The DNS (Domain Name System) is one of the most important parts of your internet connection. It translates website names such as google.com into IP addresses that your computer can use to connect to the correct server.
By default, Windows 11 usually gets DNS server information automatically from your router or Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, you can manually change the DNS server to services such as Cloudflare DNS, Google Public DNS, or another DNS provider.
Changing your DNS server can sometimes improve DNS lookup speed, reliability, privacy, or access to DNS-based filtering features.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to change the DNS server in Windows 11 step by step, including how to change it for both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections, how to verify the change, and how to return to automatic DNS settings.
What Is a DNS Server?
A DNS server translates domain names into IP addresses.
For example, when you enter:
google.com
your computer needs to discover the IP address associated with that domain before it can connect to Google’s servers.
A DNS server performs this lookup for your device.
Why Change the DNS Server?
You might want to change your DNS server if:
- Your ISP’s DNS is slow or unreliable
- You want to try a different DNS provider
- You want additional DNS privacy features
- You want DNS-based malware or content filtering
- You’re troubleshooting DNS-related connection problems
- You want to compare DNS performance
Changing DNS does not increase your internet package speed. It mainly changes the service responsible for resolving domain names.
Popular DNS Servers You Can Use
Before changing your settings, you need to choose which DNS server you want to use.
Some popular options are:
| DNS Provider | Preferred DNS | Alternate DNS |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 | 1.0.0.1 |
8.8.8.8 | 8.8.4.4 | |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 | 149.112.112.112 |
These are examples of commonly used public DNS resolvers.
Cloudflare DNS
Cloudflare’s public DNS service uses:
Preferred: 1.1.1.1
Alternate: 1.0.0.1
Cloudflare also provides encrypted DNS options and additional DNS services.
Google Public DNS
Google Public DNS uses:
Preferred: 8.8.8.8
Alternate: 8.8.4.4
Google operates its DNS service using its global network infrastructure.
How to Change DNS Server in Windows 11
Windows 11 provides several ways to change DNS settings.
The easiest method for most users is through the Settings application.
Before making any changes, make sure you know which DNS addresses you want to use.
Step 1: Open Windows Settings
Press:
Windows + I
This will open the Windows 11 Settings application.
You can also open Settings from the Start menu.
Step 2: Open Network & Internet
In Settings, click:
Network & Internet
You’ll see your available network connections, such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
Step 3: Select Your Active Connection
If you’re connected through Wi-Fi, click:
Wi-Fi
Then select the Wi-Fi network you’re currently connected to.
If you’re using a wired connection, select:
Ethernet
The option you need depends on how your computer connects to the internet.
Step 4: Find DNS Server Assignment
Look for:
DNS server assignment
Next to it, you’ll see an option such as:
Automatic (DHCP)
Click:
Edit
Step 5: Change DNS Settings to Manual
A small window will appear.
Change:
Automatic (DHCP)
to:
Manual
You’ll then see switches for:
IPv4
and possibly:
IPv6
For a basic setup, you can start with IPv4.
Step 6: Enable IPv4
Turn on the IPv4 option.
You should now see fields for:
Preferred DNS
and
Alternate DNS
Enter your chosen DNS addresses.
For example, for Cloudflare:
Preferred DNS: 1.1.1.1
Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1
For Google:
Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4
Step 7: Configure DNS Encryption
Depending on your Windows 11 version and network configuration, you may see an option related to DNS over HTTPS.
If available, you can select an appropriate encrypted DNS option.
This can protect DNS queries between your computer and the supported DNS resolver.
For example, if you’re using a compatible provider, Windows may allow you to choose an encrypted DNS configuration.
Step 8: Click Save
After entering the DNS addresses, click:
Save
Windows 11 will apply the new DNS configuration.
Your computer may continue using the existing network connection without requiring a restart.
How to Change DNS for Wi-Fi in Windows 11
If your Windows 11 computer is connected through Wi-Fi, the process is:
Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Your Wi-Fi Network → DNS server assignment → Edit
Then:
Automatic (DHCP) → Manual → IPv4 → Enter DNS → Save
For Cloudflare:
1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1
For Google:
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
Important: Change the Correct Wi-Fi Connection
If your computer has multiple saved Wi-Fi networks, make sure you’re editing the settings for the network you’re currently using.
DNS settings can be configured differently depending on your Windows network configuration.
How to Change DNS for Ethernet in Windows 11
If you’re using a wired Ethernet connection:
Settings → Network & Internet → Ethernet → DNS server assignment → Edit
Then select:
Manual
Enable:
IPv4
Enter your preferred and alternate DNS servers.
For example:
Preferred DNS: 1.1.1.1
Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1
Then click:
Save
Wi-Fi and Ethernet Can Have Different DNS Settings
If your computer uses both Wi-Fi and Ethernet, each network interface can have its own DNS configuration.
For example:
Wi-Fi → Cloudflare DNS
Ethernet → Google DNS
You generally don’t need to do this unless you have a specific reason.
How to Change DNS Using Control Panel
Windows 11 still provides the traditional Network Connections interface, which can be useful if you prefer the classic method.
Step 1: Open Network Connections
Press:
Windows + R
Type:
ncpa.cpl
Then press:
Enter
Step 2: Select Your Network Adapter
You’ll see your network adapters.
Right-click your active connection.
Choose:
Properties
Step 3: Select Internet Protocol Version 4
Find:
Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)
Select it and click:
Properties
Step 4: Enter the DNS Addresses
Select:
Use the following DNS server addresses
Then enter your preferred DNS.
For Cloudflare:
Preferred DNS server: 1.1.1.1
Alternate DNS server: 1.0.0.1
Or for Google:
Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
Click:
OK
Then click Close.
How to Change IPv6 DNS in Windows 11
If your internet connection supports IPv6, you can also configure IPv6 DNS servers.
Cloudflare IPv6 DNS
Preferred:
2606:4700:4700::1111
Alternate:
2606:4700:4700::1001
Google IPv6 DNS
Preferred:
2001:4860:4860::8888
Alternate:
2001:4860:4860::8844
You don’t necessarily need to configure IPv6 DNS manually if your network already provides working IPv6 DNS information.
How to Check If Your DNS Changed
After changing your DNS, you may want to verify that Windows is using the new server.
Using Command Prompt
Press:
Windows + R
Type:
cmd
Press Enter.
Then run:
ipconfig /all
Look for your active network adapter.
Find:
DNS Servers
You should see the DNS addresses you configured.
For example:
1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1
If you see these addresses, Windows is configured to use those DNS servers for that adapter.
How to Test DNS With nslookup
You can also use the built-in Windows nslookup command.
Open Command Prompt and type:
nslookup google.com
Press Enter.
Windows will display information about the DNS server used for the query and the DNS response.
Test a Specific DNS Server
You can also directly test a specific resolver.
For Cloudflare:
nslookup google.com 1.1.1.1
For Google:
nslookup google.com 8.8.8.8
This is useful when comparing DNS servers.
How to Flush DNS Cache in Windows 11
After changing DNS settings, Windows may still have previously cached DNS information.
You can clear the local DNS cache.
Flush DNS Cache
Open Command Prompt and run:
ipconfig /flushdns
You should receive a message indicating that the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed.
After this, Windows can perform fresh DNS lookups.
How to Change DNS Using PowerShell
Advanced users can also configure DNS using PowerShell.
Find Your Network Adapter
Open PowerShell and run:
Get-NetAdapter
This displays your available network adapters.
You can then use Windows networking commands to configure DNS settings for the appropriate interface.
For most users, however, the Windows Settings method is easier and less likely to result in configuration mistakes.
What DNS Should You Use?
There isn’t one DNS provider that is automatically the best for everyone.
Your ISP, geographical location and network routing can affect DNS performance.
Cloudflare vs Google DNS
Two popular choices are:
Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1
Google: 8.8.8.8
Cloudflare is a good choice if you want to try a widely used public DNS service with a strong privacy focus.
Google Public DNS is another reliable and widely available option.
Test Before Choosing
You can test:
- Your ISP’s DNS
- Cloudflare DNS
- Google DNS
- Other reputable DNS resolvers
Compare response time and reliability from your own internet connection.
The fastest DNS server for someone else may not be the fastest one for you.
Does Changing DNS Make Internet Faster?
Changing DNS doesn’t increase your internet bandwidth.
If your connection is:
100 Mbps
changing your DNS won’t turn it into:
200 Mbps
However, DNS performance can affect how quickly your computer finds the server associated with a domain.
When You Might Notice a Difference
You may notice an improvement if your existing DNS server is:
- Slow
- Unreliable
- Experiencing outages
- Poorly connected to your network
If your current DNS server is already fast, changing it may make little noticeable difference.
Does Changing DNS Reduce Ping in Games?
Usually, changing DNS does not significantly reduce your in-game ping.
DNS is primarily involved when a domain name needs to be resolved.
Once you’ve connected to a game server, your ongoing gameplay traffic doesn’t normally depend on DNS for every packet.
What Actually Affects Gaming Ping?
Gaming latency is more strongly affected by:
- Distance to the game server
- ISP routing
- Network congestion
- Wi-Fi quality
- Server location
- Peering
- Your local network
So don’t change DNS expecting a major reduction in your in-game ping.
Can Changing DNS Improve Privacy?
It can change which DNS resolver receives your DNS queries.
For example, instead of using your ISP’s DNS resolver, you could use another provider.
If you use encrypted DNS, the communication between your device and the supported resolver can also be protected against certain types of local network observation.
DNS Is Not a Complete Privacy Tool
Changing DNS doesn’t make you anonymous.
Websites can still use:
- Cookies
- Login information
- Browser fingerprinting
- Tracking technologies
- Your IP address
- Other identifying information
If you’re looking for broader network privacy, DNS is only one part of the picture.
What Happens If the New DNS Doesn’t Work?
If you enter an incorrect DNS address or the selected DNS service is unreachable, websites may stop resolving.
You might still appear connected to Wi-Fi, but websites may fail to open.
How to Fix It
First, check that you entered the DNS addresses correctly.
For example:
Cloudflare
1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
You can also temporarily switch back to:
Automatic (DHCP)
If your internet works again, the problem may be related to the manual DNS configuration or the selected resolver.
How to Restore Automatic DNS in Windows 11
If you want Windows to automatically obtain DNS settings again, you can easily undo the change.
Step-by-Step
Go to:
Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi/Ethernet → DNS server assignment → Edit
Change:
Manual
back to:
Automatic (DHCP)
Then click:
Save
Windows will once again obtain DNS configuration automatically from your network.
Should You Change Your DNS Server?
For most people, changing DNS isn’t necessary.
If your internet connection works well and your ISP’s DNS is reliable, you can continue using the default settings.
However, manually configuring DNS can be useful if you’re troubleshooting DNS problems or want to use a different resolver for performance, privacy, security or filtering features.
Our Recommendation
If you’re curious about DNS performance, start with:
Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1
or:
Google DNS: 8.8.8.8
Then compare them with your ISP’s default DNS.
Choose the one that gives you the best combination of speed, reliability and features on your own connection.
Final Thoughts
Changing the DNS server in Windows 11 is relatively simple and doesn’t require installing additional software.
You can change DNS through the Windows Settings application by going to your network connection and editing DNS server assignment.
Popular options include Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 and Google’s 8.8.8.8, but the best choice depends on your network and location.
Remember that DNS doesn’t increase your internet bandwidth and usually won’t dramatically reduce gaming ping. Its main job is resolving domain names, and changing providers can sometimes improve lookup performance or give you different privacy and filtering options.
If your current DNS is working well, you don’t have to change it. But if you’re experiencing DNS problems or simply want to try another resolver, Windows 11 makes the process relatively easy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best DNS server for Windows 11?
There isn’t one universally best DNS server. Cloudflare 1.1.1.1 and Google 8.8.8.8 are both popular choices, but your ISP and location can affect which one performs best.
What is Cloudflare DNS?
Cloudflare DNS is a public DNS resolver. Its main IPv4 addresses are 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.
What is Google DNS?
Google Public DNS is Google’s public DNS resolver. Its main IPv4 addresses are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
Does changing DNS make internet faster?
It can sometimes make DNS lookups faster, but it doesn’t increase your internet connection’s bandwidth.
Does changing DNS reduce gaming ping?
Usually not significantly. Gaming ping depends much more on the route between your device and the game server.
How do I change DNS in Windows 11?
Go to Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi or Ethernet → DNS server assignment → Edit, select Manual, enter your DNS addresses and click Save.
How do I check my DNS server in Windows 11?
Open Command Prompt and run:
ipconfig /all
Look for the DNS Servers section under your active network adapter.
How do I flush DNS in Windows 11?
Open Command Prompt and run:
ipconfig /flushdns
Can I use Cloudflare and Google DNS together?
You can configure different DNS servers, but don’t assume Windows will always use the first one as the primary and the second only as a backup. Resolver selection can vary depending on the network and operating-system behavior.
Should I use IPv4 or IPv6 DNS?
If your network supports IPv6, you can configure IPv6 DNS as well. Otherwise, configuring IPv4 DNS is sufficient for many networks.
Can I change DNS back to automatic?
Yes. Open your DNS settings and change the configuration from Manual back to Automatic (DHCP).
Is changing DNS safe?
Using a reputable DNS provider is generally straightforward. However, remember that the DNS resolver you choose becomes responsible for handling your DNS queries, so choosing a trustworthy provider is important.
Does changing DNS hide my IP address?
No. Changing DNS does not hide your public IP address. If you want to change the IP address visible to websites, technologies such as a VPN can do that.
Can DNS block websites?
Some DNS services provide filtering features that can block certain domains, including domains associated with malware or inappropriate content.
What should I do if websites stop working after changing DNS?
Check that the DNS addresses were entered correctly. You can also switch the DNS setting back to Automatic (DHCP) to see whether the problem disappears.
