How to Change DNS Servers on Windows

Your PC normally uses whatever DNS servers the router hands out, usually your ISP's. Switching to a public resolver such as Cloudflare or Google can fix slow lookups, stale results, and sites your ISP's resolver blocks.

Open the network's properties

Press Windows + I and go to Network & internet, Wi-Fi, then click the properties entry for the network you are connected to. For a wired connection choose Ethernet instead. In Windows 10, go to Settings, Network & Internet, Wi-Fi, and click Hardware properties to reach the same section.

Edit the DNS server assignment

Scroll down to DNS server assignment. It reads Automatic (DHCP) by default. Click Edit.

Enter the new servers

In the dropdown at the top of the dialog, choose Manual. Turn on IPv4 and fill in the addresses.

For Cloudflare:

Preferred DNS: 1.1.1.1
Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1

For Google:

Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4

Leave IPv6 off unless you know the matching IPv6 addresses. Click Save.

Flush the old cache

Press Windows + R, type cmd, press Enter, and run:

ipconfig /flushdns

This drops any addresses that were looked up through the old servers.

Confirm the change

In the same window, run:

ipconfig /all

Find your adapter in the output and check that the DNS Servers line shows the addresses you entered. Back in Settings, the network's properties page now lists them under DNS server assignment as well.

DNS over HTTPS. After you enter a server that supports it, a DNS over HTTPS dropdown appears under each address. Choose On (automatic template) to encrypt lookups so nobody on the network can read which sites you visit. Cloudflare and Google both support it; leave it Off for a server that does not.

To go back. Open DNS server assignment, click Edit, choose Automatic (DHCP), and click Save. The PC returns to whatever the router provides. The setting is per network, so a change on Wi-Fi does not affect Ethernet.