How to change DNS-server on the Xiaomi phone: instructions for MIUI 12/13/14

Change of change DNS-Xiaomi’s servers are a simple but highly effective procedure that can radically improve your online experience, whether you want to bypass regional locks, speed up site loading or protect your data from surveillance, the right settings are available. DNS They'll help solve these problems, unlike computers, where the shift is the same. DNS It takes a few clicks, MIUI This process has its nuances, especially if we are talking about mobile Internet or Wi-Fi with limited rights.

In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of changing DNS on Xiaomi, Redmi and other devices POCO β€” standardized MIUI 14 to alternative methods using third-party apps.You'll learn which DNS-It is better to choose servers for different tasks, how to check their operability and what to do if changes do not apply.

Why to change DNS to Xiaomi and what problems solve it

By default, your Xiaomi smartphone uses DNS-servers provided by your ISP. This is not always the best option, because the ISP DNS frequently:

  • 🐒 Stop loading sites due to congestion or suboptimal routing;
  • 🚫 Block access to certain resources (social networks, messengers, torrents);
  • πŸ‘οΈ They are monitoring your activity – some providers are logging DNS-request;
  • 🌍 Geolocation restrictions – for example, do not allow Netflix to watch USA YouTube Premium from another country.

Alternatives DNS-Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) and Google (8.8.8.8) are known for their speed and stability, while AdGuard are known for their speed and stability. DNS Blocking Advertising and Trackers at Level DNS. To circumvent censorship, CleanBrowsing or specialized servers such as 76.76.76.76 (from ControlD) are often used).

It’s important to understand that changing the DNS does not speed up the Internet connection itself (it depends on the provider), but reduces the response time of sites (ping) and reduces the number of β€œhangs” when loading pages. According to tests by independent laboratories, properly configured DNS can reduce the time of opening web pages by 20-50%.

πŸ“Š What? DNS You are using Xiaomi?
Provider (by default)
Google (8.8.8.8)
Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)
AdGuard DNS
Other

Preparing for DNS Change: What You Need to Know Before Setup

Before you start changing your DNS, follow a few steps:

Write down the current network settings (in case of rollbacks)|Check the version. MIUI In Settings β†’ The phone.|Connect to a stable Wi-Fi or mobile network|Choose alternatives DNS-servers (see table below)|Turn it off. VPN, if he's active-->

Pay special attention to the choice DNS-Below are the proven versions with their key features:

DNS-serverIP-address (IPv4)FeaturesBetter for you.
Cloudflare1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1The fastest on DNSPerf tests, supports DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)Speed, privacy
Google Public DNS8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4High stability, but gathers data for analyticsReliability, bypassing locks
AdGuard DNS94.140.14.14, 94.140.15.15Blocks ads, trackers and phishing sitesSecurity, protection from fraudsters
OpenDNS208.67.222.222, 208.67.220.220Content filtering (you can configure Family Mode)Parental control

Critically, if you use mobile internet (3G/4G/5G), some operators (such as MegaFon or Beeline) can ignore user DNS and force traffic to their servers, in which case only VPNs or special applications like DNS Changer will help.

⚠️ Note: On devices with corporate profiles MDM (e.g. work telephones) modification DNS It can be blocked by the administrator. Check if such restrictions are in the Settings β†’ Accounts. β†’ Working profile.

Method 1: Change your DNS with Wi-Fi settings (MIUI 12/13/14)

It’s the easiest method that works on all modern Xiaomi smartphones, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11. The instructions are relevant to MIUI 12–14:

  1. Open the Settings. β†’ Wi-Fi.
  2. Click on your network name (not the switch!).
  3. Scroll down and select Change Network (or Additional Settings on older versions).
  4. Enable the option to show additional parameters.
  5. In the DNS 1 and DNS 2 field, enter the addresses of the selected servers (e.g., 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1).
  6. Press Save.

If the DNS field is missing or blocked, it means that your router is configured to force the use of its DNS (DHCP Force option), in which case change the settings on the router itself or use Method 3 (DNS change applications).

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After the shift DNS Some sites (e.g., banking sites) have stopped opening, return settings back and try another server" DNS.

To check the performance of new DNS:

  1. Open your browser and go to the DNS Leak Test site.
  2. Press Extended Test.
  3. If your new DNS is displayed in the results, the setup was successful.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Chinese) after the change DNS The Internet may be lost when connecting to some public Wi-Fi (such as cafes or airports), this is due to forced authorization through the capture portal, the solution is to temporarily return automatic settings. DNS.

Method 2: Configure DNS for mobile Internet (3G/4G/5G)

You can't change the DNS for the mobile network directly through MIUI settings -- it just doesn't provide that option.

Method 1: Use the Private DNS application (Android 9+)

Starting with Android 9 Pie, the system has built-in Private DNS, which encrypts DNS requests using the DNS-over-TLS (DoT) protocol, not only changing DNS, but also protecting them from interception:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Connections β†’ Additional β†’ Private DNS.
  2. Select the host name of the private DNS provider.
  3. Enter the address of one of the servers: dns.google for Google DNS; 1dot1dot1dot1.cloudflare-dns.com for Cloudflare; dns.adguard.com for AdGuard DNS.

Save the settings.

This method works on all Xiaomi with Android 9 and newer, including Redmi 10, POCO F4 And the Mi 11 Lite, which is the main advantage of encryption, and the disadvantage is not all of it. DNS-Providers support DoT.

Method 2: Applications for Forced DNS Change

If your Xiaomi is running Android 8 or older, or you need advanced settings, use specialized apps:

  • πŸ”„ DNS Changer – Supports profiles, speed testing DNS, work-in;
  • πŸ›‘οΈ 1.1.1.1: Faster Internet (from Cloudflare) – a simple interface, built-in VPN;
  • πŸš€ NextDNS – allows you to create custom filters to block sites.

Example of settings in DNS Changer:

  1. Download the app from Google Play.
  2. Open it and grant permission to create it. VPN-Connection (this is necessary to redirect traffic).
  3. Choose the right ones. DNS-servers from the list or add your own.
  4. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
Why do apps need VPN rights?
Apps like this DNS Changer is created locally VPN-tunnel not for encrypting traffic, but for redirecting DNS-This is safe, as all traffic (except for the traffic) DNS) It's going directly, without intermediaries, but some antiviruses can give false positives to these applications.

Method 3: Manually modifying DNS via ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work (e.g. on custom firmware or restricted devices), you can change the DNS via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer connection and enabled USB debugging.

Instructions:

  1. Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Go to Settings β†’ About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Go back to Settings β†’ Additional β†’ For Developers. Activate Debugging on USB.

Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the device.

adb shell settings put global private_dns_specifier hostname

Replace the hostname with your address DNS-Provider (e.g. dns.google).

adb shell settings put global private_dns_mode hostname


adb shell settings put global private_dns_specifier 1.1.1.1

This method is applicable to any Xiaomi device, including the Redmi K50 and POCO F3 GT, but requires minimal knowledge of working with ADB.

adb shell settings get global private_dns_specifier

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Chinese) after use ADB You can reset your network settings. Before experimenting, back up your settings. β†’ System system β†’ Backup.

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ADB-The only way to change the method DNS It's a system-level, rootless mobile Internet, but it requires reconfiguration after each reset.

Problems After DNS Change and Solutions

Even after you set up your DNS properly, you may run into problems, and let’s look at typical scenarios and how to fix them:

Problem.Possible causeDecision
The Internet is working, but websites are not open.DNS-The server is blocked by the provider or does not respondTry a different DNS (e.g., 8.8.4.4 to 1.0.0.1)
Connection is there, but the speed has dropped.Selected DNS-servers are geographicallyUse a server with minimal ping (check on GRC DNS Benchmark)
DNS reset after rebootingReset default settings (especially on custom firmware)Use applications like DNS Changer or configure DNS on your router
Banking applications or instant messengers do not workSome applications block access when using β€œnon-standard” DNSAdd exceptions to DNS settings or return standard settings

If the Internet is completely lost after the DNS change:

  1. Check if you have entered correctly IP-addresses (without spaces and typos).
  2. Make sure you don’t use it. IPv6-addresses on a network where it is not supported.
  3. Restart the router and phone.
  4. Return your DNS settings to Automatically and try another server.

To diagnose problems, use the ADB command:

adb shell ping -c 4 8.8.8.8

If the ping goes through but the sites don't open - the problem is definitely in the DNS. If there is no ping, check your network settings or contact your provider.

Additional tips on network optimization on Xiaomi

Changing the DNS is just part of the network setup, so you can get the best performance.

  • πŸ“Ά Turn off automatic network selection in Settings β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks β†’ Select the network and manually select the operator (for example, MTS 4G car).
  • πŸ”„ Reset your network settings every 2-3 months: Settings β†’ System system β†’ Reset β†’ Resetting network settings.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Use DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in your browser (e.g., Firefox or Chrome with the extension) DNS Over HTTPS).
  • πŸ“± Turn off the "Smart Transition" in Settings β†’ Wi-Fi β†’ Additionally, this feature can cause delays when switching between Wi-Fi and mobile network.

For Xiaomi devices with dual SIM-For example, the Redmi Note 11 Pro+) You can set up individual DNS each SIM:

  1. Install the DNS Changer application.
  2. In the application settings, select Rules β†’ Per App DNS.
  3. Add a rule for a specific application (like Telegram) with the desired DNS.

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On devices with MIUI 13/14 there is a hidden feature "Game Turbo", which can conflict with custom DNS. If after activation of the Game Turbo Internet disappeared, turn it off in Settings β†’ Special features β†’ Game Turbo.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing DNS to Xiaomi

Can you change your DNS to Xiaomi without root rights?
Yes, all of the methods described in this article (except for ADB for mobile Internet) work without root, and for most tasks, standard Wi-Fi settings or applications like DNS Changer are sufficient.
How to return standard DNS if the Internet is lost after the changes?
For Wi-Fi: Go to network settings and select Automatically (DHCP) field DNS. For mobile Internet, disable the application for changing DNS Or run the command: adb shell settings delete global private_dns_specifier
Which DNS is better to choose to bypass the locks in Russia?
76.76.76.76 (ControlD) – optimized for Russia; 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare + blocking malicious sites); 84.200.69.80, 84.200.70.40 (DNS.WATCH). However, remember that some resources (for example, Tinkoff or SberBank Online) can block access when using foreign DNS.
Why do some websites open more slowly after the DNS change?
This is due to DNS caching. The first time you visit a site after changing the DNS, you may experience a delay (up to 5-10 seconds) because the cache is empty. Over time, the speed normalizes. To speed up the process, clear the DNS cache in the browser or restart the phone.
Can I use different DNSs for Wi-Fi and mobile internet?
Yes, DNS settings for Wi-Fi and mobile are independent, for example, you can use Cloudflare on Wi-Fi and AdGuard DNS for mobile internet (via the DNS Changer app).