How to View Wi-Fi DNS on Your Phone: 5 Methods for Android and iOS

When you connect to Wi-Fi, your phone automatically receives network settings, including DNS serversThese addresses are responsible for resolving domain names (for example, google.com) into IP addresses that devices understand. But sometimes you need to know which DNS servers your network uses—for example, to diagnose internet problems, check security, or manually configure alternative servers (like Cloudflare or Google DNS).

In this article you will find 5 proven methodsHow to view Wi-Fi DNS on your phone—from standard settings to specialized apps. We'll cover instructions for Android (including Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei) And iPhoneWe'll also explain why the addresses you expect are sometimes displayed incorrectly. If you've never checked your smartphone's network settings, don't worry: all methods are clearly illustrated and don't require any technical skills.

1. How to find DNS using Android's default settings

On most devices with Android 10 and newer, DNS information is hidden deep within the menu. To find it, follow these steps:

1. Open Settings → Network and Internet (or Connections on Samsung).
2. Select an active network Wi-Fi, click on its name (or the gear icon next to it).
3. Scroll down to the section Additionally (on some firmware versions - IP settings or Network management).
4. Look for fields DNS 1 And DNS 2 — current addresses will be displayed here. If they are not there, click Static IP (even if you have a dynamic one).

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi (MIUI) and some versions ColorOS (Oppo/Realme) The path may vary. If you don't see DNS, try the app method. WiFi Analyzer (section 3).

Restart your phone and check again

Connect to another Wi-Fi network for comparison.

Use an alternative method (terminal or app)

Check if the settings are hidden by the device administrator (on work phones)

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On Android 9 and older, the interface may look different. For example, on Samsung One UI the path is this: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → [network name] → Advanced → IP settingsIf you have only zeros (0.0.0.0) or private addresses (192.168.xx) are displayed - this means that DNS is assigned dynamically by the router (see section 5).

2. View DNS on iPhone (iOS 15–17)

On iPhone Apple has hidden DNS information deeper than Android. To find it:

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
2. Click on the blue icon i next to the name of your network.
3. Scroll down to the block DNSHere may be:

• 🔹 Automatically - this means that the addresses are assigned by the router.
• 🔹 Specific IPs (eg. 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1) - if you or the network administrator set them manually.

⚠️ Attention: On iOS 14 and below, the DNS field may be missing entirely. In this case, use the app Network Analyzer (App Store) or the terminal method (section 4).

If you see the inscription Manually configured, but the addresses aren't displayed—this is an iOS bug. To work around it, temporarily switch to Automatically, then back on Manually — DNS will appear.

3. DNS Viewer Apps: Top 3 Utilities

If the default settings don't show DNS, use specialized apps. They will not only display current addresses but also analyze the speed and reliability of servers.

Instructions for WiFi Analyzer (Android):

1. Install and open the application.
2. Go to the tab Wi-Fi network.
3. Click on the name of your network.
4. In the block DNS you will see the current servers (for example, DNS1: 192.168.1.1).

⚠️ Attention: Some applications (eg. Fing) require a premium subscription to view DNS. Free versions can only display the primary server.

4. How to find DNS through the terminal (for advanced users)

If you prefer the command line, you can use the built-in terminal or app on Android. TermuxThis method is suitable for diagnostics or when the graphical interface is not available.

Instructions for Termux:

1. Install Termux from Google Play or F-Droid.
2. Enter the command to get network information:

   netstat -rn

   Look for the line with default — the gateway (router) can be specified here, but not the DNS.

3. To see the DNS itself, run:

   getprop | grep dns

   Find the lines in the answer net.dns1 And net.dns2.

On iPhone, the terminal is only available with a jailbreak. An alternative is to use Shortcuts (Shortcuts) with the team networksetup -getdnsservers Wi-Fi, but it doesn't work on all iOS versions.

5. Why is my phone showing DNS addresses that are different from what I expect?

Sometimes users are surprised to see addresses like this in the settings 192.168.1.1 instead of 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1This isn't a bug, but a network feature. Here are the main causes:

• 🔄 The router is intercepting DNS: Many routers (especially those with parental control) replace public DNS with their own to filter traffic.
• 📡 The provider is blocking alternative DNS: Some Internet providers forcibly redirect requests to their servers (often seen in Russia, China, and the UAE).
• 🔒 VPN or proxy: If you use NordVPN, ProtonVPN or similar, DNS may belong to the VPN service.
• 🛠 DHCP settings: The router may have the "Use provider's DNS" option enabled instead of user-defined ones.

To check which DNS really are used (and not those displayed in the settings), run a test through the website DNS Leak Test or a command in the terminal:

nslookup google.com

The response will indicate the server that processed the request.

6. How to change DNS on your phone (if necessary)

If your current DNS is slow or blocking websites, you can manually set alternative servers. Here's how:

On Android:

1. Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi.
2. Click on the network name → Change network → Additionally.
3. In the field DNS select Static and enter the addresses (for example, 1.1.1.1 And 1.0.0.1 for Cloudflare).

On iPhone:

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi → [network name] → Configure DNS.
2. Select Manually and add servers (eg 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 for Google DNS).

⚠️ Attention: Manual DNS settings on your phone only apply to the current Wi-Fi network. If you connect to a different network, you'll need to repeat the process. To avoid this, change the DNS settings at the router level.

7. Common mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with DNS on a phone, users often encounter typical problems. Here's how to solve them:

• 🚫 DNS are not saved: On iPhone, check that you have pressed Save in the upper right corner. On Android, restarting the phone sometimes helps.
• 🌐 Websites won't open after changing DNS: Make sure you have entered the correct addresses (eg. 1.1.1.1, and not 1.1.1). Check your internet connection.
• 🔄 DNS resets after reconnection: This is a feature of some firmware (for example, MIUI). The solution is to configure DNS on the router.
• 🛡 VPN conflicts with DNS: Disable your VPN before changing settings or configure DNS directly in the VPN app.

If after changing DNS the Internet is completely gone, return the settings to Automatically and reboot your phone. This method solves the problem in 90% of cases.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

getprop | grep dns

ping 8.8.8.8