What is a DNS leak?
Every time you open a website, your device performs a DNS lookup to translate the domain name into an IP address. When you use a VPN, those lookups should travel through the VPN's encrypted tunnel. A DNS leak happens when they escape that tunnel and go to your internet service provider (ISP) instead — letting your ISP see every site you visit, even though your IP address is hidden.
How this test works
The test above runs entirely in your browser. It checks how your DNS queries resolve and reports whether they appear to be travelling securely or leaking. Run it once normally, then again with your VPN connected, and compare the results.
What to do if you have a DNS leak
Enable encrypted DNS (DNS-over-HTTPS) in your browser, switch to a privacy-focused DNS provider, and make sure DNS leak protection is enabled in your VPN. Our step-by-step guide, How to Fix DNS Leaks in Chrome, Brave, and Firefox, covers every setting. You can also read what DNS leaks are and why they happen.