Guidelines :bookmark:

1. Prevent overblocking by utilizing the law of diminishing returns (e.g., using sane, quality blocklists; allowing most TLDs; etc.).
2. Pass the girlfriend test with few exceptions. These deviations are documented throughout the guide.

Create your account

Sign up for NextDNS here and support this page!

Security :police_officer:

Security settings protect your data from harm, theft, and unauthorized use.^{^why does this matter?}

Threat Intelligence Feeds ¹

Use Threat Intelligence Feeds

AI-Driven Threat Detection ¹

:warning: This feature is still in beta and may cause false positives.

Enable AI-Driven Threat Detection

Google Safe Browsing ^{1 2 3 4}

:bulb: Unlike the version embedded in some browsers, this does not associate your public IP address to threats and does not allow bypassing the block.

Enable Google Safe Browsing

Cryptojacking Protection ¹

:warning: If you use something other than the recommended blocklists, then you should leave this enabled.

Enable Cryptojacking Protection

DNS Rebinding Protection ^{1 2}

Enable DNS Rebinding Protection

IDN Homograph Attacks Protection ^{1 2}

Enable Homograph Attacks Protection

Typosquatting Protection ¹

Enable Typosquatting Protection

Domain Generation Algorithms (DGAs) Protection

Enable DGA Protection

Block Newly Registered Domains (NRDs) ¹

:warning: Blocking NRDs may cause false positives occasionally. Be selective when adding NRDs to your allowlist; and, if you do, NEVER give sensitive information to a NRD. If you plan to set-and-forget your configuration, disable this setting.

Block Newly Registered Domains (NRDs)

Block Dynamic DNS Hostnames ^{1 2}

:warning: This feature is still in beta and may cause false positives.

:bulb: 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

Block Parked Domains

Block Top-Level Domains (TLDs) ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Updated: 18 March 2024

:warning: Blocking TLDs may cause false positives since this feature blocks both site navigations and subrequests. However, the entries below should allow for everyday browsing while offering protection against commonly abused TLDs since they have no known legitimate uses.

.autos
.best
.bid
.bio
.boats
.boston
.boutique
.charity
.christmas
.dance
.fishing
.hair
.haus
.loan
.loans
.men
.mom
.name
.review
.rip
.skin
.support
.tattoo
.tokyo
.voto

:stop_sign: You can find additional TLDs on Most Abused TLDs, but you may need to allowlist sites on occasion. If you plan to set-and-forget your configuration, skip this setting.

Block Child Sexual Abuse Material

Block Child Sexual Abuse Material

Privacy :lock:

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.

Which blocklist should I use?

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:

:book: Check out Hagezi's own recommendations.

:bulb: You can use different blocklists on separate DNS profiles (e.g., NORMAL for your router and PRO++ for your web browser).

Why Hagezi?

Hagezi block ads, trackers, native device trackers, badware, and more. He maintains a sensible allowlist, handles false positives quickly, and communicates known issues to blocklists maintainers. Hagezi's primary DNS lists combine respected community blocklists like OISD, Steven Black, 1Hosts, notrack, and more.

:question: 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 ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Block Disguised Third-Party Trackers

Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links ^{1 2}

:bulb: Your IP address will automatically be hidden (via TCP proxying) to preserve your privacy.

:warning: Disabling causes false positives when opening some email links.

Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links

Parental Control :family_man_woman_boy:

YouTube Restricted Mode

Enforce YouTube Restricted Mode

Block Bypass Methods ¹

:warning: Enabling may cause unintended breakage.

Block Bypass Methods

Denylist :no_entry:

Denylist entries are always blocked. The entries below may further harden some profiles while not interfering with everyday browsing.

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

events.gfe.nvidia.com

Allowlist :white_check_mark:

Allowlist entries always resolve. These entries may be needed for aggressive DNS profiles to relax their rules.

nextdns.io

graph.facebook.com
graph.instagram.com
i.instagram.com
b-graph.facebook.com

connect.facebook.com
connect.facebook.net
graph-fallback.facebook.com
z-m-graph.facebook.com
graph-fallback.instagram.com

xp.apple.com

smoot.apple.com

amp-api-edge.apps.apple.com
amp-api-search-edge.apps.apple.com

settings-win.data.microsoft.com

update.intl.miui.com

srv.sec.intl.miui.com

logsink.devices.nest.com

consent.yahoo.com
guce.oath.com
pr.comet.yahoo.com

pov.spectrum.net

logfiles.zoom.us
us04logfiles.zoom.us
us04zpns.zoom.us

s.youtube.com

ads-fa-darwin.hulustream.com

eulatracking-public-service-prod06.ol.epicgames.com

gfe.nvidia.com
nvgs.nvidia.cn

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 

imasdk.googleapis.com
pubads.g.doubleclick.net

cbsaavideo.com
cbsi.com
conviva.com
convivia.com
demdex.net
dns-clientinfo.cbsivideo.com
partnerad.l.doubleclick.net
saa.cbsi.com
summerhamster.com (yes, really)
udm.scorecardresearch.com

dcf.espn.com

glimmer.hearstapps.com

Settings :gear:

Logs

Storage location → Switzerland

Block Page

:warning: Enabling may cause breakage if the NextDNS Root CA is not on your devices. This setting also breaks Paypal 2FA, iCloud Private Relay, Microsoft Teams, Yahoo! Mail, the NAVER app, Hoyolab app, and possibly banking apps.

Enable Block Page

Anonymized EDNS Client Subnet ¹

Enable Anonymized EDNS Client Subnet

Cache Boost ¹

Enable Cache Boost

CNAME Flattening ^{1 2 3}

:warning: Enabling this feature could break compatibility with Yahoo! Mail and cause issues with some blocklists.

Enable CNAME Flattening

Web3 ^{1 2}

Enable Web3 → (optional)

FAQ :question:

How do I signup for NextDNS?

Click here!

Why am I still seeing ads?

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.

I need a browser with ad blocking. Which one should I choose?

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.
• 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.

At the end of the day, if you're using NextDNS + any browser with an ad blocker, you have more coverage than most people.

Should I pay for NextDNS?

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.

Does the amount of features enabled affect the speed of NextDNS?^{1 2}

The number of settings you toggle on will not affect your DNS latency.

Do I need to set DoH at browser-level if I already use NextDNS at system-level?

Unless you use a separate profile for the browser, it is not neccessary. However, I recommend setting it in your web browser anyway.

I have a router profile and a device profile. Which one does my device use?

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

What is the difference between security, privacy, and anonymity?

See article | video

Does NextDNS hide activity from my Internet Service Provider (ISP)?

DNS protocols like DoH/DoT/DoQ are designed to increase privacy and security by encrypting DNS queries. They prevent your ISP from seeing your web searches and browsing history, which significantly contributes to protecting your privacy.

However, encrypted DNS does not hide the IP addresses of the websites you visit from your ISP. So while they cannot see the content of the encrypted DNS query (i.e., your ISP can't see what specific domain you're trying to access), they can see that you're making a request to a particular DNS server like Cloudflare or AWS. And if you're constantly sending packets to a particular IP address, it's likely that you're visiting a website hosted at that address.

That being said, IVPN argues that you only need a VPN for three reasons:

You don't need a VPN unless your threat model demands it. Here are VPN suggestions from Techlore and Tom Spark Reviews if it does.

Mentions :books:

User Comments

• See here

YouTube

• The ULTIMATE Guide to Mastering NextDNS! | clarifications (July 2023)

Articles

• Knot Resolver — with ad blocking (Dec 2022)
• Privacy Toolkit: NextDNS (Sept 2022)

Guides

• A comprehensive guide to setting up NextDNS (Sept 2023)
• FMHY: DNS Adblocking → NextDNS → Guide
• hagezi/dns-blocklists → Online DNS services

Contributions

• Hagezi | mentions
• 1Hosts
• Easylist
• uBlock Origin
• AdGuard