Best DNS Servers for Gaming in 2026: Speed Up Your Connections

If your game takes forever to connect or keeps hitting annoying lookup delays, DNS could be slowing you down. While switching DNS won’t solve hardware limits or fix frame-rate drops, the right DNS settings may still improve overall responsiveness, reduce connection hiccups, and support more consistent online play.

This guide breaks down the best DNS servers for gaming and shows you exactly how to set them up on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. 

What Is DNS?

When you play online games like Call of Duty or Fortnite, your device needs to connect to remote servers to load matches, switch regions, or download updates. But your console or PC doesn’t understand server names like fortnite-servers.epicgames.com. It relies on numerical IP addresses, such as 203.0.113.50, to locate and connect to those servers.

The Domain Name System (DNS) translates these server names into IP addresses. Your device asks a DNS resolver for the correct IP, which is then returned so it can connect to the game server.

How Does DNS Affect Your Gaming Performance?

DNS determines how quickly your PC or console will connect to the gaming servers. This means it affects the speed with which you join games, enter lobbies, and load into matches. 

Once you’re in the game, DNS typically doesn’t affect in-game performance or ping, since gameplay traffic is routed directly to the server’s IP address rather than through DNS lookups.

What a Good DNS Can Improve	What a Good DNS Won’t Fix
Fewer timeouts or failed connections	In-game ping or latency
Faster matchmaking times	Network stability issues (packet loss, ISP throttling)
Quicker lobby entry	Slow internet speed
Smoother game updates	Device performance issues

What Are Primary and Secondary DNS Servers?

The primary DNS is the main DNS server your console or PC uses to turn website names into IP addresses. A secondary DNS provides redundancy. If the first server doesn’t respond within a short timeout or becomes unreachable, your system may query the secondary instead.

Popular DNS Servers for Gaming

Most gaming devices default to your Internet Service Provider’s (ISP) DNS servers, which aren’t always optimal for gaming. Here are some great picks for gaming DNS servers you can switch to on your PC or console that are fast, reliable, and secure:

DNS Provider	Primary / Secondary IPs	Gaming Advantage	Privacy Policy
Cloudflare DNS	1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1	Ultra-low latency; fast query response	No identifiable logs; deletes logs in 24h
Google Public DNS	8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4	High uptime; stable across regions	Minimal logging for service improvement
Quad9	9.9.9.9 / 149.112.112.112	Blocks malicious domains; stable performance	No personal data collected
OpenDNS	208.67.222.222 / 208.67.220.220	Custom filtering options; good reliability	Some logged data to improve filters
NextDNS	45.90.28.190 / 45.90.30.190	Custom rules; ad/tracker blocking	User-controlled; optional

Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1): Great for Speed

• Primary: 1.1.1.1
• Secondary: 1.0.0.1

Cloudflare DNS is a popular choice for gamers who need fast response times when connecting to game servers and joining matchmaking lobbies. With a global network of 330+ data centers, your DNS queries are routed to the nearest server.

It also supports DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT), encrypting your DNS traffic to keep your activity more private and secure from ISP tracking or man-in-the-middle attacks.

Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8): Good for Reliability

• Primary: 8.8.8.8
• Secondary: 8.8.4.4

Google’s public DNS is a great pick if you’re looking for consistent uptime and broad compatibility. Whether you’re gaming on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch, this DNS service integrates smoothly with nearly every device and router setup.

It also includes DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) validation, which blocks DNS spoofing and cache poisoning and keeps your game connections safe from hijacking or redirects to fake servers.

Quad9 (9.9.9.9): Includes Malware Protection

• Primary: 9.9.9.9
• Secondary: 149.112.112.112

Quad9 is the go-to DNS for security-conscious gamers concerned about online threats. It actively blocks access to malicious domains, phishing sites, and scam servers, which is particularly useful for avoiding fake game sites, shady mod downloads, and phishing attempts disguised as in-game purchases.

Quad9 fully supports encrypted DNS protocols to help keep your gaming activity private, and its performance is pretty reliable.

OpenDNS (208.67.222.222): Ideal for Content Filtering

• Primary: 208.67.222.222
• Secondary: 208.67.220.220

OpenDNS is ideal for families with younger gamers or shared gaming environments, like gaming cafés or guest networks. It offers content filtering that lets you block mature gaming content, restrict online access by time of day, and manage which platforms are allowed on the network, all from a web dashboard.

While the service offers generally good performance everywhere, users in North America typically report the fastest speeds.

NextDNS (45.90.28.190): Offers Advanced Controls

• Primary: 45.90.28.190
• Secondary: 45.90.30.190

NextDNS is a good fit for gamers who want more control over how their network handles gaming traffic. You can block ads and trackers that some game launchers or in-game shops use, filter telemetry from platforms like Steam or Epic Games, and set custom DNS rules for different devices, like stricter filters on a kid’s console and none on your gaming PC.

Privacy-wise, you can decide whether to disable logging completely or set anonymous data retention according to your preferences.

How to Change DNS Settings on Different Devices

Here’s how to change your DNS on popular gaming devices and operating systems:

PlayStation 5 and 4

1. Go to Settings from the main menu.
2. Select Network > Settings > Set Up Internet Connection.
3. Choose your connection type: Wi-Fi or LAN Cable.
4. When asked for the setup method, choose Custom.
5. Set IP Address Settings to Automatic.
6. Set DHCP Host Name to Do Not Specify.
7. For DNS Settings, select Manual.
8. Enter your Primary and Secondary DNS server addresses.
9. Set MTU Settings to Automatic.
10. Set Proxy Server to Do Not Use.
11. Complete the setup and Test Internet Connection.

Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One

1. Press the Xbox button on your controller to open the guide.
2. Go to Profile & System > Settings.
3. Select General > Network Settings.
4. Choose Advanced Settings.
5. Select DNS Settings and then choose Manual.
6. Enter your Primary and Secondary DNS server addresses.
7. Save your settings and return to the Network Settings screen.
8. Select Test network connection to confirm it’s working.

Windows 10/11

1. Open Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click Change adapter settings from the left sidebar.
3. Right-click your active network connection and select Properties.
4. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
5. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses.
6. Enter your preferred and alternate DNS server values.
7. Click OK to save your changes, then close the remaining windows.
8. Restart your connection or PC to apply the new DNS settings.

macOS

1. Go to System Preferences > Network.
2. Select your active connection and click Advanced.
3. Open the DNS tab.
4. Click the + button under the DNS Servers list.
5. Enter your preferred DNS server addresses.
6. Click OK, then Apply to save the changes.
7. Disconnect and reconnect to the network so the new DNS settings begin working.

Combining a VPN with DNS: Is It Worth It for Gamers?

While DNS optimizes how your device finds game servers, it can only do so much. A VPN works on a different layer of your connection and can address some of the gaps DNS alone can’t fill, giving you more control over privacy, routing, and connection stability.

Private Internet Access uses its own private DNS servers; this means your ISP or network admin can’t see what games you’re playing or track your matchmaking activity. It also helps avoid DNS-related slowdowns, especially if your ISP’s DNS is overloaded or unreliable.

Other than that, here’s how a VPN can level up your game:

• Lower your ping: A VPN server close to the game server can help keep timing precise, so what you do in-game happens exactly when you expect it to.
• Play on different servers worldwide. Some online games allow you to join lobbies in different regions, and PIA’s high-speed servers in 90 countries give you an easy way to do that.
• Stop ISP throttling. If your connection slows during gaming sessions, using a secure VPN can make it harder for your ISP to inspect your traffic and apply targeted speed limits.
• Find a faster path to the game. Your ISP doesn’t always use the most efficient route to connect you to a game server. PIA VPN can sometimes find a more direct path through our high-speed network to give you a more stable connection.
• Shield yourself from DDoS attacks. In competitive matches, opponents can use DDoS attacks to try and knock you offline. PIA protects you by hiding your real IP address, making it much harder for anyone to target your connection.

One thing worth knowing: combining a custom DNS with a VPN can sometimes cause DNS leaks, where queries slip outside the encrypted tunnel and become visible to your ISP. PIA includes built-in DNS leak protection to help prevent this, making it a great choice of VPN to use with the DNS settings covered in this guide.

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