How to Change DNS Servers on Windows 11 [4 Different Methods]

Changing your DNS servers can be helpful for various reasons. For example, if you are having trouble connecting to the Internet, changing your DNS servers might fix the problem. This guide will show you how to change your DNS servers on Windows 11. Read on for more!

How to Change DNS Servers on Windows 11

Through the Settings App

DNS over HTTPS is easy to configure and improves your privacy and security by encrypting your inbound and outbound DNS traffic. The Settings app is the best option if you’re not keen on typing.

To change your DNS address to Windows 11 with Settings, follow these steps:

1. In the Settings menu, click on Network & Internet
2. Press on Ethernet 

Note: If using a Wi-Fi connection, click on Properties to open DNS settings.

3. Click the "Edit" button in the section “DNS server assignment”

Image credit: pureinfotech.com

4. Choose the Manual option from the drop-down menu
5. Switch on the IPv4
6. In the "Preferred DNS" section, input the IP address of the Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, or other service's DNS server.

Image credit: pureinfotech.com

Extra: In the "Preferred DNS encryption" field, opt for the "Encrypted only (DNS over HTTPS)" option to turn on DNS encryption.

Through Command Prompt

Even though some people are not very comfortable using it, the fastest way to change DNS servers on Windows 11 is to go through the Command Prompt.

Follow these steps:

1. Go to Start on Windows 11
2. Look for Command Prompt, click on it and choose Run as administrator
3. To see your present network configuration write this command ipconfig/all and click Enter
4. In the network adapter section, ensure that you check the name and these categories:

• • IPv4
  • DNS Servers

5. Use the following command to put a DNS server address on Windows 11:

6. Enter your adapter's name in place of Ethernet0 and the DNS server address for the service you want to use instead of '1.1.1.1.' If applicable, you can also input the address for the local DNS server.

• • To set a substitute DNS server address, write the following command:

7. In the command line, replace Ethernet0 with the name of your adapter and 1.0.0.1 with the preferred DNS server address.

After you finish the steps, run ipconfig /all to check everything.

Through PowerShell

The NetTCPIP module can be used with PowerShell to manage DNS server settings on Windows 11.

To change the DNS server address using PowerShell, follow the steps below:

1. Click Start
2. Look for PowerShell, right-click on it, and press the Run as administrator option
3. To see your current network configuration, type this command Get-NetIPConfiguration and click Enter:
4. Take note of this information after running the command:

• • InterfaceIndex
  • DNSServer

Image credit: pureinfotech.com

5. Input the following command to appoint a primary DNS server address and click Enter: 

Through Control Panel

To modify your Windows 11 DNS address through Control Panel, follow the steps below:

1. Go to the Control Panel
2. Press on Network & Internet
3. Then go to the Network & Sharing Center
4. Press on the Change adapter settings option from the left pane
5. Press the network adapter and go for the Properties option.
6. Choose the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) option.
7. Press the Properties button.
8. Enter the Preferred DNS server address into the ‘Use the following DNS server addresses’ section. Cloudflare, Google, OpenDNS, and other services are available choices.

After you finish these steps, confirm the new configuration by using a service like DNS leak test.

You can use any DNS server you want on Windows 11, but you can't turn on DNS over HTTPS.

The DNS server must be connected to the correct IP address, or you won't have access to the internet.

You might be interested: How to Fix DNS Not Responding Issue on Windows 11

Best DNS Servers for Windows 11

There are many DNS servers, from ISP to other popular ones. If you need a fast and secure solution, there are many companies to choose from, but some of the best ones include Cloudflare, OpenDNS, and Google. Of course, you’re not limited to using these services, but they are a good starting point.

Google Public - Best for transparency

DNS addresses:

• 8.8.8.8
• 8.8.4.4

Cloudflare - Best for privacy

DNS addresses: 

• 1.1.1.1
• 1.0.0.1

OpenDNS by Cisco - Best for blocking phishing sites

DNS addresses:

• 208.67.222.222
• 208.67.220.220

Bottom Line

DNS servers are a vital part of the Internet, translating domain names into IP addresses so that browsers can load websites. Hopefully, after reading our article, you will know how to change DNS servers on Windows 11 and be able to use the different methods we’ve outlined without any issues.