To change DNS in Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet, select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, open your connection's hardware properties and click Edit next to DNS server assignment. Switch it to Manual, turn on IPv4, enter your preferred servers and save. From the same screen you can turn on DNS over HTTPS to encrypt lookups.
| Resolver | IPv4 (preferred / alternate) | IPv6 (preferred / alternate) | Encrypted DNS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1 | 2606:4700:4700::1111 / 2606:4700:4700::1001 | Yes |
| Google Public DNS | 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 | 2001:4860:4860::8888 / 2001:4860:4860::8844 | Yes |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 / 149.112.112.112 | 2620:fe::fe / 2620:fe::9 | Yes |
What is DNS and why would you change it in Windows 11?
The Domain Name System (DNS) translates website names such as licencehouse.com into the IP addresses computers use to connect. By default Windows 11 uses whichever DNS server your router or internet provider hands out through DHCP. Changing it can improve reliability, add malware filtering or let you encrypt lookups.
Common reasons to switch include:
- Reliability: some provider DNS servers are slow to respond or occasionally fail, which shows up as pages that hang before loading.
- Security filtering: resolvers such as Quad9 and Cloudflare's family options block known malicious domains.
- Privacy: combined with DNS over HTTPS (DoH), lookups travel encrypted rather than in plain text across the network.
- Troubleshooting: trying a different resolver is a quick way to rule DNS in or out when some sites will not load.
Cause and effect: a faster resolver speeds up the first lookup of a site, not your download speed. If large downloads are slow, DNS is rarely the cause.
How do you change DNS servers in Windows 11 Settings?
Go to Settings > Network & internet, choose Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then open the connection's properties. Next to DNS server assignment, select Edit, change Automatic (DHCP) to Manual, turn on IPv4, type the preferred and alternate addresses and select Save. The change applies immediately.
- Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then select Network & internet.
- For a wireless connection, select Wi-Fi > Hardware properties. For a cable, select Ethernet and then your network.
- Next to DNS server assignment, select Edit.
- In the drop-down, change Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
- Turn on IPv4.
- Enter a Preferred DNS address, for example
1.1.1.1, and an Alternate DNS address, for example1.0.0.1. - Optionally turn on IPv6 and enter the matching IPv6 addresses.
- Select Save.
Advanced nuance: only enter IPv6 DNS servers if your connection actually has IPv6. Quad9's own setup notes warn that configuring IPv6 DNS on a PC without an IPv6 address can cause lookups to fail.
How do you enable DNS over HTTPS in Windows 11?
After entering a supported resolver such as Cloudflare, Google or Quad9 in the DNS edit panel, an encryption option appears beneath each address. Set it to the DNS over HTTPS setting and save. Windows then sends lookups to that server inside encrypted HTTPS connections instead of plain-text DNS.
- Open the Edit DNS settings panel as described above and select Manual.
- Enter a resolver that Windows recognises, such as
9.9.9.9. - Under the address, open the DNS over HTTPS (or Preferred DNS encryption) drop-down.
- Choose On (automatic template), or Encrypted only (DNS over HTTPS) if that is the label your version shows.
- If you see a Fallback to plaintext switch, leave it off so lookups are never sent unencrypted.
- Repeat for the alternate address, then select Save.
Menu labels differ slightly between Windows 11 versions, so match the closest option on your screen. The DoH option only becomes available for resolvers on Windows' list of known DoH servers; you can view that list by running Get-DnsClientDohServerAddress in PowerShell, as described in Microsoft's DNS over HTTPS client documentation.
What we commonly see: people turn on DoH in their browser and in Windows at the same time, then wonder which one is working. Windows-level DoH covers every app on the PC, whereas browser DoH only covers that browser.
Which public DNS server should you choose?
Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) and Quad9 (9.9.9.9) are all reputable, free and support encrypted DNS. Cloudflare focuses on speed and privacy, Google on reliability and scale, and Quad9 blocks domains linked to malware and phishing by default. Any of the three is a sensible choice.
- Cloudflare 1.1.1.1: a good all-rounder. Cloudflare's Windows setup guide also lists 1.1.1.2 (malware blocking) and 1.1.1.3 (malware and adult content blocking).
- Google Public DNS 8.8.8.8: widely used and dependable; addresses are listed in Google's Public DNS documentation.
- Quad9 9.9.9.9: threat-blocking by default, run by a non-profit foundation.
Avoid mixing providers between preferred and alternate addresses. If the two servers behave differently, for example one blocks a domain and the other does not, you can get inconsistent results that are hard to diagnose.
How do you change DNS with PowerShell or Command Prompt?
In an administrator PowerShell window, run Get-NetAdapter to find your adapter's name, then Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -ServerAddresses "1.1.1.1","1.0.0.1". This sets static DNS servers for that adapter, overriding the ones supplied by your router. It is handy for scripts or several PCs.
- Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin).
- Run
Get-NetAdapterand note the Name of your active adapter, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet. - Set DNS:
Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -ServerAddresses "1.1.1.1","1.0.0.1" - Confirm the change with
Get-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi".
In Command Prompt, the older netsh tool does the same job: netsh interface ipv4 set dnsservers name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1 primary, then netsh interface ipv4 add dnsservers name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2 for the alternate.
Microsoft's Set-DnsClientServerAddress reference lists every parameter, including -Validate to test servers before applying them.
How do you flush the DNS cache in Windows 11?
Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run ipconfig /flushdns. Windows clears its stored DNS lookups and confirms with "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache". Do this after changing DNS servers, or when a site has moved to a new address but your PC keeps going to the old one.
-
ipconfig /flushdnsclears the cache. -
ipconfig /displaydnsshows what is currently cached. -
Clear-DnsClientCacheis the PowerShell equivalent.
Browsers keep their own short-lived cache too, so close and reopen the browser after flushing if a site still misbehaves.
How do you check which DNS server Windows 11 is using?
Open Settings > Network & internet and select Properties (for Wi-Fi, Hardware properties) for your connection. The IPv4 DNS servers line lists the servers in use and indicates whether they are encrypted. From a terminal, ipconfig /all shows the same details for every adapter.
To test that resolution works, run nslookup licencehouse.com. The first lines of the output name the server that answered.
How do you reset DNS back to automatic in Windows 11?
Return to the DNS server assignment setting, select Edit, change Manual back to Automatic (DHCP) and save. Windows then uses the DNS servers provided by your router or network again. In PowerShell, Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceAlias "Wi-Fi" -ResetServerAddresses does the same thing.
Reverting is worth remembering when travelling. Cloudflare notes that some public Wi-Fi networks with sign-in pages (captive portals) do not work with custom DNS; switch back to automatic, sign in, then reapply your settings.
Corporate and school networks may also require their own DNS servers to reach internal resources. On domain-joined Windows 11 Pro PCs, DNS is often managed centrally through Group Policy, so check with your IT team before changing it.
DNS settings work the same on Home and Pro. If you are setting up a new PC, our guides to installing and activating Windows 11 Home and finding a saved Wi-Fi password are useful next steps, and a genuine Windows 11 Home licence keeps security updates arriving.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to change DNS in Windows 11?
Yes, provided you use a reputable resolver such as Cloudflare, Google or Quad9. Changing DNS does not alter your files or apps, and you can switch back to automatic at any time. Avoid unknown DNS servers recommended by pop-ups or unofficial software, because a malicious resolver can redirect you to fake websites.
Will changing DNS make my internet faster?
It can make websites start loading slightly sooner if your current DNS server is slow, but it does not increase download or streaming speeds. Those depend on your connection and the remote server. If pages hang before loading and then download quickly, a better resolver is more likely to help.
Does Windows 11 DNS over HTTPS work with any DNS server?
No. The automatic DoH option only appears for resolvers on Windows' built-in list of known DoH servers, which includes Cloudflare, Google and Quad9. For other providers you may need a manual template where your version offers one. Run Get-DnsClientDohServerAddress in PowerShell to see the servers Windows recognises.
Why did my internet stop working after changing DNS?
The most common causes are a typo in the address, IPv6 DNS entered on a network without IPv6, or a captive portal on public Wi-Fi. Recheck the addresses, turn off IPv6 DNS if unsure, and if needed set DNS back to Automatic (DHCP), then run ipconfig /flushdns.
Should I change DNS on my router instead?
Changing DNS on the router applies it to every device on your home network, which is convenient for families. Changing it in Windows 11 affects only that PC but travels with the laptop to other networks. Many people do both, using Windows DoH on laptops for encryption wherever they connect.
Related guides
- How to find a saved Wi-Fi password in Windows 11
- 15 common Windows 11 problems and how to fix them
- How to show hidden files and folders in Windows 11
- How to boot Windows 11 into safe mode
Links in this guide
| Link | Type | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Windows 11 Home install guide | Internal | Setting up a new PC before configuring the network |
| Find a saved Wi-Fi password | Internal | Related network task in Windows 11 |
| Windows 11 Home licence | Internal | Genuine activation for continued security updates |
| Microsoft Learn: DNS over HTTPS client | External | How Windows handles DoH and known servers |
| Microsoft Learn: Set-DnsClientServerAddress | External | Full PowerShell syntax for setting and resetting DNS |
| Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 Windows setup | External | Official Cloudflare addresses and family filters |
| Google Public DNS | External | Official Google DNS addresses |