How to Set Up Cloudflare DNS for Better Internet Security

Most people don't think twice about their DNS settings. By default, you're using whatever DNS server your internet provider decided to give you. But here's the thing: switching to a better DNS can make your browsing faster, more private, and significantly safer.

Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 DNS resolver has become popular for good reason. It's fast, it doesn't log your browsing data, and it comes with built-in security features that can protect your entire household from malware and unwanted content.

Why Your Default DNS Might Not Be Enough

Your ISP's DNS server works fine for basic browsing, but it often comes with limitations. Some providers log your DNS queries for advertising purposes. Others don't prioritize speed or security updates. A few ISPs and network equipment providers have partnered with Cloudflare to offer safer browsing directly, but if yours hasn't made the switch yet, you can do it yourself in just a few minutes.

The good news is that changing your DNS settings doesn't require any technical expertise. You can update the settings on individual devices or configure your router to protect every device on your home network at once.

What Makes 1.1.1.1 for Families Different

Beyond the standard 1.1.1.1 resolver, Cloudflare offers a family-friendly version that adds an extra security layer. This version actively filters out malicious websites and can optionally block adult content across your entire network.

The system works by categorizing internet destinations based on potential threats. When you or anyone on your network tries to visit a dangerous site, the DNS resolver simply won't resolve the address. You'll see an error instead of accidentally landing on a phishing page or malware distribution site.

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What's particularly useful is that this protection happens at the DNS level, which means it works regardless of what device or browser you're using. Your phone, laptop, smart TV, and even IoT devices all benefit from the same filtering.

Two Protection Levels to Choose From

Cloudflare gives you two configuration options depending on your needs:

Block malware only: This option filters out known malicious sites while leaving everything else accessible. Use these DNS addresses:

• 1.1.1.2

• 1.0.0.2

• 2606:4700:4700::1112

• 2606:4700:4700::1002

Block malware and adult content: This stricter option filters both security threats and adult websites. The DNS addresses for this setup are:

• 1.1.1.3

• 1.0.0.3

• 2606:4700:4700::1113

• 2606:4700:4700::1003

When the system detects a request for a blocked site, it returns 0.0.0.0 instead of the actual IP address. This effectively prevents the connection without requiring any additional software on your devices.

Testing Your Setup

After you've changed your DNS settings, you'll want to verify everything is working correctly. Cloudflare provides two test URLs that should be blocked if your configuration is active:

The malware test site at malware.testcategory.com should be blocked regardless of which protection level you chose. The adult content test at nudity.testcategory.com will only be blocked if you're using the stricter 1.1.1.3 configuration.

If these sites load normally, double-check your DNS settings. You might need to restart your router or flush your device's DNS cache for the changes to take effect.

Adding Encryption for Extra Privacy

If you have a modern router or device that supports DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT), you can encrypt your DNS queries on top of the filtering protection. This prevents anyone on your network path from seeing which websites you're looking up, even if they can't see the actual content you're viewing.

For DoH-compatible devices, the encrypted endpoint uses standard HTTPS protocols to wrap your DNS requests. For DoT setups with family filtering, use family.cloudflare-dns.com as your DNS hostname.

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Encryption adds a meaningful privacy boost, especially on public networks or if you're concerned about ISP tracking. The performance impact is negligible since DNS queries are tiny and infrequent compared to your actual web traffic.

Getting Started Takes Minutes

The actual setup process varies slightly depending on whether you're configuring a single device or your entire home network through the router. Router configuration is generally the better choice since it protects everything automatically and doesn't require touching each device individually.

Most routers have a DNS settings section in their admin interface where you can replace the default addresses with Cloudflare's resolvers. Some newer routers even have preset options for popular DNS providers including 1.1.1.1.

For individual devices, you'll find DNS settings in your network configuration panel. On smartphones, it's usually under Wi-Fi settings for each connected network. Desktop operating systems put it in their network preferences.

The privacy guarantees Cloudflare made when launching 1.1.1.1 still apply to the family version. They don't log your IP address or sell your browsing data. The filtering happens in real-time based on threat intelligence feeds, not by building profiles of your family's internet usage.

Setting up safer DNS is one of those small changes that pays ongoing dividends. Faster lookups, better privacy, and automatic protection against an ever-growing list of online threats—all without installing software or paying subscription fees.