I have run Pi-hole on my home network for a while now. It blocks ads and trackers for every device at once, phones and smart TVs included, and it shows you exactly what each device is talking to. It is also the one service in my homelab that, when it breaks, breaks the internet for the whole house. These are the seven things I learned the hard way, updated for Pi-hole v6.
Quick answer
Run two Pi-hole instances so DNS keeps working during updates, expect to allow a few domains for YouTube history, Google ads links, Gmail on iOS and some games, and use the Query Log to find what a broken app needs. In Pi-hole v6 the whitelist is now the allow list: use Domains in the web interface or pihole allow example.com.
What changed in Pi-hole v6
If you set up Pi-hole before 2025, a few things look different now:
- Whitelist and blacklist are now Allow and Deny. The command
pihole -wbecamepihole allow, andpihole -bbecamepihole deny. - The web server is built in. No more lighttpd and PHP, and the admin page is faster.
- Settings live in one file,
/etc/pihole/pihole.toml, and there is a proper REST API. - Gravity Sync no longer works with v6. Use a v6-aware tool such as nebula-sync to keep two Pi-holes in step.
1. Your whole network depends on it
When Pi-hole is the only DNS server your router hands out, every device needs it to load anything. When I had just one instance, every update or reboot took the whole house offline until it came back.
The fix: run two Pi-holes on separate hardware and set both as DNS servers on the router. One can be down for maintenance while the other keeps working. If you only have one, at least know how to switch your router back to normal DNS quickly.
2. YouTube watch history stops updating
Some blocklists block the domains YouTube uses to record what you watched. If your history or "continue watching" stops working, allow:
pihole allow s.youtube.com youtubei.googleapis.com video-stats.l.google.com3. Some software updates fail
Chrome on Linux stopped updating for me until I found dl.google.com blocked in the Query Log. Package mirrors, game launchers and antivirus updates can be hit the same way. When something refuses to update, the Query Log is the first place to look.
4. Gmail and other Google apps on iPhone act up
The Gmail app on iOS would not load new mail on my network until I allowed googleapis.l.google.com. Google apps lean heavily on googleapis domains, so if one misbehaves only at home, check for blocked googleapis entries.
5. Sponsored links in Google search stop working
The ads at the top of Google results go through ad-tracking domains, so clicking them fails. That is the point of Pi-hole, but other people in the house may not see it that way. If you need them working, allow www.googleadservices.com, www.googletagmanager.com, ad.doubleclick.net and clickserve.dartsearch.net.
6. Some mobile games and apps break
Free games often refuse to start, or skip rewards, when their ad servers are blocked. There is no single domain to fix this. Open Query Log, filter by the phone's IP, start the game, and look for blocked entries at that moment. Allow them one at a time until it works. Pi-hole v6 also lets you put a device in a group with lighter blocking, which is easier than allowing domains for everyone.
7. Smart devices are very chatty
The biggest surprise was how much smart plugs, bulbs and other connected gadgets talk to the internet. One app I had removed years ago was still calling home from an old device. Not everything blocked is bad, and blocking some of it can break features, but the Query Log is the best way I know to see what is really happening on your network. If a device makes thousands of requests a day, it probably belongs on a separate IoT network.
Is Pi-hole still worth it in 2026?
Yes, for a home network. It is free, light enough for any Raspberry Pi, and v6 made it easier to run. If you want built-in encrypted DNS and a more modern interface out of the box, compare it with AdGuard Home in my Pi-hole vs AdGuard Home comparison. For what else to run next to it, see my list of homelab services worth running.
Frequently asked questions
How do I whitelist a domain in Pi-hole v6?
Pi-hole v6 calls it the allow list. Go to Domains in the web interface and add the domain as Allow, or run pihole allow example.com on the server. The old pihole -w command was replaced.
What happens to my internet if Pi-hole goes down?
If Pi-hole is your only DNS server, devices cannot look up any websites and the internet appears to be down. Run a second Pi-hole or keep a quick way to switch your router back to your ISP DNS.
Why did YouTube history stop working with Pi-hole?
Some blocklists block s.youtube.com and related domains that record watch history. Allow s.youtube.com, youtubei.googleapis.com and video-stats.l.google.com.
How do I find which domain is breaking an app?
Open the Query Log, filter by the device IP address, start the app, and look for blocked queries at that moment. Allow them one at a time until the app works.
Can I sync two Pi-holes in v6?
Yes, but Gravity Sync does not support v6. Use a v6-compatible tool such as nebula-sync, which copies lists and settings from the main Pi-hole to the others.
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