To change DNS settings on Mac running a current version of macOS—the steps are the same on a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro—open Apple menu > System Settings > Network, select the network service you are actually using, choose Details, then open DNS. Record the existing servers and their order before adding or removing any IPv4 or IPv6 address. Test hostname resolution afterward and restore the original list if the change does not solve the problem.

Key Takeaways

DNS translates domain names; it does not repair Wi-Fi radio, router, provider, captive-portal, or app failures.

Change the active service—such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet—not a similarly named inactive service.

Preserve the original server list, order, and search domains before editing.

Use only DNS details from a trusted network administrator or provider.

Verify the same hostname before and after, then restore the recorded configuration if there is no improvement.

If you have not yet shown that DNS is the failing layer, start with the device and app troubleshooting guide or the Mac Wi-Fi scope checklist.

Should you change DNS settings on Mac at all?

Symptom	What it suggests	What to do first
Several domain names fail, but the local network is otherwise reachable	Possible DNS resolution issue	Compare another network and review DNS
Every device fails on one Wi-Fi network	Router or internet-service issue	Troubleshoot the shared network
One app or one site fails	App, account, site, extension, or filter issue	Test another app and unrelated domains
A captive sign-in page has not been completed	Network access is not yet authorized	Complete the trusted portal sign-in
Failure begins with a proxy, VPN, or content filter	Another network layer may own resolution	Review that layer before replacing DNS

A DNS change cannot increase signal strength, renew an expired service account, or fix a disconnected modem. Public DNS also does not automatically make every connection faster or private: the result depends on the network, resolver policy, encryption path, caching, and the destinations used.

Before you edit DNS

Create a recovery record first.

Note whether the Mac is using Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a USB adapter, or another service.
Open that service's Details > DNS page.
Record every DNS server in order, including IPv4 and IPv6 entries.
Record any search domains separately; they are not DNS server addresses.
Note whether a profile, VPN, security product, or organization controls the values.

Apple documents adding and removing DNS servers and search domains from this page.［1］ A server supplied automatically by the network may appear differently from a manually entered one. Do not delete a profile, certificate, or management setting to force an edit.

Stop if the Mac or network is managed, the fields are locked, or you do not know which values must be restored. Ask the administrator for the approved addresses and order.

Keep a small change log with the active service, network name, test time, original list, test list, and the same two hostnames for later comparison. Leave out passwords and other credentials. This makes the result reproducible and prevents a later Wi-Fi, VPN, or proxy change from being mistaken for a DNS improvement.

1. Select the correct network service

Open Apple menu > System Settings.
Select Network in the sidebar.
Select the service carrying the current connection, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Select Details.
Open DNS.

If the required service does not exist, Apple documents adding one from the Network actions menu.［2］ First establish which connection should carry traffic, and do not create a duplicate merely because DNS editing did not fix an unrelated outage.

Changes made to Wi-Fi do not automatically become Ethernet settings, and settings for an unused adapter will not change the active connection. If you regularly use more than one service, treat each as a separate configuration with its own recovery record.

2. Add trusted IPv4 or IPv6 DNS servers

Only enter addresses supplied by your network administrator or a resolver provider you have deliberately chosen and reviewed.

In DNS Servers, select the add button.
Enter one exact IPv4 address, such as four decimal groups, or one exact IPv6 address.
Add any additional approved server as a separate entry.
Arrange entries in the intended order if macOS allows reordering.
Select OK, then Apply if shown.

Do not enter a website URL, a PAC address, a proxy server, or a search domain in the DNS server list. Do not copy an unknown resolver from a speed-test list. The operator can observe or influence name-resolution responses, so ownership and policy matter more than marketing claims.

3. Remove a manual DNS server safely

Confirm the address is a manual entry you own and have recorded.
Select it in DNS Servers.
Select the remove button.
Save the change.
Reopen the affected app and repeat the same hostname test.

Removing every manual entry usually lets the network's automatic DNS configuration apply again, but the exact result depends on the service and any profiles or VPNs. Do not remove organization-provided entries or search domains without approval. Search domains help resolve short internal names and should not be treated as interchangeable with resolvers.

4. Verify name resolution instead of assuming success

Use the same small test set before and after the change:

Reopen the browser or app that failed.
Test two unrelated domain names, including one that worked before.
Compare another trusted network if practical.
Check whether only a VPN session, proxy mode, or one app still fails.

Success means the previously failing names now resolve consistently without breaking known-good destinations. A page loading once is not proof that DNS caused the failure; caches, a restored internet link, or a captive-portal sign-in may have changed at the same time.

This guide intentionally avoids destructive cache-clearing commands. Reopening an app or reconnecting the tested service is enough for this diagnostic stage. If support needs lower-level evidence, follow its version-specific instructions and preserve the exact output.

5. Restore the original DNS configuration

Restore when the change does not help, makes results worse, or conflicts with a managed network.

Return to System Settings > Network > [active service] > Details > DNS.
Remove only the test addresses you added.
Re-enter any original manual servers you removed.
Restore their original order and any recorded search domains.
Save, reopen the affected apps, and repeat the baseline tests.

If the list changes back automatically, another owner—such as DHCP, a profile, a VPN, or security software—may be supplying it. Do not repeatedly overwrite that state. Identify the owner and use its supported configuration path.

What if changing DNS does not help?

Return to scope rather than trying more random resolvers.

If the Mac is connected to Wi-Fi but cannot reach anything, use the Mac no-internet checklist.
If an error explicitly reports a resolver that is unavailable, see DNS server not responding.
If you need conceptual background across platforms, read how to change DNS.
If the failure follows a proxy, restore DNS and use the Mac proxy guide. Diagnose a VPN or filter separately.

Collect the affected service, original and tested server lists, timestamps, network names without credentials, and exact errors before contacting the administrator, provider, or Apple Support.

Summary

Change DNS only after the symptoms point to name resolution. Select the active Mac network service, preserve the original IPv4/IPv6 servers and order, enter only trusted values, and verify the same names before and after. If the test does not produce a clear improvement, restore the recorded configuration and continue troubleshooting the actual failing layer.

FAQ

Where are DNS settings on a Mac?

Open System Settings > Network, select the active service, choose Details, then open DNS.

Can changing DNS fix weak Wi-Fi?

No. DNS translates names; it does not improve radio signal, interference, router coverage, or an internet-provider outage.

Does a public DNS server always make the internet faster?

No. Performance varies by network, location, caching, resolver operation, and destination. Measure the actual problem instead of assuming a universal speed gain.

Does changing DNS automatically make browsing private?

No. Resolver choice is only one part of the connection, and the operator and transport policy matter. It is not a substitute for understanding the full traffic path.

Can I add both IPv4 and IPv6 DNS addresses?

Yes, macOS accepts both formats. Enter each approved address separately and preserve the intended order.

Are Mac search domains the same as DNS servers?

No. DNS servers answer resolution queries; search domains help expand short names, often on internal networks.

Why do my DNS settings return after I remove them?

DHCP, a configuration profile, VPN, security product, or administrator may be supplying them. Identify that owner instead of repeatedly deleting the values.

Should I clear the DNS cache in Terminal?

Not for this basic procedure. Reopen the affected app or reconnect the service, and use version-specific commands only when trusted support requires them. A VPN cannot record or restore your original macOS DNS settings; keep that rollback information yourself.

Sources

Apple Support - Change DNS settings on Mac — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mh14127/mac
Apple Support - Set up a network service on Mac — https://support.apple.com/en-mide/guide/mac-help/mchlp1176/mac

Sources checked 4 October 2026.

How to Change DNS Settings on Mac