DNS Changer - Web Filter

Opening the app for the first time

No account creation. No permission wall. Just a list of DNS servers and a single button. That is what happens when DNS Changer - Web Filter launches. The app sits in the Communication category on Google Play, but its behavior is closer to a network utility than a messaging tool. The interface presents 33 preset DNS servers — Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, AdGuard, and others — alongside a field for entering a custom address. Tapping any server applies the change immediately. The phone does not restart. The network does not drop. The new DNS settings take effect across WiFi and mobile data, from 2G through 5G. The developer, HMT Developer, is based in Bến Tre, Vietnam, and the app has crossed 100,000 installs since its 2020 release.

What makes this app different from a VPN is the absence of a remote tunnel. Most DNS changers on Android either run a persistent background service or establish a local VPN to intercept traffic. This app does neither. It changes the system's DNS configuration directly, without keeping a service alive in the background. The result is lower battery consumption and no persistent notification. The trade-off appears when the phone experiences lag — one reviewer noted that the connection sometimes drops if the device is struggling. That is not a bug in the DNS change itself. It is a symptom of how Android handles network configuration during system load.

The app requests location and device ID permissions, which are used for analytics rather than core functionality. Data is encrypted in transit, and the developer states that no data is shared with third parties. For a free tool with no in-app purchases, that level of transparency is uncommon. The 34 reviews on the Play Store do not reflect the 100,000 install count, suggesting that most users install, use, and move on without leaving feedback.

Tasker automation and the no-background-service paradox

Tasker compatibility is listed as a feature, but the app runs without a background service. That combination creates an interesting workflow. A user can set up a Tasker profile that triggers a DNS change when entering a specific WiFi network — home, office, or a cafe with restricted content. The app receives the intent from Tasker, applies the new DNS, and then exits. No service continues running. No battery is drained. The DNS change persists until the network disconnects or the user manually reverts it.

This is where the app behaves differently from competitors like DNS Changer by Iorgana Software, which runs a persistent service and prompts users to update frequently. The HMT Developer version stays out of the way after applying the change. The downside is that there is no active monitoring. If the DNS settings are overridden by the network or by another app, the user has to reapply the change manually or through Tasker. There is no notification shade toggle, no quick settings tile, and no persistent indicator that the DNS is active. The app relies on the user to remember what they set.

For someone who wants to block ads or filter content through OpenDNS or AdGuard DNS, the absence of a background service means the filtering only works while the network connection uses the selected DNS. If the phone switches from WiFi to mobile data, the DNS setting follows because the app supports both. But if the mobile network operator forces its own DNS, the change may not stick. That is a limitation of Android's network stack, not the app itself, but it is one that users encounter in practice.

What the changelog actually changed

The current version listed on Google Play includes a changelog entry: "Migrate to latest API 35 Update icon Update colors Fix minor bugs." That is the full extent of what the developer published. A newer version available on APKPure, dnschanger.08-06-26.V50, includes a more detailed entry: "Migrated to the latest Android API 36. Upgraded all libraries to their latest versions for improved performance and security." The migration to API 36 means the app now targets Android 14's security and privacy requirements. The library upgrades address underlying dependencies that could affect compatibility with newer devices.

What is not in the changelog is any mention of new features. The app has remained functionally identical across these updates — one-tap DNS switching, custom server support, and Tasker integration. The visual changes are limited to icon and color updates. The developer, Cao Văn Thanh, appears to prioritize maintenance over expansion. The app works on Android 6.0 and above, which covers devices released from 2015 onward. The 23.2 MB size is modest for a network utility, and the VirusTotal scan shows 0 detections out of 59 security vendors.

The update history reveals a pattern. The app reached 5,000 installs in April 2020, 10,000 in May 2020, 50,000 in February 2021, and 100,000 in August 2022. Growth slowed after that, but the app continues to receive updates. The rating distribution shows 413 five-star ratings and 137 one-star ratings, indicating a polarized user base. The 3.91 average from 654 ratings on AndroidRank is higher than the 3.7 from 34 reviews on the Play Store, suggesting that the Play Store's displayed rating is based on a different sample or calculation.

Real-world performance and the disconnection issue

A 3-star reviewer wrote: "Good app make my wifi faster but it sometimes disconect if your phone is lagging." That single observation captures the app's practical behavior. When the phone is under load — running games, streaming video, or multitasking — Android's network management can temporarily drop custom DNS settings. The app does not have a background service to reapply the settings automatically, so the disconnection persists until the user opens the app and taps the DNS server again. For gaming, where ping reduction is the primary benefit, a disconnection mid-match defeats the purpose.

The app's approach to content filtering relies entirely on the chosen DNS server. Selecting AdGuard DNS blocks ads and trackers. OpenDNS filters adult content. Quad9 blocks known malicious domains. The app does not perform any filtering itself; it simply points the device to a server that does. This is a clean separation of responsibilities, but it also means the app cannot block content that the DNS server does not recognize. Users expecting comprehensive ad blocking may be disappointed if they choose a server without strong filtering capabilities.

The no-VPN approach has one clear advantage: speed. Because the app does not route traffic through an external proxy, there is no additional latency beyond the DNS lookup itself. For gaming, that translates to lower ping compared to VPN-based DNS changers that add encryption overhead. The trade-off is the lack of IP masking. The app does not hide the user's IP address, and it does not encrypt traffic. It only changes the server that translates domain names to IP addresses. That distinction is lost on many users who expect DNS changing to function like a VPN.