DNS Server Not Responding" Error (Windows 11)

"DNS server not responding" almost always means one thing: your PC can't translate domain names into IP addresses, even though your network connection itself is fine. Fix it in order: flush the DNS cache, switch to a public DNS server like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1, then reset the network stack if that doesn't work. Most cases clear up in the first two steps.

I've chased this error on home routers, corporate laptops, and a few systems where the actual cause turned out to be a bad Wi-Fi driver masquerading as a DNS problem. Below is the order I actually work through, not a random list of "10 possible fixes" — start at the top and stop as soon as it's resolved.

What does "DNS server not responding" actually mean?

Your computer sends a lookup request ("what's the IP for google.com?") to a DNS server, and nothing comes back in time. Windows shows this as a red X on the network icon with the message "DNS server isn't responding" when you run the built-in troubleshooter, or you'll see it while browsing as a failed page load with no other explanation.

The key diagnostic question: can you reach the internet by IP address but not by name? Try ping 8.8.8.8 — if that works but ping google.com fails, you've confirmed it's DNS specifically, not your connection. If both fail, the problem is your network link (Wi-Fi, cable, router), not DNS, and flushing DNS won't help.

Common causes

Your ISP's DNS server is slow, overloaded, or temporarily down
A stale or corrupted local DNS cache pointing to dead IPs
A misconfigured router, especially after a firmware update
A VPN client or security software intercepting DNS traffic
Outdated or buggy network adapter drivers
IPv6 misconfiguration on networks that don't fully support it

How do I fix DNS server not responding on Windows 11?

Work through these in order. Each one is progressively more disruptive, so don't jump straight to a full network reset if flushing DNS fixes it.

Step 1: Flush the DNS cache

This clears out any stale name-to-IP mappings Windows has cached. It's safe, instant, and fixes a surprising number of cases where a site changed servers or your ISP's resolver briefly returned bad data.

Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as Administrator (right-click Start → Terminal (Admin)) and run:

ipconfig /flushdns

You should see: Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache. If you want to see what's currently cached before you flush it, run ipconfig /displaydns first.

While you're in there, release and renew your IP lease too — this covers cases where DHCP handed you a DNS server address that's no longer valid:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /registerdns

Flushing DNS only clears your PC's local cache. It doesn't touch your router's DNS cache or fix anything on the ISP's end — if the flush doesn't help, move to changing your DNS server.

Step 2: Change your DNS server

If your ISP's DNS resolver is the problem, point your PC at a public DNS provider instead. This is the fix that resolves the issue permanently in most home-network cases, not just temporarily.

Using Settings (GUI method):

Go to Settings → Network & internet
Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) → Hardware properties (or click the network name directly on newer builds)
Next to "DNS server assignment," click Edit
Switch from Automatic (DHCP) to Manual
Turn on IPv4, enter a preferred and alternate DNS address, then Save

Using Command Prompt (faster if you're doing this on more than one machine): first find your adapter name.

netsh interface show interface

Then set the DNS server on that adapter (replace "Wi-Fi" with your actual adapter name — quote it if it has spaces):

netsh interface ip set dns name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1
netsh interface ip add dns name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2

Flush DNS again after changing servers, then verify with:

nslookup google.com

If that returns an IP address instead of timing out, you're resolved. To confirm the new servers actually stuck:

ipconfig /all | findstr /i "DNS"

Which public DNS server should you use?

Provider	Primary	Secondary	Notes
Cloudflare	1.1.1.1	1.0.0.1	Fast, privacy-focused, no logging retention beyond 24 hours per their published policy
Google Public DNS	8.8.8.8	8.8.4.4	Reliable, widely used, well-documented
Quad9	9.9.9.9	149.112.112.112	Blocks known malicious domains automatically

I default to Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 on home networks and Google's 8.8.8.8 as a fallback — both are fast enough that you won't notice a difference day-to-day. Don't overthink this pick; the reliability gap between the major providers is negligible for normal browsing.

Step 3: Restart your network adapter

Sometimes the adapter itself is stuck in a bad state rather than the DNS config. In Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings, click Network reset for the nuclear option, or first try just disabling and re-enabling the adapter:

netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" disable
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" enable

Or via PowerShell, which is a bit friendlier:

Restart-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"

Step 4: Reset Winsock and the TCP/IP stack

If DNS still isn't resolving after the above, the Winsock catalog or TCP/IP stack itself may be corrupted — this happens occasionally after malware cleanup, a bad VPN client uninstall, or a failed Windows update. This is a bigger hammer, so use it after the earlier steps, not instead of them.

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

You'll need to restart the computer for this to take effect — the commands themselves won't say much beyond confirming they ran. On Windows 10/11 this kind of corruption is genuinely rare; I've only needed this step a handful of times, usually right after removing aggressive antivirus or VPN software that installed its own network filter drivers.

Step 5: Check IPv6 and your router

On networks where IPv6 is half-configured (common with some ISP-provided routers), Windows can try IPv6 DNS first, time out, then fall back to IPv4 — adding delay that shows up as "not responding." If you've ruled out everything else, try temporarily disabling IPv6 on the adapter (Network adapter properties → uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6") and see if the problem disappears. If it does, you likely have an IPv6 misconfiguration upstream rather than a Windows problem.

Also just reboot your router. It sounds obvious, but router-side DNS caching or a stuck DHCP lease causes this exact symptom often enough that it deserves a mention before you go further down the command-line rabbit hole.

DNS not responding vs. no internet at all — how to tell the difference

Symptom	Likely cause	Where to look
`ping 8.8.8.8` works, `ping google.com` fails	DNS resolution specifically	Flush DNS, change DNS server
Both pings fail	No network connectivity at all	Check cabling, Wi-Fi signal, router status
Works on some sites, not others	Specific domain's DNS records or CDN issue	Not your machine — check the site's status elsewhere
Works on phone/other devices, not this PC	Local Windows DNS cache or adapter config	Flush DNS, restart adapter
Fails on every device on the network	Router or ISP DNS server	Reboot router, switch to public DNS at the router level

Frequently asked questions

Does flushing DNS delete my browsing history?

No. It clears the local resolver cache (domain-to-IP mappings), not your browser history or cookies. Some sites may briefly treat you as a first-time visitor if they rely on DNS-based session logic, but that's uncommon.

Why does DNS work on my phone but not my PC?

Your phone is likely on cellular data or has a different cached DNS state than your PC on Wi-Fi. This points to a local Windows issue — flush DNS and check the adapter's DNS settings rather than assuming your router or ISP is at fault.

Is it safe to use Google or Cloudflare DNS instead of my ISP's?

Yes, this is a normal and common practice. Public DNS providers are generally faster and more reliable than many ISP resolvers, though you're trusting that provider with your DNS query logs instead of your ISP — read their privacy policies if that matters to you.

Will changing my DNS server slow down or speed up browsing?

Usually a marginal speed difference either way. The bigger win from switching is reliability — fewer timeouts and failed lookups — not raw speed.

Do I need to change DNS settings on every device, or just my router?

Changing it on the router applies to every device on your network automatically. Changing it per-device (like the Windows steps above) only affects that one machine and is useful when just one PC is having the problem.

What if none of this fixes it?

Test from a different network (mobile hotspot) to rule out your router/ISP entirely. If DNS resolves fine elsewhere, the router is the culprit — check its firmware and DNS configuration directly, or contact your ISP.

Quick reference: commands used in this guide

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /all | findstr /i "DNS"
nslookup google.com
netsh interface show interface
netsh interface ip set dns name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1
netsh interface ip add dns name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
Restart-NetAdapter -Name "Wi-Fi"

Start with the flush, move to a public DNS server if that doesn't hold, and only reach for the Winsock/TCP-IP reset if the first two genuinely don't fix it. In the vast majority of cases you won't need to go past step two.