On Windows 11, you can edit the “Hosts” file to manually override the system’s Domain Name System (DNS) settings for a specific internet domain (website) or device connected to the local network.
Usually, you don’t have to worry about manually mapping an IP address to a domain name using the Hosts file located in the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc path on Windows 11. However, it can come in handy in many scenarios. For instance, when you want to block certain websites. When you don’t have a local DNS server in the network, you must map an IP address to a computer name or prepare a website transfer to a new hosting provider.
Regardless of your reason, Windows 11 makes it super simple to edit the Hosts file using Notepad or any other text editor as long as you open the app as an administrator. Otherwise, you won’t be able to edit the file. In addition, the PowerToys app includes a tool that makes it easier to manage entries in the Hosts file.
In this guide, you will learn the steps to modify the Hosts files on Windows 11 to map host names to IP addresses.
Edit Hosts file on Windows 11 from PowerToys
To edit the Hosts files with the PowerToys editor, use these steps:
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Open PowerToys.
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Click on Hosts File Editor.
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Under the “Activation” section, click the “Launch Hosts File Editor” option.
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Click the Accept button for the warning.
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Click the New entry button.
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Confirm the IP address, hosts name, and comment (as necessary).
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Turn on the Active button.
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Click the Add button.
After you complete the steps, the Hosts file will save with the new entries, and you should now be able to test the new configuration. Also, in the editor, you can enable or disable entries with a single toggle switch.
Edit Hosts file on Windows 11 from Notepad
To edit the “Hosts” file on Windows 11, use these steps:
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Open Start on Windows 11.
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Click on File and select the Open option.
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Browse to the Hosts file location:
C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\ -
Use the drop-down menu next to “File name” and select the “All Files” option.
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Select the Hosts file.
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Click the Open button.
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In a new line, enter the IP address of the remote server, add at least one space, and confirm the domain name or computer name to reach the service. For example,
159.223.126.251 google.com #This PC redirects Google.com to the specified IP address.
Quick note: If you want to add another entry, use a new line and don’t use the pound sign (#) since that symbol is only used for commenting. -
(Optional) Type the following line to block a specific website (for example, Facebook):
127.0.0.1 facebook.com #This PC will block access to Facebook -
Click on File.
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Select the Save option.
Once you complete the steps, you can test the changes by opening Command Prompt and using the ping command to ensure the host is reachable.
If you want to block your computer from accessing certain websites, you can use the loopback address (127.0.0.1) followed by the domain name (127.0.0.1 website.com). Also, if you can edit the “Hosts” file on Windows 11, it’s because you need administrative permissions.
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