Version: 1.13 | License: Freeware | OS: Windows 10/11
Changing DNS settings in Windows 10 and Windows 11 is never as easy as it should be. You need to dig through the menu or run manual commands.
To make this easier, I built WinDNS. It is a portable tool designed to make switching between DNS services, such as Google Public DNS, OpenDNS, and Cloudflare DNS, simpler and faster. It comes with a pre-defined list of DNS services and also supports manual entry for custom servers.
Why Use WinDNS?
- WinDNS is a portable tool, meaning no installation is required. You just download the .exe and run it.
- The tool’s file size is less than 250KB.
- Displays your current active DNS IP addresses.
- You can switch between different DNS servers in 1 click.
- It has no ads, no telemetry, no background services, and runs completely offline.
- It comes pre-configured with reputable and popular DNS services to make switching quick and easy.
- It also allows you to enter custom DNS IP addresses if needed manually.
- Includes a built-in feature to check the DNS speed and latency instantly.
- Has a dedicated reset button to quickly restore your settings to “Automatic (DHCP)” to use your router’s default DNS.
Download WinDNS
WinDNS is completely free for both personal and commercial use.
Developer’s note: Because WinDNS is created by an independent developer (me) and it changes system network settings, some aggressive antivirus software may falsely flag it as suspicious. This is a False Positive.
The application is completely safe and has been verified clean by major antivirus providers, including Microsoft Defender, Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, and Norton.
You can also manually scan the application before using it. On Windows, you can simply right-click the downloaded file and select your antivirus scan option.
(portable .exe)
File Hash (SHA-256): 185ec0da2ef60ca5c76d53895490375f8e41311715ab9af5e783ef3763d2a993
How to Use WinDNS
This section shows all the features of WinDNS in action and how to use it to switch DNS servers. Before proceeding, please download the application using the link above. After downloading, simply double-click the downloaded .exe file to launch the tool.
Changing DNS with WinDNS
Once the tool opens, select the network adapter you want to configure from the “Adapter” dropdown menu. By default, the tool automatically detects your active network adapter.
After selecting, you will see your current DNS IP addresses displayed below the dropdown, next to “Current“.
Now, select a DNS server of your choice from the “DNS Set” dropdown menu and click “Apply DNS“. In my case, I’m choosing to use Google Public DNS.
This instantly switches the DNS, and the tool will update the “Current” display to show the new DNS IP addresses.
Custom DNS Servers (not in pre-configured list)
If you want to use custom DNS servers not available in the pre-configured list, select “Custom” from the “DNS Set” dropdown.
Next, enter the primary and secondary (optional) DNS in the two fields next to “IPv4“. Click “Apply DNS” to set the DNS.
Check DNS Speed and Latency
You can check the speed and latency of both your active DNS and any pre-configured server directly in the application.
- To check your active DNS: Click the “lightning bolt” icon next to Ping Current DNS under the “Adapter” dropdown.
- To test a server before applying: Select the DNS provider from the “DNS Set” dropdown and click the “lightning bolt” icon next to it.
- Note: In case of custom DNS, enter the IP addresses of the DNS server before clicking the “lightning bolt” icon.
In both cases, the latency result (ping) will appear in green text next to the icon.
Restoring Automatic (DHCP) DNS
To reset everything, simply select your network adapter from the “Adapter” dropdown and click the “Auto” button. This instantly switches your configuration back to Automatic (DHCP), restoring your router’s default DNS settings.
Add WinDNS Shortcut to the Start Menu
Since WinDNS is a portable application, it does not appear in the Start menu automatically like installed programs. However, if you want quick access to the tool, you can manually add a shortcut to the Windows Start menu folder.
To do that, follow the steps below:
- Hold down the “Alt” key on your keyboard and drag & drop the “WinDNS.exe” file to create a shortcut.
- Rename the shortcut to “WinDNS“.
- Select the shortcut and press “Ctrl + X” (cut).
- Open the “%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs” folder and press “Ctrl + V” to paste the shortcut.
For more detailed instructions, follow this guide.
Microsoft Defender’s ‘Unknown Publisher’ Warning
Since I’m a small independent developer, I do not have an expensive digital certificate to sign the application. This causes Windows SmartScreen to treat the app as “Unknown” and display the warning. You can click “More info” -> “Run anyway” to use it.