In today’s era, where data theft is very common, protecting the information sent over the browser can be a bit risky. Thankfully in the past years, browsers have managed to implement various privacy features to eliminate data theft to a minimum. Be it third party tracking, blocking the malicious ads, spyware, and malicious cookies.
You can pretty much control all these privacy features. Among those features is the DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH). Google chrome has recently implemented this feature. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate to you how to enable DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in Google Chrome, including all the required information that you must know about DoH.
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What is DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) & How Is It Different From Normal DNS?
DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) is a privacy and security protocol that was introduced recently. For those who are not well aware of a DNS protocol.
When you type any website name and hit Enter. The DNS protocol sends a request to the DNS server which in return tells the numeric IP address of the web server, which hosts the website that you have entered in the browser.
Now, DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) do exactly the same thing, just with everything secured, or we can say encrypted. Normal DNS requests can easily be seen or tracked by third-party websites, observers, or hackers because the request is in plain text.
However, when the DoH is enabled, all the queries and packets are secured as HTTPS. So it becomes impossible to see the requests, resulting in safe, secure, and protected browsing.
Benefits of DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)
Since the main purpose of the DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) is to make your browsing more secure. It surely brings some benefits which you can go through below.
- You will be protected against the various third-party trackers and observers who pretty much can see all the DNS requests that you make.
- All the requests, as well as responses that you will send or get, will be protected as the HTTPS packet.
- DoH helps in minimizing common login and authentication issue such as err_empty_response and similar other errors.
- Since everything is encrypted and no traffic, it will also help you in bypassing DNS based blocking.
- If you have an organization, it gives a sense of trust to all your clients and customers to be involved with your product much comfortably.
- Compatibility and Implementing DoH is easy, so you do not have to configure anything at a deeper level.
How to Enable DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in Google Chrome
Now that you know all about the DoH and its benefits, the final thing is to enable it. Although enabling the DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in Google Chrome is not too hard, but some of the users find it a little complex procedure. For your ease, below are all the important steps that you require to enable this feature.
There are basically two ways by which you can enable this feature on Google chrome. Both of them have been demonstrated below. Just make sure to follow each step carefully.
1. Using the Google Chrome Settings
In this method, we will manually enable the DoH by going into the Chrome settings. For easier understanding, follow the below steps.
Step 1: While the chrome browser in running, move your cursor to the 3-dot menu on the top right.
Step 2: Click on it, and from the menu, click on Settings.
Step 3: Now, on the left, click on Privacy and Security.
Step 4: On the right, under the Privacy and Security section, click on Security.
Step 5: Now scroll down a little till you see Use secure DNS setting.
Step 6: Firstly, turn on the Toggle, then choose the 2nd option.
Step 7: From the drop-down menu, choose Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).
Step 8. Once selected, you are done. DoH is now active on your chrome browser.
2. Using the Chrome Properties
Although the first method is quite easy in itself, this method is easier. You simply have to paste a code that enables the DoH in the chrome properties. Now, whenever you launch the app, it will run with DoH active. Follow the steps.
Step 1: Make sure that the Chrome browser is not running.
Step 2: Now, on the desktop or the taskbar, wherever the shortcut file is, right-click on it.
Step 3: Go to the Properties once the Properties window is opened up.
Step 4: Click on the Shortcut tab.
Step 5: Now move your cursor to the Target field, and paste the below code at the end of the already present text.
–enable-features=”dns-over-https<DoHTrial” –force-fieldtrials=”DoHTrial/Group1″ –force-fieldtrial-params=”DoHTrial.Group1:server/https%3A%2F%2F1.1.1.1%2Fdns-query/method/POST
Step 6: Once the code is pasted, apply the changes.
Step 7: Now, you can run the chrome with DoH active.
Wrapping Up
DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) is definitely a good move in the direction of secured browsing. It prevents the user from being tracked by the website or observers. The article talks briefly about what DoH is. And how it is beneficial to a user or an organization. Furthermore, the guide deeply tells the two ways to enable the feature on your chrome browser.
Hopefully, all your queries have been answered. Thank You!
