How to Change Your DNS Servers in Windows 11

When you type a website address like “digitash.com” into your browser, your computer does not inherently know how to find it. Instead, it relies on a Domain Name System (DNS) server to translate that human-readable text into a machine-readable IP address. By default, your internet service provider (ISP) assigns your DNS servers automatically.

Unfortunately, ISP-provided DNS servers are notoriously slow, prone to unexpected outages, and often log your browsing history to sell to advertisers. To dramatically improve your web browsing speed, bypass regional censorship, and enhance your digital privacy, you should learn how to change your DNS servers in Windows 11.

Choosing a Custom DNS Provider

Before you alter your Windows settings, you need to decide which custom DNS provider you want to use. You will need to write down two sets of IP addresses (a primary and an alternate). The two most popular, reliable, and completely free options are:

• Cloudflare (Best for Speed and Privacy): Primary: 1.1.1.1 | Alternate: 1.0.0.1
• Google Public DNS (Highly Reliable): Primary: 8.8.8.8 | Alternate: 8.8.4.4

How to Change DNS Settings in Windows 11

In older versions of Windows, changing DNS settings required digging through legacy Control Panel menus. Windows 11 has significantly modernised this process by integrating the settings directly into the main Settings app.

1. Click the Start button on your taskbar and select the Settings gear icon (or press Windows Key + I).
2. In the left-hand navigation pane, click on Network & internet.
3. Select your current active network connection. If you are using a wireless connection, click Wi-Fi and then click on your specific network name (Properties). If you are using a wired connection, click Ethernet.
4. Scroll down until you locate the section labelled DNS server assignment.
5. By default, it will say “Automatic (DHCP)”. Click the Edit button situated directly next to it.
6. A small pop-up window will appear. Click the drop-down menu at the top and change the setting from “Automatic” to Manual.
7. Toggle the switch for IPv4 to the On position. (Unless your ISP specifically requires IPv6, leave it off for now).

Entering Your New IP Addresses

You will now see several empty text boxes where you can input your chosen custom DNS server addresses.

1. In the box labelled Preferred DNS, type the primary IP address of your chosen provider (for example, 1.1.1.1 for Cloudflare).
2. In the box labelled Alternate DNS, type the secondary IP address (for example, 1.0.0.1).
3. To maximise your security, click the drop-down menus labelled Preferred DNS encryption and select Encrypted only (DNS over HTTPS). This powerful Windows 11 feature encrypts your web traffic requests, preventing anyone on your local network from snooping on which websites you visit.
4. Click Save at the bottom of the window.

How to Verify Your New DNS Settings

To confirm that Windows 11 is successfully routing your internet traffic through your new custom DNS servers, you can use the Command Prompt.

1. Click the Start button, type cmd, and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
2. Type the command ipconfig /all and press Enter.
3. Scroll through the massive wall of text until you find your active network adapter (e.g., “Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi”).
4. Look for the line that says DNS Servers. It should now display the custom IP addresses (like 1.1.1.1) that you just configured.

Your web browser will instantly begin using these new servers to resolve websites, resulting in noticeably snappier page loading times and a more reliable internet connection.