If a streaming app will not load, sign in, or connect, changing DNS in Windows is a reversible test for a possible name-resolution problem—not a guaranteed fix for buffering, poor video quality, weak Wi-Fi, internet congestion, or a streaming-service outage. Windows generally works best with DNS set to Automatic (DHCP). If you try a custom resolver, note your current settings first and restore automatic assignment if the connection gets worse.
When changing DNS might help—and when it probably will not
DNS translates a service’s name into the network address Windows uses to reach it. A resolver problem can make a site or app fail to find a service even when other internet use works. Changing resolvers can test that possibility, but it does not increase your internet bandwidth or repair a weak wireless signal.
If only one app or streaming service is affected, also check that app’s account, firewall or security software, and the service’s status. Microsoft recommends starting Windows 11 Wi-Fi troubleshooting with the Network and Internet troubleshooter in Get Help. See Microsoft’s Wi-Fi connection troubleshooting guidance.
Before you edit DNS
- Identify the connection you are actually using: Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
- Record or capture its current DNS configuration so you can restore it.
- Leave IP address assignment on Automatic (DHCP) unless you know how to configure every manual address field. DHCP normally supplies IP and DNS settings from the router or access point; entering DNS does not require you to invent an IP address, subnet mask, or gateway.
- Do not override settings managed by work, school, a VPN, or a public Wi-Fi network without checking the applicable policy. A custom static configuration can also interfere with captive portals on some public Wi-Fi networks.
Microsoft’s overview of Windows network settings explains automatic and manual assignment: Essential Network Settings and Tasks in Windows.
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Change DNS in Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings > Network & internet.
- Select Wi-Fi, then the connected network, or select Ethernet if you are using a wired connection.
- Find IP assignment and select Edit.
- Choose Manual, then enable IPv4 if you are entering IPv4 resolver addresses.
- Enter the preferred and alternate DNS server addresses, then save. For the standard Cloudflare IPv4 resolver pair, enter
1.1.1.1as preferred and1.0.0.1as alternate. Cloudflare documents this pair in its Windows setup guide. - Retry the same streaming action that failed. If you see no improvement, or the connection behaves worse, return to the connection’s IP assignment settings and select Automatic (DHCP).
Windows also provides separate IPv6 DNS fields. Configure IPv6 only if you have valid IPv6 resolver addresses; otherwise, leaving IPv6 on a different DNS path can mean your device is not consistently using the resolver you intended. Do not copy IPv4 addresses into IPv6 fields.
Change DNS in Windows 10
The adapter Properties route below is documented by Cloudflare for Windows 10. Record the existing DNS values before changing them, and edit only DNS—not the other IP fields.
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- Open Settings > Network & Internet > Change adapter options.
- Right-click the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and choose Properties.
- Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), then choose Properties.
- Choose the option to use specified DNS server addresses and enter
1.1.1.1as preferred DNS and1.0.0.1as alternate DNS, if you want to test Cloudflare’s standard IPv4 pair. - Select OK and close the remaining dialogs. Retry the stream or sign-in. To undo the change, return to the IPv4 Properties dialog and select Obtain DNS server address automatically.
Cloudflare’s Windows instructions were last updated May 1, 2026: Set up 1.1.1.1 on Windows.
Windows 11 DNS-over-HTTPS: what it changes
DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) is a separate setting that encrypts DNS queries between Windows and a compatible resolver. It is not a speed setting, and encryption alone should not be expected to improve streaming. Microsoft documents DoH controls in Windows 11, but says the setting is unavailable in Windows 10.
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In Windows 11, the DNS editing screen can offer Off, On (automatic template), or On (manual template) options for DNS encryption. A plaintext fallback setting determines what happens if a query cannot be sent over HTTPS: with fallback allowed it may be sent unencrypted; with fallback disabled Windows does not send that query if HTTPS is unavailable. Use a template supported by your chosen resolver, and do not assume every resolver offers the same filtering or encryption behavior. Microsoft’s network settings guide describes the Windows controls.
After the change: retry, flush the cache, and isolate the cause
- Repeat the exact action that failed—for example, load the same stream page or sign in to the same app.
- If you suspect Windows is still using a cached DNS answer, open Command Prompt and run
ipconfig /flushdns. Microsoft documents this as a way to clear the DNS resolver cache. - If the issue persists, restore Automatic (DHCP) and continue troubleshooting rather than cycling through resolvers without evidence.
- On Windows 11 Wi-Fi, open Get Help and run the Network and Internet troubleshooter, as Microsoft recommends.
- Check whether another device on the same network has the same problem. If it does, the router, network, ISP, or service may be involved rather than this PC’s DNS setting.
- Where practical, compare Wi-Fi with wired Ethernet. This helps distinguish a wireless problem from broader connectivity trouble; it is not itself a DNS fix. Microsoft notes that a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is an option for PCs without an Ethernet port. See its Ethernet troubleshooting guidance.
- If other internet use works but one app still fails, investigate that app, its account, firewall rules, and the streaming service’s availability.
Save Network reset for later troubleshooting. Microsoft warns that it removes installed network adapters and resets their settings; VPN software and Hyper-V virtual switches may need attention afterward. Details are in Microsoft’s Wi-Fi troubleshooting guide.
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