"DNS Server Isn't Responding" on Windows 11? How to Fix It

Web pages won’t load and the Windows troubleshooter reports that your DNS server isn’t responding.

Why: DNS turns names like example.com into IP addresses. When the resolver Windows is pointed at stops answering — a stale local cache, a flaky ISP DNS server, or a corrupted network stack — the connection looks alive but nothing loads.

Fix 1: Run the network troubleshooter and flush DNS

Start with the fastest cleanup.

1. On Windows 11, open the Get Help app, type connect to network and internet in the search bar, and select Run network diagnostics. Let it apply any fixes it finds.

2. Then click Start, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.

3. Clear the stale resolver cache:

   ipconfig /flushdns

Retest in your browser. A corrupted cache is the most common cause and this clears it.

Fix 2: Confirm the DNS server is the problem

Check whether the DNS server Windows is using actually answers.

1. In the same elevated Command Prompt, list your DNS servers:

   ipconfig /all | findstr /c:"DNS Servers"

2. Note the DNS server IP address shown, then ping it:

   ping <DNS server address>

If the ping fails or times out, the configured DNS server is unreachable — move to Fix 3 and switch it.

Fix 3: Switch to a reliable public DNS server

Point Windows at a public resolver instead of your ISP’s.

1. For Wi-Fi: Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks, then select your network. For Ethernet: Settings > Network & internet > Ethernet, then select the connection.
2. Next to IP assignment / DNS server assignment, click Edit, choose Manual, and turn on IPv4.
3. In Preferred DNS enter 8.8.8.8 and in Alternate DNS enter 8.8.4.4 (Google), or use 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare).
4. Leave DNS over HTTPS at its default unless you specifically want encrypted DNS, then click Save.

Fix 4: Reset the network stack

If a fresh DNS server still doesn’t respond, the network stack itself may be corrupted.

1. In an elevated Command Prompt, run these in order:

   netsh winsock reset
   netsh int ip reset
   ipconfig /release
   ipconfig /renew
   ipconfig /flushdns

2. Restart the PC so the changes take effect.

FAQ

Other devices on the same network work fine. Then the router and ISP DNS are fine and the problem is on this PC — Fix 1 and Fix 3 are the right targets.

The error came back after I set a manual DNS. Recheck that you typed the addresses correctly and turned on the IPv4 toggle; a typo leaves Windows with no working resolver.

Should I use DNS over HTTPS? It’s optional. It encrypts your DNS lookups, but it’s not required to fix “DNS isn’t responding” — leave it Off if you’re unsure.

Sources: Microsoft — Fix Wi-Fi connection issues in Windows · Microsoft — Change TCP/IP settings