Dendritic cells couple pathogen sensing with induction of innate and adaptive immune responses. Pathogen sensing in dendritic cells relies on interactions between molecular patterns of the pathogens and germline-encoded, also referred to as innate, receptors. In this chapter, we analyze some of the interactions between HIV-1 and the innate immune system in dendritic cells. The HIV-1 replication cycle is constituted by an extracellular and an intracellular phase. The two phases of the cycle provide distinct opportunities for interactions with cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic mechanisms in dendritic cells. According to the types of dendritic cells, the mechanisms of innate interactions between dendritic cells and HIV-1 lead to specific responses. These innate interactions may contribute to influencing and shaping the adaptive immune response against the virus.