I’ve been working with a distributed team for years, which means I’m constantly thinking about network performance and privacy across different connections. Recently I discovered DNS Easy Switcher, a lightweight menu bar app that solves a problem I didn’t realize needed fixing until I tried it.
Most people never think about DNS servers after their initial internet setup, but your DNS provider affects both your browsing speed and privacy. DNS Easy Switcher makes it trivial to switch between popular DNS providers like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Quad9 (9.9.9.9), AdGuard (94.140.14.14), and GetFlix, depending on what you need at the moment. The app includes a speed testing feature that helps you identify which DNS server performs best from your current location, which is particularly useful when working from different networks.
The app lives in your menu bar and requires administrator authentication each time you switch DNS settings, which is a necessary security measure. Touch ID support makes this quick on compatible Macs. Beyond the preset providers, you can configure custom DNS servers if you run your own or prefer a specific service. The app also includes a DNS cache flushing tool, which comes in handy when troubleshooting connectivity issues or testing configuration changes.
I’ve been using DNS Easy Switcher on my Mac Mini M4 running macOS 14 Sonoma for the past few weeks. The app handles both IPv4 and IPv6 configurations, and all your settings persist locally on your device. The developer clearly states that DNS Easy Switcher doesn’t collect any data or phone home, which aligns with the privacy-conscious approach that makes DNS switching useful in the first place.
Performance impact is negligible. The app uses minimal system resources when idle, and switching between DNS providers takes only a few seconds once you authenticate. One practical use case is switching to AdGuard DNS when you want ad blocking at the network level, then back to Cloudflare or Quad9 for maximum speed when streaming or downloading large files.
The interface is straightforward without unnecessary decoration. You get a menu bar icon, a dropdown list of DNS providers, speed test results, and the ability to add custom servers. That’s exactly what the app needs and nothing more. Installation is simple via Homebrew (brew install —cask dns-easy-switcher) or direct download from the GitHub releases page.
DNS Easy Switcher is free and open-source under the MIT license, maintained by developer glinford with contributions from the community. It requires macOS 14.0 or later and works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. The app receives regular updates, with the most recent version addressing user feedback and improving compatibility.
For anyone who travels frequently, works remotely across different networks, or simply wants more control over their DNS configuration, this app provides immediate utility. It’s particularly valuable if you’re already using multiple DNS providers but tired of manually changing them in System Settings each time.
