This guide explains how to change your DNS settings and set up CyberGhost VPN’s Smart DNS on Android.
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How to Change Your DNS Servers on Android
How to Use a CyberGhost VPN DNS Server on Android
What Are DNS Servers?
DNS servers translate website domain names into IP addresses so your device can locate the correct pages online.
By default, your device receives DNS settings from your ISP. When you browse the web, DNS queries are typically sent to the ISP's DNS servers, which can see and may log those requests. Because the queries originate from your internet connection, they can be associated with your public IP address. Depending on the provider and your location, ISP-operated DNS servers may also be slower than alternative DNS services.
Many users choose to switch to third-party DNS providers such as Google Public DNS or Cloudflare DNS. These services may offer benefits such as faster DNS resolution, improved reliability, additional privacy protections, or security features like malicious domain blocking. However, they don’t encrypt your internet traffic or hide your IP address like a VPN does.
How to Change Your DNS Servers on Android
Follow these steps if you want to set up a third-party DNS server, like Google or Cloudflare.
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Go to Settings > Connections on Samsung. On other device types, choose Settings > Network & Internet.
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Go to More connection settings > Private DNS.
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Select Private DNS provider hostname.
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Paste the hostname of your chosen DNS provider, e.g., 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com, and tap Save.
Note: Android’s Private DNS settings use text-based hostnames exclusively. If you’d like to use a CyberGhost IP instead, see the section below.
How to Use a CyberGhost VPN DNS Server on Android
CyberGhost’s Smart DNS can improve accessibility by routing DNS requests through proxy servers in your chosen region. Unlike a traditional VPN, it bypasses the encryption overhead associated with tunnelling all internet traffic, which may help reduce latency and battery consumption on Android. However, Smart DNS doesn’t encrypt your traffic or provide the same privacy protections as a VPN.
You must be logged in to your CyberGhost account before proceeding with the steps below.
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Tap the hamburger icon and select Smart DNS from the menu.
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Tap Enable Smart DNS, then scroll down and copy your preferred location IP.
Note: You'll see locations grouped by platform, like Xbox or iOS. This is just to organize servers by use case. The DNS addresses are universal and work on any device.
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Go to your phone’s Settings > Connections (or Settings > Network & Internet) and open the Wi-Fi tab. Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is enabled.
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Tap the gear icon next to your active Wi-Fi network. Scroll down and tap View more (or select Modify network, depending on your device).
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Tap IP settings and select Static.
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Paste the CyberGhost IP you copied in the DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields, then tap Save.
This configuration is network-specific. If you switch to mobile data or connect to a different Wi-Fi hotspot, you’ll lose the Smart DNS connection.
Need assistance? Contact our Customer Support team:
- via email at support@cyberghost.ro
- via online request at https://support.cyberghostvpn.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
- via 24/7 Live Chat by clicking the Support button below
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