If you've ever lost a match because of lag, you already know how frustrating it is. Shots not registering. Characters teleporting across the screen. Your squad pointing fingers at your Wi-Fi.

Sometimes the real problem isn't your internet speed. It's how quickly your device actually finds the game server in the first place. That's the job of DNS.

Here's the thing, though. Most "best DNS for gaming" guides won't be upfront about this: DNS plays a very specific, limited role in gaming performance. It speeds up the initial connection to a game server, but it won't magically lower your in-game ping once you're already connected. Knowing the difference will save you a lot of wasted troubleshooting.

This guide (updated for February 2026) breaks down the six best DNS servers for gaming, what DNS can and can't actually do for your gameplay, step-by-step setup on PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Mac, plus how to benchmark DNS servers yourself so you're not just guessing.

What Is DNS? (And What It Actually Does for Gaming)

Every online game you play, whether it's Fortnite, Valorant, Call of Duty, or Roblox, needs to translate server names into IP addresses before you can actually get in. Your device sends this request to a DNS server (usually your ISP's default one), which hands back the IP address so you can connect.

A slow or flaky DNS server delays this initial lookup. A fast one handles it in milliseconds. Your device also caches the result afterwards, so the DNS lookup really only matters the first time you connect to a particular server.

Myth vs. Reality: What DNS Can and Can't Fix

What a better DNS server CAN do:

• Speed up initial server connections. Faster DNS means faster time to resolve a game server's address, which means less waiting around in lobbies and matchmaking screens.
• Make matchmaking snappier. Games that ping multiple servers to find you the best one will benefit from quicker DNS lookups across the board.
• Prevent "can't connect" errors. If your ISP's DNS is unreliable or goes down (and this happens more often than you'd think), switching to Cloudflare or Google DNS avoids those connection failures entirely.
• Block malicious domains. Security-focused DNS servers like Quad9 and NextDNS block phishing sites, malware, and sketchy game-related scam links before they even load.
• Block ads and trackers. AdGuard DNS and NextDNS filter ads at the DNS level, which cleans up game launchers and web-based gaming dashboards.

What DNS CANNOT do:

• Lower your in-game ping. Once you're connected to a game server, DNS is out of the equation. Your ping at that point comes down to physical distance to the server, how your ISP routes traffic, and network congestion. DNS has nothing to do with it.
• Make your internet faster. DNS doesn't touch download or upload bandwidth. Not even a little.
• Reduce packet loss. Packet loss happens between your device and the game server during gameplay. DNS servers aren't in that data path once you're connected.
• Boost your FPS. Frame rate is a hardware and game optimisation thing, not a network thing.
• Fix Wi-Fi interference. No DNS server in the world can compensate for a weak wireless signal.

The bottom line: Think of DNS as the front desk of a hotel. It gets you to your room faster, but once you're inside, the front desk has zero control over the experience. If you're lagging during gameplay, DNS is almost certainly not the culprit.

The 6 Best DNS Servers for Gaming (2026)

1. Cloudflare DNS: Fastest Overall

• Primary: 1.1.1.1
• Secondary: 1.0.0.1
• Average global response time: Roughly 10ms (fastest public DNS resolver in 2025/2026 benchmarks)
• Privacy: Strict no-logs policy, audited annually by KPMG
• Encryption: Supports DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) and DNS-over-TLS (DoT)
• Best for: Gamers who want the fastest possible initial connection with strong privacy

Cloudflare consistently takes the top spot in independent DNS speed benchmarks. Testing across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania shows response times between 8 and 12ms, compared to Google's 10 to 20ms range. They use Anycast routing to automatically send you to the nearest server, and their network spans 300+ cities globally. If you're only going to change one thing, this is the one to try first.

2. Google Public DNS: Most Reliable

• Primary: 8.8.8.8
• Secondary: 8.8.4.4
• Average global response time: Roughly 20ms
• Privacy: Logs anonymised IP data temporarily. Not a privacy-first option.
• Encryption: Supports DoH and DoT
• Best for: Gamers who value rock-solid stability over shaving a few milliseconds

Google DNS is the most widely used public DNS service on the planet, backed by Google's enormous infrastructure across 100+ countries. It's a touch slower than Cloudflare on average, but its near-perfect uptime and consistent performance make it an excellent fallback. A popular setup is Cloudflare as primary and Google as secondary.

3. Quad9 DNS: Best for Security

• Primary: 9.9.9.9
• Secondary: 149.112.112.112
• Average global response time: Roughly 12 to 18ms
• Privacy: No personal data logging. Based in Switzerland (strong privacy laws).
• Encryption: Supports DoH, DoT, and DNSSEC
• Best for: Gamers who download mods, use third-party tools, or play on public networks

Quad9 pulls in real-time threat intelligence from 25+ cybersecurity organisations to automatically block access to known malicious domains. That includes phishing sites, malware distribution servers, and DNS-based attacks. If you regularly download game mods from unofficial sources or find yourself gaming on public Wi-Fi, Quad9 adds a real security layer without giving up much speed.

4. OpenDNS: Best for Families and Content Filtering

• Primary: 208.67.222.222
• Secondary: 208.67.220.220
• Average global response time: Roughly 10 to 16ms
• Privacy: Basic logging. Owned by Cisco.
• Encryption: Supports DNSCrypt
• Best for: Shared gaming setups, family networks, parental controls

OpenDNS (now part of Cisco) gives you custom filtering options, letting you control what kinds of content are accessible on your network. That makes it a solid fit for families or shared setups where kids are using the same connection. You also get phishing and DNS-based threat protection, plus optional usage analytics if you want to see what's happening on your network.

5. NextDNS: Best for Advanced Users

• Primary: Custom (assigned when you create an account)
• Secondary: Custom (assigned when you create an account)
• Average global response time: Roughly 8 to 14ms
• Privacy: Fully configurable. You decide what gets logged.
• Encryption: Supports DoH, DoT, DNSCrypt
• Best for: Competitive gamers who want granular control over their DNS behaviour

NextDNS takes customisation further than any other option on this list. You get per-device configurations, custom blocklists, detailed analytics, and the ability to bypass filtering for specific games while locking everything else down. The free tier handles 300,000 queries per month, which is more than enough for most gamers. It does take a bit more setup than plug-and-play options like Cloudflare, but the flexibility is genuinely hard to beat.

6. AdGuard DNS: Best for Ad and Tracker Blocking

• Primary: 94.140.14.14
• Secondary: 94.140.15.15
• Average global response time: Roughly 15 to 20ms
• Privacy: No personal data logging
• Encryption: Supports DoH, DoT, and DNSCrypt
• Best for: Gamers tired of ads in game launchers and web dashboards who don't want to install a separate ad blocker

AdGuard DNS blocks ads, trackers, phishing attempts, and adult content right at the DNS level, before any of it reaches your device. This cuts down on wasted bandwidth and keeps game launchers, store pages, and web-based interfaces cleaner. It's a bit slower than Cloudflare, but the filtering benefits are worth it if intrusive ads bother you.

How to Change DNS on PS5

This takes under two minutes. Here's the process:

1. Go to Settings from the home screen.
2. Select Network.
3. Choose Settings, then Set Up Internet Connection.
4. Select your active network (Wi-Fi or LAN).
5. Press the Options button and select Advanced Settings.
6. Under DNS Settings, switch from "Automatic" to Manual.
7. Enter your Primary DNS (for example, 1.1.1.1) and Secondary DNS (for example, 1.0.0.1).
8. Save your settings and run Test Internet Connection to confirm everything works.

Recommended DNS for PS5:

• Fastest: Cloudflare. Primary: 1.1.1.1, Secondary: 1.0.0.1
• Most reliable: Google. Primary: 8.8.8.8, Secondary: 8.8.4.4
• Most secure: Quad9. Primary: 9.9.9.9, Secondary: 149.112.112.112

How to Change DNS on Xbox Series X

1. Press the Xbox button to open the Guide.
2. Go to Profile & system, then Settings.
3. Select General, then Network settings.
4. Select Advanced settings.
5. Choose DNS settings.
6. Select Manual.
7. Enter your Primary DNS (for example, 1.1.1.1) and Secondary DNS (for example, 1.0.0.1).
8. Press B to save.
9. Go back to Network settings and select Test network connection to make sure it's working.

Recommended DNS for Xbox Series X:

• Fastest: Cloudflare. Primary: 1.1.1.1, Secondary: 1.0.0.1
• Most reliable: Google. Primary: 8.8.8.8, Secondary: 8.8.4.4
• Most secure: Quad9. Primary: 9.9.9.9, Secondary: 149.112.112.112

Quick tip: After changing DNS on any console, do a full restart. This flushes the old DNS cache and makes sure the new settings actually kick in right away.

How to Change DNS on Windows PC

1. Open Settings.
2. Click Network & internet in the left sidebar.
3. Select your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
4. Find DNS server assignment and click Edit.
5. Set the dropdown to Manual, then toggle on IPv4.
6. Enter your Preferred DNS (for example, 1.1.1.1) and Alternate DNS (for example, 1.0.0.1).
7. Click Save.
8. Open a browser and visit any website to confirm it's working.

To flush your DNS cache after making changes: Open Command Prompt as Administrator and type ipconfig /flushdns, then press Enter.

How to Change DNS on Mac

1. Click the Apple menu, then System Settings.
2. Click Network in the sidebar, then select your active connection.
3. Click Details, then DNS.
4. Click the + icon at the bottom and add your Primary DNS (for example, 1.1.1.1).
5. Click + again and add your Secondary DNS (for example, 1.0.0.1).
6. Remove any old DNS entries if there are any listed.
7. Click OK and test by visiting any website.

To flush DNS cache on Mac: Open Terminal and run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

How to Test Which DNS Server Is Actually Fastest for You

Here's something worth knowing: the "best" DNS server depends on where you are, which ISP you're on, and your local network setup. What's fastest in London might not be fastest in Singapore. So instead of just taking our word for it, test it yourself with these free tools:

• GRC's DNS Benchmark (Windows): Tests 200+ nameservers for speed, reliability, and consistency. Genuinely excellent and completely free. Grab it at grc.com/dns/benchmark.htm.
• Namebench (Windows/Mac/Linux): An open-source tool originally built by Google. It automatically recommends the fastest DNS servers based on your actual location.
• DNSPerf.com (Web-based): Shows real-time global rankings of DNS providers by average response time. No download needed, just visit dnsperf.com.
• Manual ping test: Open Command Prompt (Windows) or Terminal (Mac) and type ping 1.1.1.1 or ping 8.8.8.8. Lower response time means faster DNS from your location.

Our suggestion: Run GRC's DNS Benchmark before you change anything. It takes about 5 minutes and gives you hard, location-specific numbers instead of guesswork. Try to run it during your normal gaming hours for the most relevant results.

Private DNS for Gaming: Is It Worth It?

"Private DNS" means your DNS queries are encrypted, so your ISP, network admin, or anyone snooping on your Wi-Fi can't see which servers you're connecting to. The main private DNS options for gamers:

• Cloudflare (1.1.1.1): Supports DNS-over-HTTPS and DNS-over-TLS. Fastest private DNS option. No logging.
• Quad9 (9.9.9.9): Encrypted DNS with built-in malware blocking. Swiss jurisdiction means strong privacy laws backing it up.
• NextDNS: Fully customisable private DNS with analytics. You pick what's logged and what's blocked.
• AdGuard DNS: Encrypted DNS that also filters out ads and trackers at the network level.

Does private DNS lower ping? Nope. It improves privacy and security, but it doesn't touch latency or in-game performance. The encryption adds maybe 1 to 2ms of overhead, which is basically undetectable in practice.

When private DNS matters for gaming: If you game on public Wi-Fi (airports, cafés, university networks), private DNS stops your DNS queries from being intercepted or redirected. It also helps in countries where ISPs block certain gaming domains at the DNS level.

When DNS Won't Fix Your Lag (And What Will)

Changed your DNS and still lagging? The issue is almost certainly somewhere else. Here's what to look at:

• Switch to a wired Ethernet connection. Wi-Fi adds latency, jitter, and packet loss. Plugging an Ethernet cable directly into your router is the single biggest improvement most gamers can make. Seriously, this alone can be a game-changer.
• Pick the closest game server region. Physical distance to the server is the number one factor in your ping. Always select the nearest region in your game settings.
• Kill background downloads. Windows updates, someone streaming Netflix on another device, cloud backups running in the background: all of it eats into your bandwidth.
• Check for ISP throttling. Some ISPs deliberately slow down gaming traffic during busy hours. A VPN can get around this by encrypting your traffic so your ISP can't tell what you're doing with it.
• Restart your router. This clears the router's DNS cache and re-establishes connections. Worth doing once a week as a matter of habit.
• Consider upgrading your router. Older routers with limited QoS (Quality of Service) support can quietly bottleneck your entire connection.

How a VPN Works Alongside DNS for Gaming

DNS and a VPN do different jobs, but they work well together. DNS handles the initial connection lookup. A VPN protects everything that happens after that.

• DDoS protection. In competitive gaming, some opponents will try to DDoS you to knock you offline. A VPN hides your real IP address, making you effectively untargetable.
• ISP throttling bypass. If your ISP slows down gaming traffic, a VPN encrypts your connection so they can't identify what type of data you're sending and receiving.
• Network block bypass. A VPN lets you play on networks that actively block gaming traffic, like at school, work, or certain hotels.
• Better routing in some cases. Occasionally, a VPN server can actually provide a more direct path between you and the game server than your ISP's default routing, which can genuinely reduce ping.

VPN - Super Unlimited Proxy offers unlimited bandwidth, 10Gbps servers, and 80+ global locations, which makes it a strong option for gamers who want both privacy and performance. The free plan includes unlimited data and 25+ server locations, so you can test how it affects your gaming setup before committing to anything.