- 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.
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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
Note
NextDNS labels this feature as beta, although most users report it works well.
Enable AI-Driven Threat Detection
Tip
Unlike the version embedded in some browsers, this feature does not associate your public IP address to threats and does not allow bypassing the block.
Enable Google Safe Browsing
Cryptojacking Protection 1
Caution
Leave this feature enabled if you use something other than the recommended blocklists (see #31).
Enable Cryptojacking Protection
Enable DNS Rebinding Protection
Enable Homograph Attacks Protection
Typosquatting Protection 1
Enable Typosquatting 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)
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
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.
Click me to view 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
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.
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:
| Blocklists | Rationale |
|---|---|
| HaGeZi - Multi NORMAL1 OISD |
Block tracker, ad, and badware requests without issues (set-and-forget). |
| HaGeZi - Multi PRO2 OISD |
Block more requests, usually without issues (recommended). |
| HaGeZi - Multi PRO++3 OISD |
Block more requests at the risk of site breakage. Report occasional site and app issues. |
Tip
Use different blocklists on separate DNS profiles (e.g., NORMAL for your router and PRO++ for your web browser).
Note
NextDNS does not offer Hagezi's Threat Intelligence Feed (TIF). We suggest using the OISD list, which contains some TIF sources missing from NextDNS security features.
You can also check out Hagezi's own recommendations.
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's primary DNS lists combine multiple sources including respected community blocklists like OISD, Steven Black, 1Hosts, notrack, and more.
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
Add all the device brands you use.
Windows
Apple
Samsung
Xiaomi
Huawei
Amazon Alexa
Roku
Sonos
Block Disguised Third-Party Trackers
Warning
Disabling this setting prevents some email links from opening properly.
Allow Affiliate & Tracking Links
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 entries are always blocked. These entries may further harden some profiles while not interfering with everyday browsing.
iCloud Private Relay can override DNS settings on devices, preventing NextDNS from protecting them.
Some DoH providers block this feature automatically.
mask.icloud.com
mask-h2.icloud.com
mask-canary.icloud.com
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.apple-dns.net
Allowlist entries always resolve. These entries may be needed for aggressive DNS profiles to relax their rules.
Allow NextDNS itself in case a filterlist goes haywire and blocks your access.
nextdns.io
Click here to view more entries
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
v10.events.data.microsoft.com
v20.events.data.microsoft.com
update.intl.miui.com
srv.sec.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
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
Paramount+ uses certain domains to display ads. These domains must be accessible to allow Paramount+ content to load (even for viewers with ad-free plans).
imasdk.googleapis.com
pubads.g.doubleclick.net
Users have reported that the following domains also may need to be allowed:
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
FiveThirtyEight videos / National Geographic website 1
dcf.espn.com
Men's Health videos 1
glimmer.hearstapps.com
Storage location → Switzerland
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
Warning
Enabling this feature may break compatibility with Yahoo! Mail and cause issues with certain blocklists.
Enable CNAME Flattening
Enable Web3 → (optional)
Click here to get started.
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.
- 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 |
| Android | Brave | Built-in blocker |
| Windows macOS Linux |
Firefox (with Betterfox) | uBlock Origin Built-in blocker or uBlock Origin |
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
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.
IVPN argues you only need a VPN for three reasons. Mainly, in order to:
-
Hide your real IP address from websites and peer-to-peer networks, which prevents ISPs and mobile carriers from tracking your online activity.
-
Guard against man in the middle and other common attacks on public Wi-Fi networks in places like airports, hotels, cafes, and libraries.
-
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.
- 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
