How to change DNS settings to fix Apex Legends connection issues

Matt Porter
Wraith and Loba shooting in Apex Legends.

Nothing is more frustrating than suffering from connection issues while playing Apex Legends, but if Season 6 has been particularly rough, there’s some simple changes you can make to your system’s DNS settings that can help. 

We’ve all been there. You’re running into an intense gunfight, weapon ready to beam your enemies when you get a massive lag spike, and before you know it, you’re down on the ground and heading back to the lobby.

When this happens every now and then it’s frustrating, but when it’s a constant issue, it can be enough to drive anybody mad. With some players reporting connection issues since the start of Season 6, some players have been desperate to find a solution.

One of the easiest ways to attempt to fix these problems is to play with your DNS settings, with EA forum user Zeelmaekers actually providing information on how to do this, and the best settings to use if you want to try it.

Bangalore pointing her weapon in Apex Legends
There’s an easy fix for Apex Legends connection issues.

The good news is that this is possible on every platform, so PC, Xbox, and PS4 players can all give it a go and use the developer’s preferred DNS settings. You can read step-by-step guides for each platform below.

How to change Apex Legends DNS settings on PC

  1. Click on the Windows icon, select Network Connections, and select the Ethernet tab.
  2. Select ‘Change adapter options,’ and scroll down to the ‘Internet protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)’ option.
  3. At the bottom, you will find DNS settings. Enter ‘8.8.8.8‘ as preferred DNS, and ‘8.8.4.4‘ as the alternative.
  4. Find Internet Protocol version 6, and enter ‘2001:4860:4860::8888‘ as preferred, and ‘2001:4860:4860::8844‘ as alternative DNS.

How to change Apex Legends DNS settings on Xbox One

  1. On the Xbox home screen, select Settings.
  2. Go to Network, then Advanced Settings, then DNS settings, and click ‘manual.’
  3. Fill in ‘8.8.8.8‘ as the preferred DNS server, and then ‘8.8.4.4‘ as the alternate.

How to change Apex Legends DNS settings on PlayStation 4

  1. Scroll to Settings on the PS4 home screen, and select Network.
  2. Click on ‘Set up Internet connection,’ and choose either Wired or Wireless depending on how you connect to the internet.
  3. Then select ‘IP Address Settings (Automatic), DHCP Host Name (Do Not Use), then DNS Settings (Manual).
  4. Type in ‘8.8.8.8‘ as preferred, then ‘8.8.4.4‘ as the alternate.

While this may not completely fix your connection issues, some players on Reddit have reported that they’ve seen a significant reduction in the amount of lag they’re suffering in games.

So, it’s definitely worth trying if Season 6 has been frustrating for you so far.

About The Author

Matt is a former Dexerto writer. Hailing from Northern Ireland, he is games journalist who specializes in Call of Duty. Matt joined Dexerto in August 2018, covering a variety of games as a Senior Writer before moving to CharlieINTEL in 2020.