How to Enable and Configure Secure DNS (DNS over HTTPS) in Microsoft Edge

Whenever you navigate to a website in a web browser, your computer translates the human-readable domain name (such as digitash.com) into a numerical IP address using Domain Name System (DNS) queries. By default, legacy DNS queries are transmitted in plain, unencrypted text over UDP/TCP port 53. This exposes your browsing habits to local network eavesdroppers, Wi-Fi snooping, and Internet Service Providers (ISPs), who can log, redirect, or tamper with your requests. To prevent this security and privacy vulnerability, Microsoft Edge includes native support for Secure DNS (DNS over HTTPS or DoH). Enabling DoH encrypts your DNS lookup queries inside HTTPS packets, keeping your browsing destinations strictly confidential.

Why You Should Use Secure DNS in Microsoft Edge

Activating DNS over HTTPS offers critical privacy and security enhancements:

• Eavesdropping Protection: Encrypts domain queries so that rogue hotspot operators, ISPs, and network intermediaries cannot compile profiles of the websites you visit.
• Tamper and Hijacking Prevention: Protects against DNS spoofing and cache poisoning attacks, ensuring that you always reach the authentic destination server rather than a fraudulent phishing clone.
• Malware and Phishing Filtering: Reputable Secure DNS resolvers (such as Cloudflare, Quad9, or CleanBrowsing) actively block malicious domains, command-and-control servers, and adult content at the DNS level before pages even load.

Step 1: Open Edge Privacy and Security Settings

To configure DNS over HTTPS on Windows, macOS, or Linux versions of Microsoft Edge:

1. Launch Microsoft Edge.
2. Click the Settings and more button (the three horizontal dots ...) in the top-right corner of the window.
3. Select Settings from the drop-down menu.
4. In the left-hand navigation sidebar, click on Privacy, search, and services.
5. Scroll down the main page until you reach the Security section.

Step 2: Turn On Secure DNS in Microsoft Edge

Within the Security section, locate the setting labelled Use secure DNS to specify how to lookup the network address for websites:

1. Toggle the switch to the On position.
2. Once activated, Edge provides two operational modes for resolving DNS queries:
   • Use current service provider: Edge checks whether your operating system’s configured DNS resolver supports DNS over HTTPS. If supported, it upgrades the connection to encrypted DoH; otherwise, it falls back to standard DNS.
   • Choose a service provider: Forces Edge to bypass your local ISP resolver and route all browser DNS requests through an encrypted third-party provider over HTTPS.

Step 3: Select or Customise a Third-Party Secure DNS Provider

To guarantee end-to-end encryption regardless of your local network environment, select Choose a service provider:

Option A: Choosing from Pre-Configured Resolvers

Click inside the Enter custom provider field or click the drop-down menu to select one of Edge’s built-in trusted providers:

• Cloudflare (1.1.1.1): Ultra-fast global resolution focused on speed and strict privacy guarantees (no client IP logging).
  https://chrome.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query
• Quad9 (Recommended for Threat Protection): Automatically blocks known malware, phishing domains, and spyware using global threat intelligence feeds.
  https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query
• CleanBrowsing (Family Filter): Automatically blocks adult content and forces SafeSearch across Google and Bing.
  https://doh.cleanbrowsing.org/doh/family-filter/
• Google Public DNS: High-reliability global infrastructure with DoH support.
  https://dns.google/dns-query

Option B: Configuring Custom NextDNS or AdGuard DoH Endpoints

If you use a personalised DNS service like NextDNS or AdGuard DNS with bespoke ad-blocking and tracker filtering rules:

1. Copy your custom DoH URL from your DNS dashboard (for example, https://dns.nextdns.io/your_id).
2. Paste the URL directly into the Enter custom provider text box in Edge.
3. Edge immediately validates the endpoint URL and displays a checkmark indicating that custom encrypted DNS is active.

Step 4: Verify That DNS over HTTPS Is Active and Working

After configuring Secure DNS, verify that your browser is indeed routing queries through encrypted tunnels:

1. Visit the official Cloudflare Connection Check tool at https://one.one.one.one/help/.
2. Inspect the diagnostic report:
   • Using DNS over HTTPS (DoH): Should indicate Yes.
   • Using DNS over TLS (DoT): Typically No for browser-level DoH.
   • Connected to 1.1.1.1: Indicates Yes if Cloudflare was selected.
3. Alternatively, if you chose Quad9, visit https://on.quad9.net/ to confirm that queries are protected and routed via Quad9 secure infrastructure.

Troubleshooting Secure DNS Issues in Microsoft Edge

• “This setting is managed by your organisation”: In corporate or enterprise environments, network administrators frequently manage DNS settings via Group Policy or Intune (policy DnsOverHttpsMode). If managed, personal customisation in Edge settings is restricted.
• Captive Portals and Public Wi-Fi Logins Fail: When connecting to hotel, airport, or cafe Wi-Fi that requires a login splash screen, strict third-party DoH may prevent the local network gateway from intercepting DNS to present the authentication portal. Temporarily switch Edge to “Use current service provider” until logged in, then re-enable custom DoH.
• Slow Page Loads or Timeouts: If a custom DoH provider suffers downtime or high latency, websites will fail to resolve. Switch back to a high-availability resolver like Cloudflare or Quad9.