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Pi-hole is not automatically an incomplete private DNS setup: it filters and caches DNS, then normally forwards requests it does not block or already know to an upstream resolver. What to add depends on what you mean by “private.” For local recursive resolution that avoids sending every query to one public resolver, Pi-hole documents Unbound. To encrypt the connection from Pi-hole to a chosen upstream resolver, it documents dnscrypt-proxy. They address different privacy concerns, and neither makes DNS invisible to every party.
What “private DNS” means with Pi-hole
Pi-hole’s FTL DNS service checks requests against its blocking rules and cache. For a request it needs to resolve, a standard setup sends it to an external upstream DNS service selected in Pi-hole. That upstream handles the recursive work and can see the names it resolves.
There are two distinct ways to change that arrangement:
- Unbound: Pi-hole sends requests to a local resolver, which follows DNS referrals through the hierarchy rather than relying on one configured public recursive resolver for every lookup. This changes who receives the queries; it does not encrypt DNS traffic.
- dnscrypt-proxy: Pi-hole sends requests through a local proxy to a selected upstream using an encrypted DNS protocol. This protects the link between Pi-hole and that resolver, but the resolver still sees the queries it handles.
Choose based on the concern you are addressing. If you want local recursion, follow Pi-hole’s Unbound guide. If you want an encrypted connection to a chosen provider, use its dnscrypt-proxy guide. Some setups may combine approaches, but they are not interchangeable features.
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What Pi-hole plus Unbound changes
With Unbound running on the same device as Pi-hole, Pi-hole can forward requests to a resolver listening locally. Unbound then follows referrals: it contacts root servers to learn where a top-level domain is served, then the relevant TLD servers, and finally the authoritative server for the requested domain. Pi-hole’s example requires no additional hardware.
This avoids sending every queried name to a single large recursive provider. The DNS hierarchy still receives information: root servers see requests concerning TLD delegation, while authoritative servers see queries for names they host. Because this is direct DNS resolution, it is not encrypted; parties able to observe the network path may be able to see or interfere with DNS traffic.
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Pi-hole’s documented sample configures Unbound to listen only on 127.0.0.1 at port 5335, enables UDP and TCP, and validates DNSSEC signatures, discarding domains with bogus signatures. In Pi-hole, the matching custom upstream is 127.0.0.1#5335; the guide instructs users to untick other upstream servers for this configuration. After setup, its verification step is to check Pi-hole’s logs for requests forwarded to 127.0.0.1#5335. Follow the official guide for the complete, current installation and configuration steps rather than treating these example values as a universal configuration.
Unbound’s latency and network requirements
Recursive resolution can take more steps than asking a large resolver that already has a warm cache. Pi-hole’s guide, dated September 12, 2026, says a first request for a previously unknown TLD may take up to a second or more, especially when DNSSEC is also used; subsequent requests under that TLD usually complete in less than 0.1 seconds. These are figures from the guide, not independent measurements or a performance guarantee for a particular network. Pi-hole and Unbound both cache answers to reduce repeated work.
Before relying on direct recursion, check that the host running Unbound can reach root servers over both UDP and TCP on port 53. Pi-hole warns that an ISP may redirect outbound port 53, a router or filtering product may intercept DNS, and some CG-NAT implementations may drop TCP DNS traffic. Such interference can prevent recursion from working as expected.
Pi-hole’s guide provides dig checks against the root server at 198.41.0.4. In its explanation, an authoritative-answer flag (aa) without a recursion-available flag (ra) helps indicate that the response came directly from a root server rather than a recursive intermediary. Use the exact commands and interpretation in the official network-check section; if the checks fail, investigate DNS interception or blocked UDP/TCP port 53 before assuming Unbound itself is misconfigured.
When encrypted upstream DNS is the better fit
If the goal is to protect the Pi-hole-to-upstream connection from interception or man-in-the-middle attacks, dnscrypt-proxy is the relevant documented option. Pi-hole’s guide describes using it with DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) or other encrypted DNS protocols, with the proxy listening locally on port 5053 in its example and Pi-hole set to 127.0.0.1#5053.
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The encryption protects the connection to the selected upstream; it does not stop that upstream provider from seeing the DNS queries it resolves. Pi-hole’s documentation explicitly notes this limitation for DoH in its cloudflared guide. The current dnscrypt-proxy installation instructions cover Debian 13 Trixie and Ubuntu 25 Plucky Puffin and later; for other distributions, Pi-hole points readers to the guide’s distribution guidance.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How the options differ
| Option | Who receives DNS requests | Is the Pi-hole-to-resolution path encrypted? | Latency and caching | Port 53 interception risk | Setup considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pi-hole with a configured public upstream | The selected upstream recursive DNS provider receives queries Pi-hole forwards to it. | Depends on the chosen upstream and configuration; ordinary DNS forwarding is not encrypted. | The upstream may have a warm cache; Pi-hole also caches answers locally. | Ordinary DNS traffic may be intercepted or redirected on the network path. | Choose an upstream in Pi-hole’s settings; see Pi-hole’s upstream DNS providers guide. |
| Pi-hole with Unbound | The DNS hierarchy receives requests in stages: root servers, TLD servers, and authoritative servers for the queried domain. | No. Direct recursion is not encrypted. | Initial resolution can take longer; Pi-hole and Unbound cache answers. | Direct DNS reachability over UDP and TCP port 53 is required; network interception or blocking can disrupt it. | Run locally, configure Pi-hole to use the local listener, and verify forwarding in logs. |
| Pi-hole with dnscrypt-proxy | The selected upstream resolver receives the queries it resolves. | Yes, when using the documented encrypted DNS protocol between the proxy and upstream. | Depends on the chosen resolver and cache behavior; the cited guide gives no comparative latency benchmark. | The encrypted upstream connection changes the transport, but local DNS and network configuration still need to be correct. | Pi-hole’s example uses a local listener on port 5053; installation steps vary by supported distribution. |
Why not follow the older cloudflared recipe?
Pi-hole’s cloudflared documentation carries a deprecation warning for the proxy-DNS feature used in its guide. It says the feature was deprecated in November 2025, existing installations remain supported for 12 months after their release date, and updates after February 2, 2026 will no longer work as described. Pi-hole does not recommend new installations using that method. If you want encrypted upstream DNS, use the maintained path documented in Pi-hole’s dnscrypt-proxy guide instead.
Which setup should you choose?
- Choose Unbound if your priority is to avoid sending all forwarded queries to one public recursive provider and your network permits direct DNS traffic to the hierarchy.
- Choose dnscrypt-proxy if your priority is encrypting DNS between Pi-hole and a chosen upstream resolver, and you accept that provider can see the queries it resolves.
- Keep Pi-hole’s standard upstream arrangement if filtering and caching meet your needs and neither additional property is required.
Neither option makes DNS wholly private in every sense. Unbound changes the resolution path but leaves DNS unencrypted; encrypted forwarding protects a connection but leaves query visibility with the selected resolver. Decide which exposure matters for your network and threat model before adding a component.
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