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DNS Leak Test

Check your DNS. Understand your connection. Take the next step.

EXTENDED DNS CHECKChecking your DNS

Let’s check your connection.

We’re checking your public IP and the DNS resolvers this browser uses.

Extended test · usually about 35 seconds.

About this test & privacy

This extended test sends six fresh hostname requests, spread over five seconds, then observes DNS resolver egress for 30 seconds. An early result appears after three seconds without a change in observations; it can update until the check ends. It samples this browser, not every app or DNS request on your device. A public resolver, different country or missing VPN classification is not by itself proof of a DNS leak.

The public-IP check identifies the HTTPS connection seen by our IP service. Resolver classifications describe the outgoing DNS addresses, not the route between your device and those resolvers.

DNS test results expire on the test service after two minutes. Displayed results stay in page memory until replaced by a new test or you leave. Guided comparison samples are removed when you exit or restart the comparison, or leave the page. Network metadata may be cached server-side for up to 15 minutes. Flags are embedded locally.

Privacy policy

What is a DNS leak?

A DNS leak happens when DNS requests travel outside the VPN connection you expect them to use. Those requests can reveal the domain names you look up to the DNS service handling them, even when other traffic uses the VPN.

This test shows which resolvers reached our service during this browser’s test lookups. Their addresses and network classifications help you investigate your setup, but cannot establish the traffic’s route on their own.

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Understand your DNS test results

Use these three pointers to understand the resolver addresses you see and what this browser-based test can tell you.

A resolver, not your device

The address belongs to the resolver’s outgoing connection to our test service. It may differ from the DNS server listed in your device settings because requests can pass through forwarders or resolver pools.

A location estimate

A resolver’s estimated country can differ from your location or VPN server. Anycast, shared infrastructure and geolocation accuracy can affect the result. A different country is not proof of a leak.

A sample of this browser

Other apps may use different DNS settings. Public resolvers and multiple addresses are not automatically a problem. This test does not verify DNS encryption, VPN routing or every request from your device.

Make DNS part of your privacy check.

Explore ZeusVPN, follow the setup guide for your device, and compare what this browser observes before and after connecting.

Explore ZeusVPN Learn about DNS leak protection

One browser. Two connection states.

Keep the same browser, network and Secure DNS settings for both runs. Change only your VPN connection so the comparison is easier to interpret.

01

Start the guided check

Select “Start guided comparison” above. When you are comfortable testing without the VPN, disconnect it, confirm its status in the app, then select “VPN is off — test now”. Your completed sample is saved automatically for the next step.

02

Connect and test again

Follow step 2: connect your VPN and wait for its app to confirm the connection. Select “VPN is on — test again”. Both checks use the extended test automatically.

03

Check what you expected

Shared addresses deserve a closer look if you expected different DNS, but can also be normal with Secure DNS or shared resolvers. Changed addresses show a different sample, not proof of complete protection.

Every check uses an extended sample: six fresh probes over five seconds, followed by 30 seconds of observation. Extra time does not guarantee finding intermittent leaks or every configured resolver.

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Unexpected result? Check these four things.

Work through these steps, then run the test again. A red or amber result is a reason to review your setup.

STEP 01

Confirm your VPN connection

Check the connection in your VPN app. If the test says no VPN was detected, reconnect and check whether split tunneling excludes your browser. Network classifications can miss some VPNs.

STEP 02

Review your DNS settings

If you see public DNS or the same addresses before and after connecting, check browser Secure DNS, custom device DNS and router settings. Compare these with your VPN provider’s guidance. Record original settings before changing them.

STEP 03

Run a fresh comparison

Keep the browser, network and DNS settings unchanged between samples; change only the VPN connection. If the test is incomplete, confirm websites load and try again. After several rapid tests, wait at least a minute.

STEP 04

Get help if results still differ

Contact your VPN provider with your device, browser, observed providers and expected DNS setup. A country difference or a hosting label alone cannot establish a leak. Do not share account credentials or test read keys.

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Browse ZeusVPN setup guidesLearn about DNS leak protection

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers about your DNS test results, public resolvers and VPN comparisons.

Not from resolver addresses alone. It can show which resolver egress addresses reached this service for the browser’s test lookups. Establishing an unintended DNS path also requires knowing your intended setup and how the traffic was routed.

The extended DNS check usually takes about 35 seconds. It sends six unique test hostnames over five seconds, then observes for another 30 seconds. Fetching provider and network details can take a few extra seconds. A longer sample is useful, but cannot reveal every DNS request from your device.

Red means no VPN was detected on your public connection, a recognized public DNS provider was observed, or a resolver was classified as a non-VPN network. It is a prompt to review your setup, not a confirmed leak. Green requires both a VPN-detected public connection and VPN classifications for all observed resolvers. Amber covers uncertain labels, hosting networks, privacy networks and incomplete checks. These are network classifications, not proof of the route taken by your DNS traffic. An unknown address is not automatically a leak.

A DNS service may use several outgoing addresses for load balancing, forwarding or redundancy. IPv4 and IPv6 addresses can appear together. The number of addresses does not tell you whether there is a leak.

No. It checks DNS lookups triggered by this browser. Seeing an IPv6 resolver address is not an IPv6 leak verdict. Other apps, IP traffic and WebRTC use different mechanisms and need their own checks.

The DNS test service holds a test’s results for two minutes. Provider and classification metadata may be cached separately for up to 15 minutes. The displayed results and any baseline remain in this page’s memory until replaced by another test, you restart or exit the guided comparison, reload or leave. The comparison is not saved to an account or browser storage. Website data handling is described in the privacy policy.

No. You can run this browser test with or without a VPN. If you use ZeusVPN, confirm your connection in the app and follow the setup guide for your platform before comparing results.