNS server involved in resolving a query—not just your primary resolver.

Privacy-focused providers use QNAME minimization to share the absolute minimum information needed, protecting you from this data leakage.

The Benefits of Changing Your DNS

Switching to a privacy-focused DNS provider offers multiple advantages:

Privacy Benefits

✅ ISP Blind Spot: Your ISP can only see encrypted traffic going to your DNS provider—not which sites you’re visiting ✅ No Logging: Top providers have strict no-logging policies enforced by privacy-friendly jurisdictions ✅ Encryption: DoH/DoT protocols encrypt all queries end-to-end ✅ GDPR Compliance: European providers operate under strict data protection laws

Security Benefits

✅ Malware Blocking: Providers like Quad9 and Mullvad block malicious domains in real-time ✅ Phishing Protection: Prevent connections to known phishing sites ✅ DNSSEC Validation: Cryptographic verification that responses are authentic ✅ No DNS Hijacking: Encrypted DNS prevents Man-in-the-Middle attacks

Performance Benefits

✅ Global Anycast Networks: Queries route to the nearest server automatically ✅ Faster Resolution: Many providers are faster than ISP DNS servers ✅ Reduced Throttling: Some ISPs slow down DNS queries; private providers don’t ✅ Ad Blocking: Some providers offer DNS-level ad/tracker blocking

Additional Benefits

✅ Bypass Censorship: Access websites blocked by ISP-level filtering ✅ Content Filtering: Optional parental controls and adult content blocking ✅ Cross-Device Protection: One configuration protects your entire network

European DNS Providers: Privacy-First Options

Europe leads the world in privacy-focused DNS services thanks to GDPR and strong data protection laws. Here are the best options:

Mullvad DNS (Sweden) ⭐ Recommended

Location: Sweden | Cost: Free | Logging: Zero

Mullvad, the privacy-focused VPN provider, offers public DNS service available to everyone—not just VPN customers.

What Makes Mullvad Stand Out:

  • Absolute No-Logging: Explicit privacy policy stating they never log DNS requests
  • Content Blocking Options: Choose from multiple filtering levels:
    • Vanilla (dns.mullvad.net): Pure DNS, no blocking
    • Adblock (adblock.dns.mullvad.net): Blocks ads and trackers
    • Base (base.dns.mullvad.net): Ads, trackers, and malware
    • Family (family.dns.mullvad.net): Adds adult content filtering
    • Extended: Includes social media blocking
    • All: Comprehensive blocking including gambling sites
  • Encrypted Protocols: Full support for DoH and DoT
  • QNAME Minimization: Shares minimum information with upstream resolvers
  • Anycasted Service: Multiple servers ensure speed and redundancy
  • Swedish Jurisdiction: Strong privacy laws, no data retention requirements

Setup Resources:

Quad9 (Switzerland) ⭐ Recommended

Location: Switzerland | Cost: Free | Logging: Minimal operational data only

Quad9 is a Swiss non-profit foundation that relocated from the US specifically to provide stronger privacy protections under Swiss law.

What Makes Quad9 Stand Out:

  • Swiss Jurisdiction: Operated under Swiss privacy law, extending protection to users worldwide
  • No PII Logging: Never logs IP addresses or personally identifiable information
  • Massive Scale: Operating from 259 locations across 106 countries (as of July 2025)
  • Threat Intelligence: Uses data from IBM, Global Cyber Alliance, and other partners
  • Effectiveness: Blocks over 100 million malware infections daily
  • 97% Blocking Rate: Independent studies show Quad9 blocks 97% of malicious domains
  • GDPR Compliant: Fully compliant since launch in 2017
  • Multi-Stakeholder Governance: Non-profit with transparent board of directors
  • Legal Defense: Successfully defended against censorship lawsuits from Sony Music

Primary DNS Addresses:

  • IPv4: 9.9.9.9 and 149.112.112.112
  • IPv6: 2620:fe::fe and 2620:fe::9
  • DoH: https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query
  • DoT: dns.quad9.net

Setup Resources:

DNS4EU (EU-Wide)

Location: Multiple EU countries | Cost: Free | Logging: Anonymized logs for security

DNS4EU is a public DNS resolver funded by the European Commission as part of Europe’s digital sovereignty initiative.

What Makes DNS4EU Stand Out:

  • EU Infrastructure: Servers located exclusively within EU member states
  • Multiple Profiles: Different options for various use cases:
    • Standard resolver
    • Child-safe filtering
    • Ad-blocking variant
    • Malware filtering
  • Modern Protocols: Supports DoH, DoT, and DNSSEC
  • Privacy-Focused Logging: IP addresses are anonymized
  • European Governance: Operates under EU law and oversight

Important Note: DNS4EU logs are kept for operational and security purposes for up to 6 months. While IPs are anonymized, the logging is more extensive than Mullvad or Quad9.

Primary DNS Addresses:

  • Standard: dns.services.dns4.eu
  • Ad-blocking: noads.joindns4.eu

Setup Resources:

Other Notable European Providers

DNS.SB (Germany)

  • Location: Germany
  • No logging policy
  • Open source software
  • Supports DoH, DoT, and DNSCrypt
  • Good for users wanting German-based DNS

Note on DNS0.EU: This French non-profit DNS service shut down in October 2025 due to lack of funding. Users should migrate to Quad9 or NextDNS as alternatives.

DNS Provider Comparison Table

ProviderLocationLoggingMalware BlockingAd BlockingGDPREncryptionBest For
MullvadSweden 🇸🇪Zero✅ Optional✅ Optional✅ YesDoH, DoTMaximum privacy + flexibility
Quad9Switzerland 🇨🇭Minimal operational✅ Always (97% rate)❌ No✅ YesDoH, DoT, DNSCryptSecurity + privacy balance
DNS4EUEU-wide 🇪🇺Anonymized, 6 months✅ Optional✅ Optional✅ YesDoH, DoT, DNSSECEU digital sovereignty
DNS.SBGermany 🇩🇪Zero❌ No❌ No✅ YesDoH, DoT, DNSCryptPure privacy, no filtering
CloudflareUSA 🇺🇸25 hours✅ Optional (Malware)❌ No⚠️ PartialDoH, DoTSpeed + convenience

Our Recommendations:

  • Maximum Privacy: Mullvad DNS (Vanilla)
  • Best Overall Balance: Quad9
  • Family Protection: Mullvad DNS (Family)
  • EU Sovereignty: DNS4EU
  • Security Focus: Quad9

How to Change Your DNS: Step-by-Step

Changing DNS is easier than you think. You can do it at the device level or router level (recommended for whole-home protection).

Rather than reproduce lengthy setup instructions, here are direct links to official setup guides from the providers:

Mullvad DNS:

Quad9:

DNS4EU:

General Setup Overview

Router Level (Protects All Devices):

  1. Access router admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)
  2. Find DNS settings (often under WAN or Internet settings)
  3. Replace ISP DNS with your chosen provider
  4. Save and reboot router

Device Level (Individual Protection):

  1. Open network settings
  2. Find DNS configuration
  3. Switch from “Automatic” to “Manual”
  4. Enter provider’s DNS addresses
  5. Save changes

Browser Level (Firefox/Chrome):

  • Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Enable DNS over HTTPS
  • Chrome: Settings > Privacy & Security > Use Secure DNS

Encrypted DNS: DoH vs DoT vs DNSCrypt

Privacy-focused DNS providers use encryption. Here are the three main protocols:

DNS over HTTPS (DoH)

Port: 443 (same as regular web traffic)

Advantages:

  • ✅ Indistinguishable from normal HTTPS traffic
  • ✅ Hard to block (would break all HTTPS)
  • ✅ Built into modern browsers
  • ✅ Works on restricted networks

Disadvantages:

  • ⚠️ Can bypass network filtering (corporate/parental controls)
  • ⚠️ Browser implementation varies

Best for: Bypassing censorship, browser-based protection

DNS over TLS (DoT)

Port: 853 (dedicated DNS encryption port)

Advantages:

  • ✅ Specifically designed for DNS
  • ✅ Lower overhead than DoH
  • ✅ System-wide (not just browsers)
  • ✅ Clear separation from web traffic

Disadvantages:

  • ⚠️ Easy to identify and block
  • ⚠️ Not available in all browsers

Best for: Clean implementation on trusted networks

DNSCrypt

Port: 443 or 8443

Advantages:

  • ✅ Open specification
  • ✅ Older, well-tested protocol
  • ✅ Strong encryption
  • ✅ Works on various ports

Disadvantages:

  • ⚠️ Requires special client software
  • ⚠️ Less browser support than DoH/DoT

Best for: Advanced users wanting maximum control

Our Recommendation: Use DoH for broadest compatibility or DoT if your devices support it natively.

Testing Your DNS Configuration

After changing DNS, verify everything works correctly:

1. Basic DNS Leak Test

Visit these test sites:

What to look for:

  • ✅ DNS resolver should show your chosen provider (Mullvad, Quad9, etc.)
  • ✅ Should NOT show your ISP’s name
  • ✅ Location should match provider’s servers, not your ISP

2. Verify Encryption

For DoH (Browser-based):

  • Check browser settings confirm encrypted DNS is active
  • Visit chrome://net-internals/#dns (Chrome) or about:networking#dns (Firefox)

For DoT (System-level):

  • Use Wireshark to verify port 853 traffic is encrypted
  • Check system network settings show DoT configuration

3. Check DNSSEC

Visit DNSSEC Test by VeriSign

You should see “All checks passed” with green checkmarks.

4. Speed Test

Compare resolution times:

# Test your current DNS
nslookup google.com

# Test a specific DNS server
nslookup google.com 9.9.9.9

Response times under 50ms are excellent. Under 100ms is good.

Common Myths About DNS Privacy

Myth 1: “My VPN protects my DNS”

Reality: Some VPNs do, some don’t. Many VPNs leak DNS queries. Always test. (Mullvad VPN does protect DNS automatically, but their public DNS service is separate and works even without the VPN.)

Myth 2: “Encrypted DNS makes me anonymous”

Reality: DNS encryption hides your queries from your ISP, but websites can still see your IP address. For anonymity, you need a VPN or Tor.

Myth 3: “Changing DNS will slow down my internet”

Reality: Quality DNS providers are often faster than your ISP. Quad9 typically delivers sub-15ms response times in most regions.

Myth 4: “Free DNS services must be selling my data”

Reality: Non-profit providers like Mullvad and Quad9 are funded through donations and partnerships. They have no commercial incentive to log or sell data, and their privacy policies are legally enforceable.

Myth 5: “This is too technical for regular people”

Reality: Changing DNS takes 5 minutes and requires no technical knowledge. The providers listed here offer point-and-click setup guides.

Summary

Your DNS resolver is the first stop for every online activity—and most people unknowingly use their ISP’s servers, which log, monetize, and share their browsing history.

Key Takeaways:

  1. ISPs Track Everything: Default DNS servers create detailed logs of your browsing habits
  2. Encryption Matters: DoH and DoT protect queries from snooping and tampering
  3. European Providers Lead: GDPR-compliant DNS from Mullvad, Quad9, and DNS4EU offer superior privacy
  4. It’s Free and Easy: Changing DNS costs nothing and takes under 5 minutes
  5. Multiple Benefits: Privacy, security, malware blocking, and often better performance

Recommended Setup:

  • Primary DNS: Mullvad (dns.mullvad.net) or Quad9 (9.9.9.9)
  • Protocol: Enable DoH in browsers, DoT at system level
  • Blocking: Use Mullvad’s “Base” profile or Quad9’s standard resolver
  • Testing: Verify with Mullvad’s connection check or DNS leak test

Why European DNS?

European providers operate under strict GDPR regulations, are subject to transparent governance, and many have proven their commitment through legal battles defending user privacy. Mullvad and Quad9 have both explicitly relocated to privacy-friendly jurisdictions (Sweden and Switzerland) to strengthen legal protections for users worldwide.

Remember: Changing your DNS is one layer of privacy protection. Combine it with a VPN for IP masking, browser privacy extensions for tracker blocking, and encrypted messaging for complete communications security.

Take Action Now: Pick a provider, follow their 5-minute setup guide, and immediately stop your ISP from logging your every move online.

Sources

  1. Mullvad DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS Documentation - Official Mullvad DNS configuration guide
  2. Mullvad DNS Encrypted Configuration Profiles - GitHub repository with iOS/macOS profiles
  3. Privacy Guides - DNS Resolvers - Comprehensive DNS provider comparison
  4. Mullvad - All About DNS Servers and Privacy - DNS privacy fundamentals
  5. Quad9 Official Website - Swiss non-profit DNS service information
  6. Quad9 Wikipedia Entry - Detailed history and legal battles
  7. Frehi.be - DNS4EU, DNS0, Quad9: Review of European Public DNS Resolvers - Detailed European DNS comparison
  8. European Alternatives - Quad9 Profile - EU DNS alternatives database
  9. Cyberwarzone - EU Privacy-Focused DNS0.eu Ends Operations - DNS0 shutdown announcement
  10. Quad9 Blog - DNS4EU Perspective and Status (February 2022) - Quad9’s analysis of EU DNS initiatives
  11. Bitlaunch - The Best DNS Servers for Privacy in 2025 - Privacy-focused DNS comparison
  12. Quad9 - Why You Should Be Using a Privacy-Centric DNS Service in 2025 - DNS privacy benefits analysis
  13. CENTR - DNS Privacy, Legal Enforcement and Quad9: A Conversation with Bill Woodcock - Interview on Quad9’s Swiss jurisdiction
  14. Axis Intelligence - Best DNS Servers 2025: Speed and Security Test - Performance benchmarks
  15. Privacy Guides - DNS Overview - Technical DNS privacy explanation
  16. Avoid the Hack - DNS and Your Privacy: Should You Use Encrypted DNS? - DNS encryption benefits guide
  17. Control D - What is Private DNS? - Private DNS fundamentals
  18. ENGINYRING - Top 10 Benefits of Using DNS Servers for Enhanced Online Privacy - DNS privacy benefits breakdown
  19. NameSilo - How Encrypted DNS and DoH Are Changing Internet Privacy - Mozilla 2024 DoH study findings
  1. Mullvad DNS Official Setup Guide - Complete configuration instructions for all platforms
  2. Quad9 Setup Guides - Platform-specific DNS setup tutorials
  3. DNS4EU Configuration Portal - EU-wide DNS service setup
  4. Mullvad Connection Check - Test for DNS leaks and verify configuration
  5. DNS Leak Test - Independent DNS leak testing tool