If a streaming app will not load, sign in, or connect, changing DNS can help diagnose a name-resolution problem—but it is not a general fix for buffering or poor video quality. In Windows, change DNS only for the active connection, leave IP assignment on Automatic (DHCP) unless you know how to configure every address field, and switch back if the change makes things worse.
Will changing DNS fix streaming?
Sometimes. DNS translates a service name into the network address a device uses to reach it. If that lookup is failing or stale, trying another resolver may help an app or service connect. But a DNS change does not increase your internet bandwidth or repair weak Wi-Fi, ISP congestion, a streaming-service outage, account trouble, or an app or firewall problem. Microsoft recommends Automatic (DHCP) for most networks; the steps below are a reversible diagnostic, not a guaranteed performance improvement. Microsoft’s Windows network settings guidance explains automatic and manual DNS configuration.
Before changing DNS
- Identify whether you are connected by Wi-Fi or Ethernet; edit that active connection, not an inactive adapter.
- Note or capture the current DNS settings so you can restore them.
- Keep IP assignment on Automatic (DHCP). DHCP supplies IP and DNS settings from your router or access point. If you switch to Manual, enter only the DNS fields you intend to change; do not guess an IP address, subnet prefix, or gateway.
- Do not override settings managed by work, school, or VPN administrators without checking with them. Public Wi-Fi may also require its own sign-in page (captive portal), and a custom static configuration can interfere with that page.
- If only one app or streaming service has a problem while other internet use works, also check the app, account, firewall, and service status. DNS may not be the cause.
Change DNS in Windows 11
- Open Start > Settings > Network & internet.
- For Wi-Fi, select Wi-Fi, then the connected network. For a wired connection, select Ethernet.
- 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 select Save. Do not fill in unrelated manual IP fields unless your network administrator has supplied those values.
- Configure IPv6 only if you have valid IPv6 DNS addresses for the resolver you chose. Otherwise, an IPv6 connection may continue using a different DNS path than IPv4.
- Retry the same stream, app launch, or sign-in action that failed. Keep track of whether the result changes.
What DNS should I use for streaming?
There is no resolver established here as fastest or best for streaming. A standard Cloudflare IPv4 example is 1.1.1.1 for preferred DNS and 1.0.0.1 for alternate DNS. These are standard resolvers; Cloudflare also offers separate “Families” resolver pairs that filter content, so do not substitute them unless you want that filtering. See Cloudflare’s Windows setup instructions.
Use a custom resolver only if your network permits it. If you are on public Wi-Fi, return to automatic DNS if the network’s sign-in portal stops appearing or working.
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DNS-over-HTTPS in Windows 11
Windows 11 also provides DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) controls for supported resolvers. In the DNS settings for the connection, Windows distinguishes Off, On (automatic template), and On (manual template); the available choices depend on the resolver and Windows configuration. The setting encrypts DNS queries in transit when supported; it is not a speed fix. Windows also offers a choice about falling back to plaintext: with fallback disabled, a query is not sent if it cannot be sent over HTTPS; with fallback enabled, it may be sent unencrypted. Microsoft says this DoH setting is unavailable in Windows 10. Review Microsoft’s DNS and DoH guidance before changing these options.
Change DNS in Windows 10
Windows 10 does not include the Windows 11 DNS-over-HTTPS setting described above. To set conventional IPv4 DNS addresses:
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- Open Settings > Network and 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.
- Record the existing configuration. Select the option to use the following DNS server addresses and enter the preferred and alternate DNS values. For Cloudflare’s standard IPv4 pair, use 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1.
- Leave the IP address configuration unchanged, confirm the dialogs, and retry the stream or sign-in.
Cloudflare’s instructions for this Windows setup were last updated May 1, 2026: Set up 1.1.1.1 on Windows.
How to change DNS back to automatic
Windows 11
Return to Start > Settings > Network & internet, select the active Wi-Fi network or Ethernet connection, then select Edit beside IP assignment. Choose Automatic (DHCP) and save. This returns IP and DNS assignment to the router or access point.
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Windows 10
Open the active adapter’s Properties, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties, then select Obtain DNS server address automatically if that was your original configuration. Restore any recorded prior values if your network used specific DNS servers. Avoid changing the IP address option unless necessary.
If the stream still will not connect
- Flush the DNS cache: Open Command Prompt, enter
ipconfig /flushdns, and press Enter. Then retry the same action. This clears cached DNS results; it does not fix a broader connection or service issue. Microsoft documents this command in its Wi-Fi troubleshooting guidance. - Run the Windows 11 network troubleshooter: Open Get Help and start the Network and Internet troubleshooter. Follow the checks it presents for the affected connection.
- Compare devices: Try the same service on another device connected to the same network. If the failure is limited to one computer or one app, focus on that app, its settings, account, or firewall. If several devices fail, check the router, internet connection, and streaming service status.
- Compare Wi-Fi with Ethernet, if practical: A wired test can help distinguish a Wi-Fi problem from wider connectivity trouble. If your PC lacks an Ethernet port, Microsoft notes that a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is an option; the adapter is only for this optional comparison, not a DNS remedy. See Microsoft’s Ethernet troubleshooting steps.
- Save Network reset for last: Microsoft says a network reset removes installed network adapters and resets their settings. VPN software and Hyper-V virtual switches may need attention afterward, so use this only after less disruptive checks.
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