How to Fix DNS Leaks

DNS leaks are one of the most common and dangerous privacy vulnerabilities that can compromise your VPN protection. Even with a premium VPN service running, DNS leaks can expose your real location, browsing history, and online activities to your internet service provider (ISP) and potentially malicious third parties.

What Are DNS Leaks?

A DNS (Domain Name System) leak occurs when your device sends DNS queries outside of the encrypted VPN tunnel, directly to your ISP's DNS servers instead of your VPN provider's secure DNS servers. This means that while your internet traffic appears to be encrypted and routed through the VPN, your DNS requests reveal exactly which websites you're visiting.

Think of it this way: your VPN might be hiding your house address (IP address), but DNS leaks are like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs showing exactly where you've been shopping online.

Why DNS Leaks Happen

DNS leaks can occur for several reasons:

How to Test for DNS Leaks

Before fixing DNS leaks, you need to identify if you have them. Here's how to test:

  1. Connect to your VPN service
  2. Visit a DNS leak testing website like VPN Leak Tester
  3. Run the DNS leak test
  4. Check the results - if you see your ISP's DNS servers or servers from your actual location, you have a DNS leak

The test results should only show DNS servers from your VPN provider's location, not your real location or ISP.

Method 1: Fix DNS Leaks Through VPN Settings

Enable DNS Leak Protection

Most modern VPN clients include built-in DNS leak protection:

  1. Open your VPN application settings
  2. Look for "DNS Leak Protection," "Custom DNS," or "Use VPN DNS" options
  3. Enable these features
  4. Some VPNs offer additional options like "Block DNS leaks" or "DNS firewall" - enable these as well
  5. Restart your VPN connection
  6. Test again to verify the leak is fixed

Use Custom DNS Servers

Configure your VPN to use specific DNS servers:

  1. In your VPN settings, find the DNS configuration section
  2. Set custom DNS servers (recommended options include Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1 or OpenDNS: 208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220)
  3. Save settings and reconnect to your VPN

Method 2: Configure System-Level DNS Settings

Windows DNS Configuration

Windows 10/11:

  1. Right-click the network icon in system tray
  2. Select "Open Network & Internet settings"
  3. Click "Change adapter options"
  4. Right-click your VPN connection and select "Properties"
  5. Select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties"
  6. Select "Use the following DNS server addresses"
  7. Enter preferred DNS server addresses
  8. Click "Advanced" → "DNS" tab
  9. Uncheck "Register this connection's addresses in DNS"
  10. Click OK and restart your connection

macOS DNS Configuration

  1. Go to System Preferences → Network
  2. Select your VPN connection
  3. Click "Advanced" → "DNS" tab
  4. Remove any existing DNS servers by selecting them and clicking the "-" button
  5. Click "+" to add new DNS servers
  6. Add secure DNS servers like 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
  7. Click OK and Apply

Method 3: Disable IPv6 to Prevent Leaks

Many DNS leaks occur through IPv6 connections. If your VPN doesn't support IPv6, disable it:

Disable IPv6 on Windows

  1. Open Network and Sharing Center
  2. Click "Change adapter settings"
  3. Right-click your network adapter and select "Properties"
  4. Uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)"
  5. Click OK and restart your computer

Disable IPv6 on macOS

  1. Go to System Preferences → Network
  2. Select your network connection
  3. Click "Advanced" → "TCP/IP" tab
  4. Set "Configure IPv6" to "Link-local only" or "Off"
  5. Click OK and Apply

Method 4: Router-Level DNS Configuration

Configure DNS settings at the router level for network-wide protection:

  1. Access your router's admin panel (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1)
  2. Navigate to DNS settings (location varies by router model)
  3. Replace ISP DNS servers with secure alternatives
  4. Save settings and restart the router
  5. This protects all devices on your network

Mobile Device DNS Leak Fixes

Android

  1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi
  2. Long press your connected network
  3. Select "Modify network" → "Advanced options"
  4. Change IP settings to "Static"
  5. Enter secure DNS servers in DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields
  6. Save and reconnect

iOS

  1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi
  2. Tap the "i" icon next to your network
  3. Tap "Configure DNS" → "Manual"
  4. Remove existing servers and add secure DNS servers
  5. Save the configuration

Choosing the Right DNS Servers

Select DNS servers based on your priorities:

Testing Your Fix

After implementing fixes, always verify they're working:

  1. Clear your browser's DNS cache
  2. Restart your VPN connection
  3. Run multiple DNS leak tests from different websites
  4. Test both with VPN on and off to confirm the difference
  5. Check that DNS servers match your VPN provider's location

Prevention and Best Practices