Google starts rolling out Secure DNS in Chrome 85 for Android

Abner Li | Sep 2 2020 - 10:49 am PT

Google Chrome for Android in the Play Store

DNS over HTTPS (DoH) makes it so that malicious third-parties cannot see what you’re visiting or redirect you to phishng sites. After introducing to desktop browsers, Google is bringing Secure DNS to Chrome 85 for Android.

Google is not switching users to its own 8.8.8.8 DNS provider, but rather auto-upgrading them to their current DNS provider’s DoH service when available.

This also applies to your current Android Private DNS (DNS-over-TLS) if you have configured one.

This automatic approach will see Chrome “fall back to the regular DNS service of the user’s current provider (including DNS-over-TLS if configured), in order to avoid any disruption, while periodically retrying to secure the DNS communication.”

In settings, users will be able to disable Secure DNS entirely, while those that enabled also have the option to set a custom provider.

The launch of Secure DNS in Chrome for Android will occur slowly to ensure stability and performance, as well as “help DoH providers scale their service accordingly.” On desktops, it was first trialed in Chrome 79 last year before launching in version 83 this May for all other users.

There was some pushback about the feature last year from ISPs, and Google addressed those misconceptions. It notes today how:

While this milestone represents significant progress toward making browsing the web safer and more private, it’s still early days for DNS-over-HTTPS. As such, we remain open to feedback and collaboration with interested parties such as mobile operators and other ISPs, DNS service providers, and Online Child Safety advocates to make further progress in securing DNS.