What Is AdGuard DNS? How to Set It Up on Phone and Computer

AdGuard DNS is a free DNS resolver that blocks requests to ads, trackers and known malicious domains at the DNS level. When you point your device’s DNS setting to AdGuard’s servers, many ads and tracking requests in browsers and apps never load, without installing any extra app.

In this article we explain how AdGuard DNS works, its server addresses, how to set it up on Android, iPhone, Windows and your router, and its limitations.

How Does AdGuard DNS Work?

When you open a web page, your device first asks a DNS server “what is the IP address of this domain?”. The ads and tracking code on the page are also loaded from their own domains. AdGuard DNS checks these domains against block lists; when a listed ad or tracking domain is requested, it returns an empty answer instead of the real IP address. As a result, the ad content isn’t downloaded and the page uses less data.

Because blocking happens at the DNS level, the ad slot inside a page can sometimes remain as an empty box. On services such as YouTube that serve ads from the same domain as the video, DNS blocking is not effective.

AdGuard DNS Server Addresses

AdGuard offers three public DNS profiles. Choose the one that fits your needs:

Profile	IPv4	Private DNS / DoT hostname
Default (blocks ads + trackers)	94.140.14.14 · 94.140.15.15	dns.adguard-dns.com
Family protection (+ adult content blocking, safe search)	94.140.14.15 · 94.140.15.16	family.adguard-dns.com
Non-filtering (DNS resolution only)	94.140.14.140 · 94.140.14.141	unfiltered.adguard-dns.com

The default profile’s IPv6 addresses are 2a10:50c0::ad1:ff and 2a10:50c0::ad2:ff. For encrypted DNS (DNS-over-HTTPS), the address is https://dns.adguard-dns.com/dns-query.

Setting Up AdGuard DNS on Android (Private DNS)

On Android 9 and later you can use encrypted DNS for all apps with the “Private DNS” feature:

1. Open Settings → Network & internet (on some devices Connections → More connection settings).
2. Tap Private DNS.
3. Choose Private DNS provider hostname and type dns.adguard-dns.com.
4. Save. The setting applies to both Wi-Fi and mobile data.

If the connection can’t be established you’ll see a “Private DNS server cannot be accessed” warning; re-enter the address without typos or turn the feature off temporarily.

Setting Up AdGuard DNS on iPhone and iPad

There are two methods on iOS:

• Manual DNS for Wi-Fi: Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) next to the connected network → Configure DNS → Manual. Delete the existing servers and add 94.140.14.14 and 94.140.15.15. This setting only applies to that Wi-Fi network.
• Configuration profile: download the DNS profile from AdGuard’s official website and install it under Settings → General → VPN & Device Management. The profile makes encrypted DNS work on mobile data too.

Setting Up AdGuard DNS on Windows

1. In Settings → Network & Internet, open the connection you use (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
2. Click Edit next to DNS server assignment and choose Manual.
3. Turn on IPv4 and enter 94.140.14.14 as the preferred DNS and 94.140.15.15 as the alternate DNS.
4. On Windows 11 you can set “DNS over HTTPS” to On (automatic template) if you wish.
5. Run ipconfig /flushdns in Command Prompt so the change takes effect immediately.

Using AdGuard DNS on Your Router

To protect every device at home in one go, you can set the DNS on your router. Log in to the router’s interface (usually 192.168.1.1), enter the AdGuard IPv4 addresses in the DNS fields of the WAN or DHCP settings and save. On some ISP routers the DNS field is locked; in that case configure it per device.

Advantages and Limitations of AdGuard DNS

Advantages	Limitations
Device-wide ad and tracker blocking without installing an app	Can’t block ads served from the same domain as the video
Protection against known phishing and malicious domains	Empty ad slots may remain on pages
Less data usage and faster loading on some pages	Occasionally a domain a site needs may be blocked by mistake
Encrypted DNS (DoH/DoT) support	A free account is needed for a personal block list

Choosing DNS for Servers and Web Projects

Ad-blocking DNS resolvers are meant for end-user devices. Using a filtering DNS on a server (VDS, dedicated server) can break your application by blocking domains such as payment providers or analytics services. On servers, prefer a non-filtering resolver or the DNS servers recommended by your data center.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AdGuard DNS free?

The public AdGuard DNS servers are free. There are free and paid account options for per-device statistics and personal rules.

Does AdGuard DNS slow down my internet?

Usually not. Since ads and tracking content aren’t loaded, some pages may open faster. If you notice delays, you can compare it with a different DNS.

What should I do if a site won’t open?

A domain the site needs may be blocked. Temporarily switch to the non-filtering profile (unfiltered.adguard-dns.com) and try again; if that fixes it, allow the blocked domain in your personal list.

What is the difference between AdGuard DNS and Google DNS?

Google DNS (8.8.8.8) only resolves domains and doesn’t filter content. AdGuard DNS blocks ads, trackers and malicious domains.