DNS Server Not Responding on Windows 11 – Fix It

You're sitting at your Windows 11 PC. You open Chrome or Edge. Type google.com. Hit Enter. And nothing loads. Just a spinning circle. After a while you get a message that says 'DNS server isn't responding' or 'DNS probe finished no internet.'

This usually happens after you recently moved your PC to a new network. Or after a power outage. Or sometimes after Windows Update ran overnight. Your internet cable or Wi-Fi shows connected, but websites don't work. Email won't sync. Netflix shows an error.

The root cause? Your computer is asking a DNS server to translate 'google.com' into numbers (like 142.250.80.46). But that DNS server isn't answering. Could be a router problem. Could be a Windows setting gone wrong. Or maybe your ISP's DNS server is down. The good news: most of the time you can fix it in 5 minutes.

What You'll Need

• A Windows 11 PC (any version – 22H2, 23H2, 24H2 – the steps are the same)
• Admin access to your PC (you should be able to right-click and run things as admin)
• About 10 minutes

Step 1: Check if Your Internet Cable or Wi-Fi is Actually Working

Before we change any settings, let's confirm the problem is really DNS. Open Command Prompt as admin. Click the Start button, type cmd, right-click 'Command Prompt' and choose 'Run as administrator'. Click Yes.

Now type this and press Enter:

ping 8.8.8.8

This pings Google's public DNS server by its number (not by name). If you see replies with times like 'Reply from 8.8.8.8: bytes=32 time=12ms TTL=117' then your internet connection itself is fine. The problem is only with DNS. If you see 'Request timed out' then your network connection is down. Fix that first (check cables, reboot router, etc.).

Step 2: Flush Your DNS Cache

Windows keeps a list of recent website addresses. Sometimes that list gets corrupted. Flushing it forces your PC to ask the DNS server fresh.

In the same Command Prompt window (still as admin), type this and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

You'll see a message: 'Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache'. That's it.

Step 3: Renew Your IP Address

Your IP address is like a mailing address for your computer. Sometimes it gets old or conflicting. Let's get a new one.

Still in Command Prompt (admin), run these three commands one after another:

ipconfig /release

This releases your current IP. Your internet will drop for a moment. That's normal.

ipconfig /renew

This asks the network for a new IP. Wait a few seconds. You might see 'No operation can be performed' – that's okay, just move on.

ipconfig /registerdns

This tells Windows to re-register its name with the DNS server. You should see no errors.

Step 4: Reset Winsock

Winsock is a part of Windows that handles network communication. If it's messed up, DNS won't work.

In the same admin Command Prompt, type:

netsh winsock reset

Press Enter. You'll see 'Successfully reset the Winsock Catalog' and a message to restart your computer. Do not restart yet – we have one more command first.

netsh int ip reset

Press Enter. This resets the TCP/IP stack. You'll see a few lines, including 'Resetting Global, OK!'. After that, restart your PC.

Step 5: Change Your DNS Server to Google's Public DNS

Your ISP's DNS server might be slow or down. Let's switch to Google's – it's free and reliable. After your PC restarts, do this:

1. Press Windows key + R, type ncpa.cpl, and press Enter.
2. You'll see your network connections. Right-click on the one you're using (either 'Ethernet' for wired or 'Wi-Fi' for wireless). Choose 'Properties'.
3. Find 'Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)' in the list. Click it to highlight it. Then click the 'Properties' button below.
4. Select 'Use the following DNS server addresses'.
5. For 'Preferred DNS server', type: 8.8.8.8
6. For 'Alternate DNS server', type: 8.8.4.4
7. Click 'OK'. Then click 'Close'.

Now try opening a website again. If it loads, you're done. If not, let's check one more thing.

Step 6: Reboot Your Router and Modem

Sometimes the problem is not your PC. It's the router. Unplug both your router and your modem (if they're separate boxes) from power. Wait 30 seconds. Plug the modem back in first. Wait until all its lights come back. Then plug the router back in. Wait another minute. Try your PC again.

If It Still Fails

Try these in order. They're less common but sometimes needed.

Check Your Antivirus or VPN

Some antivirus programs have a 'secure DNS' feature that blocks things. Temporarily disable your antivirus. Also turn off any VPN you might have on. See if websites load. If they do, you need to configure the antivirus or VPN to allow DNS traffic.

Check Windows Firewall

Type 'Windows Security' in the Start menu. Open it. Click 'Firewall & network protection'. Make sure it's on (green check). But also click 'Allow an app through firewall' and check that 'DNS Client' is allowed. If not, add it.

Run Network Troubleshooter

Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters. Find 'Network and Internet'. Click 'Run'. Follow the steps. It might reset your network adapter.

Last Resort: Reset Your Network Settings

This wipes all saved Wi-Fi passwords and VPN settings. Only do this if nothing else worked. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Advanced network settings > Network reset. Click 'Reset now'. Your PC will restart. Set up your Wi-Fi again after.

Most people fix the DNS error on Windows 11 with Step 5 – changing to Google's DNS. That's the real fix in 9 out of 10 cases. Try it first.