DNS Filtering
DNS Filtering
Block ads, malware, adult content, and social media at the DNS level. Protect your entire device with powerful, network-wide content filtering that works across all apps and browsers.
What is DNS Filtering?
DNS filtering works by intercepting domain name lookups and blocking requests to known harmful, unwanted, or inappropriate domains. When an app or browser tries to reach a blocked domain, the DNS resolver simply returns a null response, preventing the connection from ever being established.
This approach is highly effective because it works at the network level, covering every app, browser, and service on your device without requiring individual ad blockers or per-app configuration.
Ad Blocking
Block advertisements across all apps and websites. Enjoy a cleaner, faster browsing experience.
Malware Protection
Prevent connections to known malware distribution domains and command-and-control servers.
Adult Content
Filter adult and explicit content at the DNS level. Ideal for family devices and parental controls.
Social Media
Block social media platforms to reduce distractions and improve productivity during work hours.
Filter Categories
OrbVPN provides several filter categories that can be enabled independently. Toggle each category on or off based on your specific needs.
Ads and Trackers
Block advertising networks and tracking domains across all applications. This filter removes banner ads, pop-ups, video ads, and invisible tracking pixels that follow you across websites.
Faster Page Loads
Removing ads and trackers reduces the amount of data loaded on each page, resulting in noticeably faster browsing.
Privacy Boost
Blocking tracking domains prevents advertisers from building a profile of your online behavior.
Malware and Phishing
Automatically block connections to domains known to distribute malware, ransomware, or host phishing pages. The block list is updated continuously with threat intelligence feeds.
Critical Security Layer
DNS-based malware blocking acts as your first line of defense. Even if you accidentally click a malicious link, the connection will be blocked before any harmful content can reach your device.
Adult Content
Filter explicit and adult websites across all browsers and applications. This category blocks access to adult content domains, making it suitable for shared family devices or organizational deployments.
Social Media
Block access to social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, and others. This filter is useful for maintaining focus during work hours or limiting screen time.
Gambling
Block access to online gambling and betting platforms. This filter helps users avoid gambling sites and can be part of a responsible digital habits strategy.
How to Enable DNS Filtering
Open DNS Settings
Launch OrbVPN and navigate to Settings > DNS to access the DNS management screen.
Find DNS Filtering
Scroll to the DNS Filtering section. You will see individual toggles for each filter category.
Enable Categories
Toggle on the filter categories you want to activate. Each category works independently, so you can enable ad blocking without enabling adult content filtering, or vice versa.
Verify Filtering is Active
Visit a known ad-heavy website to confirm that ads are being blocked. The OrbVPN app also displays filtering statistics showing blocked queries.
Recommended Filters
For most users, enabling Ads and Trackers and Malware and Phishing provides significant benefits with zero downside. These filters improve both your browsing experience and your security.
How DNS Filtering Works
Understanding the technical process helps you appreciate why DNS filtering is both effective and efficient.
App Makes DNS Request
When any app on your device tries to load content, it first sends a DNS query to resolve the domain name to an IP address.
OrbVPN Intercepts the Query
OrbVPN's DNS resolver receives the query and checks the requested domain against its active filter lists.
Decision: Allow or Block
If the domain matches a blocked category, the resolver returns a null response. If the domain is safe, the query proceeds normally.
Result Delivered
Allowed domains load as expected. Blocked domains simply fail to connect, and the ad space, tracker, or malicious page never loads.
Use Cases
Family Protection
Enable adult content and gambling filters to create a safe browsing environment for children on shared devices.
Productivity Boost
Block social media during work hours to eliminate distractions and improve focus throughout the day.
Security Hardening
Enable malware and phishing filters as an additional security layer alongside your antivirus software.
Bandwidth Savings
Blocking ads and trackers reduces data consumption, which is especially valuable on mobile data plans.
Troubleshooting
Legitimate Site Blocked
Some legitimate sites may share domains with ad networks. If a site you trust is blocked, check the whitelist settings or temporarily disable the relevant filter.
Ads Still Appearing
Some ads are served from first-party domains that cannot be blocked without breaking the host website. DNS filtering blocks most, but not all, ad delivery methods.
App Not Working
Certain apps rely on advertising or tracking domains to function. If an app breaks, try disabling the Ads filter temporarily to identify the cause.
Filter Not Activating
Ensure DNS Filtering is toggled on and that no conflicting DNS configuration is active on your device or router.
Filter List Updates
OrbVPN automatically updates its DNS filter lists with the latest threat intelligence and domain categorizations. No manual updates are required on your part.
Browse Cleaner, Safer, Faster
DNS Filtering removes ads, blocks malware, and filters unwanted content across your entire device. Enable it today for a dramatically better internet experience.