How to change DNS on Windows 11

DNS means Domain name system, and it’s an essential part of what makes the Internet “work”. Also known as the “Directory for the Internet,” DNS converts IP addresses into an easy-to-use domain name.

Instead of reminding yourself to type in an IP address like 74,125,131,106 for Google you can type google.com, for example. DNS functionality is usually provided by your Internet service provider, but these ISP-provided servers can be slow and unusable.

Slow DNS, Slow Internet Browsing: Changing your DNS settings for a different service can provide a faster and more secure browsing experience than your ISP’s. If you want to change DNS on Windows 11, here’s what you need to do.

Free DNS settings and services

Here is an overview of three popular DNS alternatives that can provide a faster browsing experience and better security. Services like OpenDNS (now owned by Cisco) offer additional benefits, like web content filtering and phishing website blocking, that your ISP may not offer.

If you need a free DNS provider, here are some IPv4 options to try:

Depending on your location and your ISP, using an alternate DNS can make pages load faster. However, you might want to try each one to find the one that’s right for you.

How to change DNS in Windows 11

There are several ways to change DNS settings on Windows 11. You can do this through the Settings application or by using the classic Control Panel settings menu.

Change DNS through settings

If you want to change the DNS settings using the Settings app, open Start and select Settings.

In the Settings menu, select Network and Internet to the left. Then select your connection type on the right — either Wireless Where Ethernet.

Next, click on the Properties option for your active network connection. For example, for Wi-Fi connections, your wireless network will be listed by name here.

In the next menu, scroll down and find DNS server assignment– it must be set to ‘Automatique‘if you have never changed your DNS settings before.

To make changes, click the Edit button.

To select Manual in the drop-down menu when the “Change network DNS settings“The dialog box opens.

Then turn on IPv4 and enter the details of the preferred and alternate DNS provider. For example, to use Google’s public DNS, type 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 here.

Make sure to click on the to safeguard button for the changes to take effect. In the example below, I am using Cloudflare DNS, but you can use a DNS provider that works best for you.

After saving your settings, you will find them listed in the “DNS server assignment“Properties.

Change DNS settings on Windows 11 through Control Panel

You can still use the old Control Panel to change DNS settings on Windows 11 if that’s more convenient for you.

To do this, open the Control Panel (via Start — type control Panel and select it via the Best match option) and select Network and Sharing Center> Change adapter settings.

Advice: To access it more quickly, press the Windows key, type network connections, then click View network connections from the top Best match results.

The Network connection The screen opens to your existing connections, whether they are Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Right-click the adapter you want to configure, and then click Properties. Click on Yes if the UAC dialog box displays a message.

In the network card properties window, highlight Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP / IPv4), then click the Properties button.

Then select the “Use the following DNS server addresses”And enter the IP addresses of the DNS service you want to use, then click Okay.

To verify that the settings are working, check the box to Validate the parameters on exit. Then close the remaining windows.

Check DNS settings

A network troubleshooting utility will start if you check the “Validate the parameters on exit”Using the Control Panel method. You’re good to go if he doesn’t identify any issues.

If it finds a problem, go back and make sure you entered the DNS settings correctly.

You can also verify that your DNS settings are working through Command Prompt or PowerShell.

Start one of the utilities via Start (type cmd Where ps, then select the first option), then type ipconfig / all. Scroll down to the properties of your network card afterwards – you should see the DNS servers in use.

Of course, you can also try the old-fashioned way. Open your browser and try to visit a site that you don’t normally visit. If it loads, your custom DNS server should work.

Configuring DNS Settings on Windows 11

If you notice that the pages load too slowly while browsing the web, you may want to change the DNS settings on Windows 11 by following the steps above. Not only can this speed up your browsing experience, services like OpenDNS can provide additional functionality to help you stay safe online.

You can also consider using other DNS settings on your Wi-Fi router. This will provide the same benefits to all devices connected to your network, and you won’t need to configure each device individually.

It’s also worth mentioning that you need to test different DNS services to find the one that works best. You may find that the DNS provided by your ISP is working correctly. If so, you may not see any benefit in switching servers.

If you haven’t upgraded to Windows 11 yet, you can just as easily change the DNS settings on Windows 10. Did you know that you can also set up limited connection in Windows 11? This is a critical step to limit data usage on Windows 11, especially over mobile or capped connections.