How to Change DNS Servers in Windows

What Changing DNS Does (and Doesn’t) Do

When you type a web address, your device asks a DNS resolver, “Hey, where is this site?” The resolver replies with an IP address. If your DNS resolver is slow, unreliable, or doing “helpful” filtering you didn’t ask for, the whole browsing experience can feel sluggisheven if your Wi-Fi signal looks great.

Changing DNS can help with:

• Speed and reliability: Faster lookups and fewer random “site can’t be reached” moments.
• Privacy and security: Some providers support encrypted DNS (DNS over HTTPS) and anti-malware filtering.
• Content controls: Family-safe resolvers can block adult content or known malicious domains.

Changing DNS does NOT:

• Increase your internet plan speed (it won’t turn 100 Mbps into 1 Gbps).
• Hide your IP address (that’s a VPN’s job).
• Magically bypass every geo-restriction (some services check more than DNS).

Before You Start: Pick a DNS Provider

You can use many public DNS services, but stick to reputable options. Here are popular, widely used choices with both IPv4 and IPv6 examples. (If you don’t use IPv6, you can skip the IPv6 part entirely.)

Common Public DNS Options

Tip: If this is a work laptop or a school device, check policy before you change DNS. Many organizations rely on internal DNS for company apps, printers, VPN routing, and security filtering. Swapping resolvers can break access or trigger security alarms (and nobody wants a “Why did you do that?” meeting).

Method 1 (Windows 11): Change DNS in the Settings App

Windows 11 makes DNS changes pretty painless: you edit the DNS server assignment for the specific connection you’re using (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). This is the fastest method for most people.

Steps (Windows 11)

1. Open Settings (press Windows + I).
2. Go to Network & internet.
3. Choose Wi-Fi (then your connected network) or Ethernet, depending on how you’re connected.
4. Find DNS server assignment and click Edit.
5. Change the dropdown from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual.
6. Turn on the toggle for IPv4 and enter:
   • Preferred DNS (Primary)
   • Alternate DNS (Secondary)
7. (Optional) Turn on IPv6 and enter IPv6 DNS addresses if you use them.
8. Click Save.

Example: Set Cloudflare DNS on Windows 11

• Preferred DNS (IPv4): 1.1.1.1
• Alternate DNS (IPv4): 1.0.0.1

To undo it: Go back to DNS server assignment → Edit → switch to Automatic (DHCP) → Save.

Method 2 (Windows 10 & 11): Change DNS in Control Panel (Classic Method)

The Control Panel approach is the old reliable. It works across Windows versions and is useful when Settings hides options behind new menus (Windows loves a redesign like a toddler loves finger paint).

Steps (Control Panel)

1. Open Control Panel (search for it from the Start menu).
2. Go to Network and Internet → Network and Sharing Center.
3. Click Change adapter settings.
4. Right-click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → choose Properties.
5. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) → click Properties.
6. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses.
7. Enter your DNS servers and click OK.
8. (Optional) Repeat for Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).

Example: Set Google Public DNS

• Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
• Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4

Tip: If you see multiple DNS entries already configured (especially on business machines), take a screenshot before changing anything. That way you can restore the exact prior setup if needed.

Method 3 (Power Users): Change DNS with PowerShell

If you manage multiple PCs, love automation, or just enjoy typing commands that make you feel like a movie hacker (minus the dramatic hoodie), PowerShell is excellent for DNS changes.

1) Check Current DNS Servers

Open PowerShell (Admin) and run:

2) Set DNS Servers for a Specific Adapter

Example: Set Cloudflare on the “Wi-Fi” adapter:

3) Revert Back to Automatic DNS (DHCP)

Why this matters: Manually setting DNS this way overrides any DNS servers supplied by DHCP for that interfacegreat for control, but it’s also why IT departments sometimes frown upon “quick fixes.”

Optional but Smart: Flush the DNS Cache After Changing DNS

Windows caches DNS results to speed things up. After you change DNS servers, the cache can temporarily hold old answers. Flushing it forces fresh lookups.

Command Prompt

PowerShell

If you’re troubleshooting stubborn issues, you can also reboot your PC or renew your IP addresssometimes the simplest solution really is turning it off and on again (the world’s most annoying miracle cure).

How to Verify Your New DNS Settings

Quick Check (Windows Settings)

Go to Settings → Network & internet → your connection → look for DNS details under network properties (Windows shows what it’s using).

Command Line Checks

• See full network configuration:
• Test name resolution with your configured DNS:

  Look at the “Server” line in the output. It should match your new resolver (or your router, if your router is still acting as the DNS forwarder).

• PowerShell view (clean and readable):

Bonus Upgrade: Enable Encrypted DNS (DNS over HTTPS) in Windows

Traditional DNS is often unencrypted, meaning DNS lookups can be visible to networks between you and the resolver. DNS over HTTPS (DoH) encrypts those DNS queries inside HTTPS traffichelpful for privacy and for preventing certain kinds of tampering.

Windows 11: DoH Options You Might See

Depending on your Windows build and DNS provider, Windows may offer DoH settings such as:

• On (automatic template): Windows uses known templates or attempts to discover them automatically.
• On (manual template): You provide the DoH template (endpoint) yourself.
• Fallback to plaintext: If enabled, Windows can fall back to regular DNS if DoH fails.

Common DoH Endpoints (Examples)

• Google: https://dns.google/dns-query
• Quad9: https://dns.quad9.net/dns-query
• Cloudflare: (DoH-supported; commonly used with Cloudflare’s resolver)

Practical tip: If everything works fine without DoH, you can stop there. If you do enable DoH and suddenly a captive portal (hotel/airport Wi-Fi login page) won’t load, try temporarily switching back to plaintext DNS or toggling fallbackthose networks can be… “quirky.”

Troubleshooting: If Changing DNS Breaks Your Internet

Don’t panic. DNS problems can look dramatic (“The internet is dead!”) but are usually easy to undo.

1) Revert DNS to Automatic

• Windows 11 Settings method: DNS server assignment → Edit → Automatic (DHCP) → Save
• PowerShell method:

2) Flush DNS + Restart

Then restart your browser (or your PC if the issue is persistent).

3) Forget and Reconnect to Wi-Fi

In Windows, you can forget the network and reconnect. This can fix broken profiles, stale settings, or weird router handshakes.

4) Network Reset (Last Resort, but Effective)

Windows includes a network reset option that can resolve stubborn connectivity issues. It will remove and reinstall network adapters and reset networking components, so expect to re-enter Wi-Fi passwords afterward.

Conclusion

Changing DNS servers in Windows is one of those rare tech tweaks that’s both simple and legitimately useful. Whether you’re switching to a faster resolver, adding content filtering, or enabling encrypted DNS, Windows gives you multiple ways to get it doneSettings for speed, Control Panel for compatibility, and PowerShell for power-user control.

The best part: if you don’t like the results, you can revert to automatic DNS in seconds. So go aheadgive your internet that tiny upgrade it didn’t know it needed.

Bonus: of Real-World DNS Switching Experiences (What People Commonly Notice)

After someone changes DNS in Windows, the first reaction is often, “Wait… that’s it?” Because nothing looks different. No fireworks. No confetti. Your taskbar doesn’t throw a parade titled Congratulations on Your New Resolver! But the real effects tend to show up in the little moments.

One common experience: websites that used to hesitate suddenly feel “snappier.” Not because pages download faster (that’s bandwidth), but because the lookup happens quicker. It’s like shaving a half-second off every time Windows asks, “Where is this site?” If your ISP’s DNS was sluggish or overloaded, the improvement can feel surprisingly noticeableespecially on news sites, shopping sites, and anything with a lot of third-party connections.

Another frequent scenario shows up with streaming and smart devices. People switch DNS expecting Netflix to look like a 16K IMAX demo. What actually happens is more subtle: fewer “can’t connect” hiccups, fewer random app login failures, and a smoother start when devices wake up and need to resolve domains quickly. If you’ve ever watched a streaming box stall at the splash screen like it’s contemplating its life choices, DNS reliability can matter.

Gamers often report two different outcomes. In the best case, matchmaking feels quicker and you get fewer random disconnects from voice/chat services that rely heavily on name resolution. In the neutral case, nothing changesbecause your ping is mostly about routing, not DNS. The important takeaway: DNS won’t rewrite physics, but it can remove small, annoying friction.

In homes with kids (or roommates who treat the internet like a lawless desert), switching to a family-safe or threat-blocking DNS can create a new kind of “experience”: questions. “Why doesn’t this site open?” “Why is this app blocked?” That’s not a bugit’s the point. The key is choosing a DNS provider whose filtering matches your household and being ready to explain that “the internet” didn’t break; it’s just wearing a seatbelt now.

Finally, the most dramatic experience tends to happen on work laptops: suddenly internal sites, printers, or VPN resources stop resolving. That’s why the safest rule is: if your organization manages the device, ask before changing DNS. Many companies use internal DNS for secure routing and service discovery. The fix is usually simple (switch back to automatic), but avoiding the disruption is even simpler.