- Prevent overblocking by utilizing the law of diminishing returns (e.g., using sane, quality blocklists; allowing most TLDs; etc.).
- Pass the girlfriend test with few exceptions. These deviations are documented throughout the guide.
Sign up for NextDNS here!
Security settings protect your data from harm, theft, and unauthorized use.^why does this matter?
Threat Intelligence Feeds 1
AI-Driven Threat Detection 1
Enable AI-Driven Threat Detection
💡 Unlike the version embedded in some browsers, this does not associate your public IP address to threats and does not allow bypassing the block.
Cryptojacking Protection 1
Enable Cryptojacking Protection
Enable DNS Rebinding Protection
Enable Homograph Attacks Protection
Typosquatting Protection 1
Enable Typosquatting Protection
Block Newly Registered Domains (NRDs) 1
Block Newly Registered Domains (NRDs)
💡 If you are using Dynamic DNS (DDNS), this setting will not block the DDNS services' own website or their update API.
Enable Block Dynamic DNS Hostnames
Block Parked Domains 1
.cfd
.discount
.gdn
.loan
.loans
.ooo
.sbs
.zip
🛑 Below are additional TLDs you may block, but you may need to allowlist sites on occasion. If you plan to set-and-forget your configuration, skip this setting.
.fit
.surf
.cn
.monster
---
.agency
.bid
.buzz
.cf
.dad
.esq
.foo
.ga
.gq
.ml
.mov
.nexus
.phd
.prof
.pw
.ru
.tk
.top
.zone
📝 If you would rather block TLDs with an adblocker (e.g., easier to troubleshoot breakage), add the first two filterlists here.
Block Child Sexual Abuse Material
Privacy features limit the amount of data companies can collect about you.
Because privacy is a spectrum, what you need varies on your threat model, interest, and skillset.^why should I care? I have nothing to hide
Blocklists 1
Blocklists filter out ads, trackers, and malicious sites. Hundreds of volunteers contribute to these lists in the open-source community, and they are the undercover heroes who make blocking ads at scale possible.
We recommend you remove the NextDNS Ads & Trackers Blocklist and select the minimum number of useful lists.
A great question to ask is: "How much do I want to deal with the inconveniences of false positives?"
Here are the suggested blocklists, based on past issues and observations:
Blocklist | Rationale |
---|---|
HaGeZi - Multi NORMAL1 | Block tracker and ad requests without issues (set-and-forget). |
HaGeZi - Multi PRO++2 | Block signficantly more requests at the risk of site breakage. Report occasional site and app issues. |
📖 Check out Hagezi's own recommendations.
💡 You can use different blocklists on separate DNS profiles (e.g., NORMAL for your router and PRO++ for your web browser).
Hagezi block ads, trackers, native device trackers, badware, and more. He maintains a sensible allowlist, handles false positives quickly, an communicates known issues to blocklists maintainers. Hagezi's primary DNS lists combine respected community blocklists like OISD, Steven Black, 1Hosts, notrack, and more.
❓ You may wonder why other lists are not utilized. This is because many list maintainers:
- do not remove false positives and/or are no longer active 1 2
- already aggregate common blocklists into their own list (Easylist/Fanboy, AdGuard, Steven Black, etc.) 1 2 3 4
- offer no meaningful additional coverage when compared with the chart combinations above
Native Tracking Protection 1
Add all the device brands you use. There's no advantage in adding brands you don't have; however, there’s no disadvantage in adding unused brands, either.
Windows
Apple
Samsung
Xiaomi
Huawei
Amazon Alexa
Roku
Sonos
Block Disguised Third-Party Trackers
💡 Your IP address will automatically be hidden (via TCP proxying) to preserve your privacy.
Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links
Enforce YouTube Restricted Mode
Block Bypass Methods 1
Denylist entries are always blocked. The entries below may further harden some profiles while not interfering with everyday browsing.
Not currently in NextDNS's Native Tracking Protection list: 1
xp.apple.com (unblock for device updates!)
acfeedbackws.icloud.com
api-adservices.apple.com
feedbackws.fe.apple-dns.net
feedbackws.icloud.com
iadsdk.apple.com
notes-analytics-events.apple.com
notes-analytics-events.news.apple-dns.net
weather-analytics-events.apple.com
weather-analytics-events.news.apple-dns.net
syndication.twitter.com
NVIDIA Gefore Experience 1
events.gfe.nvidia.com
Allowlist entries always resolve. These entries may be needed for aggressive DNS profiles to relax their rules.
Just in case a filterlist goes haywire and blocks your access
nextdns.io
Facebook / Instagram 1
graph.facebook.com
graph.instagram.com
i.instagram.com
b-graph.facebook.com
If you're still having issues, try these:
connect.facebook.com
connect.facebook.net
graph-fallback.facebook.com
z-m-graph.facebook.com
graph-fallback.instagram.com
A known tracking domain, but it's needed for device updates
xp.apple.com
smoot.apple.com
Apple Store 1
amp-api-edge.apps.apple.com
amp-api-search-edge.apps.apple.com
This request is blocked when using NextDNS' Native Tracking list (Windows)
settings-win.data.microsoft.com
Xiaomi device updates 1
update.intl.miui.com
Google Nest usage metrics 1
logsink.devices.nest.com
Yahoo Mail 1
consent.yahoo.com
guce.oath.com
pr.comet.yahoo.com
pov.spectrum.net
logfiles.zoom.us
us04logfiles.zoom.us
us04zpns.zoom.us
YouTube history 1
s.youtube.com
Hulu 1
ads-fa-darwin.hulustream.com
Epic Games Launcher 1
eulatracking-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com
NVIDIA Gefore Experience 1
gfe.nvidia.com
nvgs.nvidia.cn
Chick-Fil-A App 1
tmetrix.my.chick-fil-a.com
js.media-lab.ai
doppler-config.cbsivideo.com
production-cmp.isgprivacy.cbsi.com
pubads.g.doubleclick.net
tags.tiqcdn.com
FiveThirtyEight videos / National Geographic website 1
dcf.espn.com
Men's Health videos 1
glimmer.hearstapps.com
Ghostery Analytics (opt-in)
User data is removed. Contributes to the Human Web and WhoTracks.me data
collector-hpn.ghostery.net
collector-hpn.privacy.ghostery.net
d.ghostery.com
Storage location → Switzerland
Enable Block Page
Anonymized EDNS Client Subnet 1
Enable Anonymized EDNS Client Subnet
Cache Boost 1
Enable CNAME Flattening
Click here!
Not all ads can be blocked at the DNS level.1 2 You will need an ad blocker to block what's leftover.
This is because not all ads come from third-party domains; some ads come directly from the site you're visiting, like YouTube. DNS blockers stop the resolution of a domain, and content blockers filter page content. Click here to easily install a lightweight ad blocker.
Choosing a browser is about as intimate as choosing a starter Pokémon, so here's a few caveats:
- The best browser on paper may not work well in real world usage (e.g., Brave is wonky with video playback on iOS).
- Browsers are tools! Use a variety of browsers depending on what you need to do.
- You should use various browsers (or browser profiles) for different areas of life (e.g., work, school, personal).
We based the recommendations below on a combination of effectiveness, resource efficiency, features, and ease of use.
OS | Browser | Content Blocker |
---|---|---|
iOS | Safari | AdGuard or Ghostery |
Android | Firefox | uBlock Origin or Ghostery |
Windows macOS Linux |
Firefox (with Betterfox) | uBlock Origin or Ghostery |
At the end of the day, if you're using NextDNS + any browser with an ad blocker, you have more coverage than most people.
For the rich features it provides, NextDNS is very affordable at $19.90/year for unlimited devices. NextDNS pays for itself if it saves my family from a malicious incident.
The number of settings you toggle on will not affect your DNS latency.
Unless you use a separate profile for the browser, it is not neccessary. However, I recommend setting it in your web browser anyway.
The device will use the profile set by the NextDNS app or the installed root CA. However, if the device has not been configured to use a separate profile, then it will use the wifi/router configuration.1
No. NextDNS is only concerned about DNS traffic. You would need a quality VPN to hide all activity from your ISP.
- See here
- The ULTIMATE Guide to Mastering NextDNS! | clarifications (July 2023)
- Knot Resolver — with ad blocking (Dec 2022)
- Privacy Toolkit: NextDNS (Sept 2022)
- A comprehensive guide to setting up NextDNS (Sept 2023)
- FMHY: DNS Adblocking → NextDNS → Guide
- hagezi/dns-blocklists → Online DNS services