How to Configure DNS over HTTPS on macOS

This guide will help you set up and configure DNS over HTTPS (DoH) on your macOS system, providing complete instructions from basic setup to advanced configuration.

Prerequisites

macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or higher
Administrator privileges
Stable network connection
Basic command-line knowledge

System-level Configuration

Step 1: Using System Settings

Click the Apple menu
Select “System Settings” (or “System Preferences”)
Click “Network”
Select current network connection
Click “Details…”
Select “DNS” tab

Step 2: Configure DNS Servers

Click ”+” button to add DNS servers

Enter the following server addresses:

1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1
2606:4700:4700::1111
2606:4700:4700::1001

Step 3: Terminal Configuration

Open Terminal and run the following commands:

# View current DNS settings
scutil --dns

# Configure DNS servers
networksetup -setdnsservers Wi-Fi 1.1.1.1 1.0.0.1

# Verify settings
networksetup -getdnsservers Wi-Fi

Using Third-party Clients

DNSCrypt-Proxy

Installation

# Install using Homebrew
brew install dnscrypt-proxy

# Or manual installation
curl -L https://github.com/DNSCrypt/dnscrypt-proxy/releases/latest/download/dnscrypt-proxy-macos-amd64.tar.gz | tar xz

Configuration

Edit the dnscrypt-proxy.toml file:

listen_addresses = ['127.0.0.1:53']
server_names = ['cloudflare', 'google']
doh_servers = true
require_dnssec = true
require_nolog = true
require_nofilter = true
force_tcp = false
timeout = 2500
keepalive = 30

Start Service

# Install service
sudo brew services start dnscrypt-proxy

# Or manual start
sudo dnscrypt-proxy -service install
sudo dnscrypt-proxy -service start

Encrypted DNS Profiles

Create Configuration Profile

Create a .mobileconfig file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>PayloadContent</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>DNSSettings</key>
            <dict>
                <key>DNSProtocol</key>
                <string>HTTPS</string>
                <key>ServerURL</key>
                <string>https://cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query</string>
            </dict>
            <key>PayloadDescription</key>
            <string>Configure DNS over HTTPS</string>
            <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
            <string>DNS Settings</string>
            <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
            <string>com.example.dns</string>
            <key>PayloadType</key>
            <string>com.apple.dnsSettings.managed</string>
            <key>PayloadUUID</key>
            <string>A1B2C3D4-E5F6-G7H8-I9J0-K1L2M3N4O5P6</string>
            <key>PayloadVersion</key>
            <integer>1</integer>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>PayloadDescription</key>
    <string>DNS over HTTPS Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadDisplayName</key>
    <string>DoH Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.example.doh</string>
    <key>PayloadRemovalDisallowed</key>
    <false/>
    <key>PayloadType</key>
    <string>Configuration</string>
    <key>PayloadUUID</key>
    <string>Q1R2S3T4-U5V6-W7X8-Y9Z0-A1B2C3D4E5F6</string>
    <key>PayloadVersion</key>
    <integer>1</integer>
</dict>
</plist>

Install Profile
- Double-click the configuration file
- Follow system prompts to install
- Verify in System Settings

Verify Configuration

Method 1: Using Terminal

# Test DNS resolution
dig example.com @127.0.0.1

# Check DNSSEC
dig example.com @127.0.0.1 +dnssec

# Verify DoH server
dig whoami.cloudflare CH TXT @127.0.0.1

Method 2: Using System Tools

Open “Network Utility”
Select “Lookup”
Enter domain name to test
Check resolution results

Method 3: Online Testing

Visit DNS leak test website
Run standard test
Verify DNS request routing

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

DNS Resolution Failure
- Check network connection
- Verify DNS settings
- Restart network service
- Clear DNS cache
Performance Issues
- Choose nearest server
- Optimize cache settings
- Monitor response time
- Check system resources
Configuration Profile Issues
- Verify file format
- Check permission settings
- Reinstall configuration
- Update system version

System Diagnostics

Network Diagnostics

# Test network connectivity
ping 1.1.1.1

# Check routing
traceroute 1.1.1.1

# View network status
networksetup -listallnetworkservices

DNS Diagnostics

# Clear DNS cache
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

# View DNS configuration
scutil --dns

# Test DNS resolution
dig +trace example.com

Best Practices

Provider Selection
- Evaluate privacy policies
- Check service availability
- Consider geographical location
- Test connection speed
Security Recommendations
- Enable DNSSEC
- Use trusted providers
- Regular system updates
- Monitor network activity
Performance Optimization
- Choose nearest servers
- Optimize cache settings
- Monitor performance metrics
- Regular maintenance

Enterprise Deployment

MDM Configuration

Create Configuration Files
- Set up DNS parameters
- Configure security options
- Define deployment scope
- Prepare signing certificates
Deployment Strategy
- Push configuration profiles
- Monitor deployment status
- Handle error reports
- Update configurations

Automated Configuration

Using Scripts

#!/bin/bash
# Configure DoH
configure_doh() {
    # Install required tools
    brew install dnscrypt-proxy

    # Backup configuration
    cp /usr/local/etc/dnscrypt-proxy.toml /usr/local/etc/dnscrypt-proxy.toml.bak

    # Start service
    brew services start dnscrypt-proxy
}

Using Configuration Management Tools

# Ansible example
- name: Configure DNS over HTTPS
  hosts: macos_clients
  tasks:
    - name: Install dnscrypt-proxy
      homebrew:
        name: dnscrypt-proxy
        state: present

    - name: Configure dnscrypt-proxy
      template:
        src: dnscrypt-proxy.toml.j2
        dest: /usr/local/etc/dnscrypt-proxy.toml

Additional Resources

Important Notes

System Compatibility
- Check system version
- Verify hardware requirements
- Test software compatibility
- Evaluate performance impact
Network Impact
- Monitor network latency
- Assess bandwidth usage
- Consider failover options
- Optimize routing settings
Security Considerations
- Protect configuration files
- Restrict access permissions
- Monitor system logs
- Regular security audits
Maintenance Recommendations
- Regular software updates
- Backup configurations
- Monitor system status
- Develop emergency plans

Next Steps

Server List - Browse available DoH providers
Security Guide - Learn more about security configuration
Performance Optimization - Improve DNS performance
FAQ - Get more help