Guidelines 🔖

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

Create your account

Sign up for NextDNS here and support this page!

Security 👮

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

Threat Intelligence Feeds ¹

[!CAUTION] Leave this feature enabled if you use something other than the recommended blocklists (see https://github.com/yokoffing/NextDNS-Config/issues/74 and https://github.com/yokoffing/NextDNS-Config/issues/86).

Use Threat Intelligence Feeds

AI-Driven Threat Detection ¹

NextDNS labels this feature as beta, although most users report it works well.

Enable AI-Driven Threat Detection

Google Safe Browsing ^{1 2 3 4}

[!CAUTION] Google Safe Browsing wasn't designed as a DNS-level blocker and may flag legitimate CNAME domains as scams. NextDNS can also take months to remove a false positive.

Enable Google Safe Browsing

Cryptojacking Protection ¹

[!CAUTION] Leave this feature enabled if you use something other than the recommended blocklists (see https://github.com/yokoffing/NextDNS-Config/issues/31).

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}

[!TIP] Dynamic DNS (DDNS) services can still access their own website and update API when you use this setting.

Enable Block Dynamic DNS Hostnames

Block Parked Domains ¹

Block Parked Domains

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

[!IMPORTANT] Blocking TLDs risks blocking legitimate sites along with malicious ones, since this feature stops both site navigations and subrequests. However, the entries below should allow for everyday browsing while offering protection against commonly abused TLDs.

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

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

Block Child Sexual Abuse Material

Block Child Sexual Abuse Material

Privacy 🔒

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 add 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:

[!TIP] Use different blocklists on separate DNS profiles (e.g., NORMAL for your router and PRO++ for your web browser).

You can also check out Hagezi's own recommendations.

Why Hagezi?

Hagezi block ads, trackers, native device trackers, and badware. He maintains a sensible allowlist, handles false positives quickly, and communicates known issues to blocklists maintainers. Hagezi builds his blocklists using many of the same original sources that feed into other popular lists like OISD and 1Hosts. He also adds his own unique sources, rather than just repackaging other combined blocklists.

You may also 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

[!CAUTION] Leave this feature enabled if you use something other than the recommended blocklists (see https://github.com/yokoffing/NextDNS-Config/issues/76).

If you decide to use this feature, then add all the device brands that you use.

Windows
Apple
Samsung
Xiaomi
Huawei
Amazon Alexa
Roku
Sonos

Block Disguised Third-Party Trackers ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Block Disguised Third-Party Trackers

The domain list hasn't been updated in years, and it blocks some referral domains that Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links doesn't unblock. NextDNS blocks CNAME records by default, even with this list disabled.

Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links ^{1 2}

[!TIP] Your IP address will automatically be hidden (via TCP proxying) to preserve your privacy.

[!WARNING] Disabling this setting prevents some email links from opening properly.

Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links

Parental Control 👨‍👩‍👦

YouTube Restricted Mode

Enforce YouTube Restricted Mode

Block Bypass Methods ¹

Block tools that can bypass NextDNS filtering, such as VPNs, proxies, Tor software, and encrypted DNS services.

[!CAUTION] Enabling this setting causes unintended behavior.

Block Bypass Methods

Denylist ⛔

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

iCloud Private Relay

iCloud Private Relay can override DNS settings on devices, preventing NextDNS from protecting them.

Some DoH providers block this feature automatically.

mask.icloud.com	

[!CAUTION] The domains below may prevent external images from loading in Apple mail clients. You don't need these unless you're running a very aggressive profile.

And possibly:

apple-relay.cloudflare.com
apple-relay.fastly-edge.com
doh.dns.apple.com
doh.dns.apple.com.v.aaplimg.com
mask-api.icloud.com
mask-h2.icloud.com
mask-canary.icloud.com
mask.apple-dns.net

Allowlist ✅

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

NextDNS

Allow NextDNS itself in case a filterlist goes haywire and blocks your access.

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

v10.events.data.microsoft.com
v20.events.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 ⚙️

Logs

Storage location → Switzerland

Block Page

[!CAUTION] Enabling this setting may cause site navigation issues if the NextDNS Root CA is not on your devices. Also, this setting 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 may break compatibility with Yahoo! Mail and cause issues with certain blocklists.

Enable CNAME Flattening

Bypass Age Verification

Bypass Age Verification

Web3 ^{1 2}

Enable Web3

Leave disabled unless you use crypto-related stuff.

FAQ ❓

How do I signup for NextDNS?

Click here to get started.

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)?

Encrypted DNS queries boost privacy and security. This encryption stops your ISP from seeing what websites you search for and visit.

However, encrypted DNS does not hide website IP addresses from your ISP. While your ISP cannot see the specific domain you want to access, they can see that you contact DNS servers like Cloudflare or AWS. If you repeatedly send data to a certain IP address, your ISP can guess you are visiting a website at that address.

Do I need a VPN?

IVPN argues you only need a VPN for three reasons. Mainly, in order to:

1. Hide your real IP address from websites and peer-to-peer networks, which prevents ISPs and mobile carriers from tracking your online activity.

2. Guard against man in the middle and other common attacks on public Wi-Fi networks in places like airports, hotels, cafes, and libraries.

3. Bypass censorship or geographic restrictions, allowing you to access blocked websites and content.

Ultimately, 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 📚

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