How do I change DNS in Windows 11 settings?

Go to Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → Hardware properties → DNS server assignment → Edit → Manual. Turn on IPv4, enter a preferred and alternate DNS server, and save.

How do I change DNS from the command line?

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator and use: netsh interface ip set dns name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1 followed by netsh interface ip add dns name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2 for the secondary server.

How do I flush the DNS cache in Windows 11?

Open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /flushdns. This clears cached DNS records, which is useful after changing DNS servers or if a site is loading from a stale address.

What DNS servers should I use on Windows 11?

Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1) is the fastest for most users. Google (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4) is very reliable. Quad9 (9.9.9.9) adds malware blocking. See our best DNS servers guide for a full comparison.

Will changing DNS speed up my internet?

It can reduce the delay before pages start loading by resolving names faster, and it may bypass slow ISP resolvers. It does not increase your bandwidth. Run a speed test to measure actual download and upload throughput.

Do I need to set DNS for both IPv4 and IPv6?

If your network uses IPv6 (many UAE connections do via dual-stack), set both for consistency. Cloudflare IPv6 DNS is 2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001. Otherwise your device may still use the ISP resolver over IPv6.

How do I verify my new DNS is working?

Run nslookup example.com in Command Prompt — the "Server" line shows which resolver answered. For Cloudflare, you can also visit 1.1.1.1/help to confirm DoH status.

Does this change apply to all networks?

DNS in Windows 11 is set per network adapter (Wi-Fi and Ethernet are separate). If you use both, configure each. VPN connections use their own DNS settings.

How do I revert to automatic DNS?

In the DNS edit dialog, switch DNS server assignment from Manual back to Automatic (DHCP). Windows will then use the DNS servers provided by your router or ISP.

How to Change DNS on Windows 11 — InternetSpeedTest.ae

Why Change DNS on Windows 11

By default Windows uses the DNS servers assigned by your router, which in turn come from your ISP (e& or Du in the UAE). Switching to a faster, privacy-first resolver can shorten page load times, block malicious domains, and enable encrypted DNS so your lookups can't be read on the network. New to this? Read What Is DNS first.

Method 1: Change DNS in Settings

Open Settings → Network & internet
Select Wi-Fi or Ethernet, then Hardware properties
Next to DNS server assignment, click Edit
Switch from Automatic to Manual and turn on IPv4
Enter a Preferred and Alternate DNS (e.g. 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1)
Optionally set DNS over HTTPS to On (automatic template)
Click Save

Method 2: Command Line (netsh)

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as administrator and run (replace "Wi-Fi" with your adapter name):

Set primary: netsh interface ip set dns name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1
Add secondary: netsh interface ip add dns name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2
Flush cache: ipconfig /flushdns

Recommended DNS Servers

Provider	Preferred	Alternate	Best for
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1	1.0.0.1	Speed & privacy
Google	8.8.8.8	8.8.4.4	Reliability
Quad9	9.9.9.9	149.112.112.112	Security
OpenDNS	208.67.222.222	208.67.220.220	Content filtering

Not sure which to pick? Our best DNS servers guide compares them in detail.

Enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH)

Windows 11 can encrypt your DNS queries. In the same DNS edit dialog, set the DNS over HTTPS dropdown to On (automatic template). Windows recognises Cloudflare, Google, and Quad9 automatically. This prevents anyone on your network — including your ISP — from seeing which domains you look up.

Verify and Troubleshoot

Run nslookup example.com in Command Prompt; the "Server" line shows your active resolver. If sites still load from an old address, run ipconfig /flushdns. To confirm DoH with Cloudflare, visit 1.1.1.1/help. Changing DNS won't affect bandwidth, so measure real performance with a speed test and check your connection details on What's My IP.

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