Accessing the internet on your Windows computer is a complex process, and the DNS Client Service is crucial to the process. This service facilitates DNS resolution for servers you repeatedly visit by caching queries.
The Windows system lets you start and stop the DNS Client service at will, and the most straightforward place to do this is in the Services applet. First, we’ll show you how to start or stop the DNS Client service in the Services applet.
How to Start or Stop the DNS Client service
- Open the Run dialog box using the Windows key + R shortcut.
- Enter services.msc and click on the OK button.
- Find the DNS client service from the list and right-click on it.
- Hit the Start or Stop option on the context menu.
- To set the DNS client service to start automatically, right-click on it, and select Properties.
- From the Startup type dropdown menu, change it to Automatic.
- Click OK.
The above steps are standard for starting the DNS client service. However, many users have found that the options to start or stop the DNS Client service don’t work in their system.
This article outlines three methods to resolve this issue and provides instructions on how to start or stop the DNS Client service if the options are greyed out.
Enable DNS Client Service if it is greyed out or disabled in Windows 11/10
If the DNS Client Service if greyed out or disabled on your Windows 11/10 computer, then know that it could be bu design. Nevertheless, here are ways you can try to enable the start and stop options for the DNS Client service.
- Fix it from the Windows Registry Editor.
- Start the DNS client service from the System Configuration applet.
- Start the DNS client service from Command Prompt.
Continue reading below for the full guides for carrying out the above operations.
1] Fix it from the Windows Registry Editor
Click on the Start menu button and search for regedit. Right-click on Registry Editor and select the option to Run as administrator.
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following folder:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Dnscache
Right-click on the Start key on the right-hand side and select Modify.
Change the value data to 4. Hit the OK button to save this setting.
NOTE: Changing the value data to 4 means that you’re disabling the service. To set it to start the service automatically. Likewise, 3 means it starts manually.
Close the Registry Editor and follow the steps in the previous section to start the DNS client service from services.msc.
2] Start the DNS client service from the System Configuration applet
Open the Run dialog box using the Windows key + R combination.
Input MSConfig in the Run dialog box and click on the OK button.
Switch to the Services tab and find the DNS client option from the list.
Enable the DNS client service by marking the checkbox to the left of the service.
To disable or stop the service, uncheck the checkbox next to it.
3] Start the DNS client service from Command Prompt
The Command Prompt allows you to make numerous changes to your Windows system.
These include changes that are impossible to make with other programs.
Here is how to start and stop the DNS client service using the Command Prompt:
Press the Windows key and search for cmd. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose the Run as administrator option.
Type in the following command in the Command Prompt window and hit ENTER:
net stop dnscache
The above command forces the DNS client service to stop if it was running.
Next, type in the following command in the Command Prompt window and hit ENTER:
net start dnscache
This command starts the DNS client service if it was turned off and not running.
The three solutions preferred here will help you start or stop the DNS client service, whether it’s greyed out or not.
How do I enable DNS client service in Windows 11?
To enable the DNS Client service in Windows 11, you must first open the System Configuration panel. For that, you can search for msconfig in the Taskbar search box and click on the individual search result. Then, switch to the Services tab and find the DNS Client. Tick the corresponding checkbox and click on the OK button.
Why is my DNS server unavailable in Windows 11?
There are multiple reasons why you are getting this error in Windows 11. The primary reason is the unavailability of an internet connection. However, if the desired website has recently moved to a new server and DNS propagation has not been completed yet, you may encounter the same error when opening the website. In that case, you need to wait for some time after clearing the cache and cookies of the site.
