How to change DNS settings on your PC running Windows 10
Yes, you can change the Windows 10 DNS settings for more private and reliable services, and in this guide, I’ll show you how.
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As part of your internet plan, the Internet Service Provider (ISP) also provides the local network with the necessary settings, including the Domain Name System (DNS) addresses, which allows you to access your favorite websites and online services and download files.
The only caveat is that the ISP’s DNS servers are usually not very private, are slower than other services, and are sometimes unreliable. However, you can always use different resolvers from third-party companies to improve your internet experience onWindows 10.
What’s DNS?
A Domain Name System is an internet service (usually at no cost to you) that allows you to type a friendly domain name in the web browser’s address bar to load a website. And without it, it’d be a nightmare to surf the web.
The issue is that every device requires an IP address (for example, 104.18.189.55) to communicate with other devices. However, these addresses are not easy for humans to remember, and DNS servers are the ones that provide the mechanism to translate friendly domain names (for example, WindowsCentral.com) into an IP address that computers can understand.
Although you can type"https://windowscentral.com"to get to this website, in the background, the browser first sends a request to the DNS servers to resolve the IP address from the website name. Only when the address is found does the browser connect to the site and download the page’s contents.
Usually, you won’t notice this process because it’s automatic, and everything happens quickly (in milliseconds). However, if your resolvers are unreliable, they slow down your internet, or you want to use faster and more private servers, Windows 10 allows you to change these settings using Control Panel, Command Prompt, and Settings app.
In thishow-to guide, I’ll walk you through the steps to change the DNS settings on Windows 10.
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How to change DNS settings using Control Panel on Windows 11
To change the DNS settings with Control Panel, use these steps:
Once you complete the steps, the computer will immediately start using the specified DNS settings.
How to change DNS settings using Settings on Windows 10
To change the DNS addresses through the Settings app, use these steps:
After you complete the steps, you should now be able to connect to the internet using the new resolvers. The restart may be necessary to regain an IP address configuration for the device.
Although the Settings app should be the recommended option to change the DNS settings on your computer, I"m not listing this option first because it can be confusing for some people.
How to change DNS settings using Command Prompt on Windows 10
Alternatively, it’s also possible to change the DNS configuration using Command Prompt on Windows 10.
To use Command Prompt to change the computer’s DNS settings, use these steps:
In the command, change"ADAPTER-NAME"with the name of the network adapter you identified instep 4, and change"X.X.X.X"with the IP address you want to use. To use Cloudflare, Google Public DNS, or Cisco OpenDNS, you can use these settings:
This example sets the primary DNS address to 1.1.1.1:interface ip set dns name=“Ethernet1” source=“static” address=“1.1.1.1”
In the command, change"ADAPTER-NAME"with the name of the network adapter you queried instep 4, and change"X.X.X.X"with the secondary address. This example sets the secondary DNS address to 1.0.0.1:interface ip add dns name=“Ethernet1” addr=“1.0.0.1” index=2
Once you complete the steps, Windows 10 will start using the new DNS server addresses to resolve domain names to numeric addresses that your device can understand.
More resources
For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10 and Windows 11, visit the following resources:
Mauro Huculak has been a Windows How-To Expert contributor for WindowsCentral.com for nearly a decade and has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides. He also has an IT background and has achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, and CompTIA. He has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years.
