IP addresses are one of the primary ways services identify a user. Though your IP address may change automatically from time to time, if you’ve been assigned the wrong IP by your router or want something more static, you need to know how to change your IP address on Windows 10 manually.
What is an IP address?
An IP address is a series of numbers that identifies your device and therefore allows information to be sent between devices. Without IP addresses, computers on the internet and your local network would not be able to differentiate between different devices, routers, websites, etc.
However, IP addresses also come with some downsides. For starters, somebody may be able to use your IP address to get a general idea of your location. Services may also utilize your IP address to track you across the web.
Unfortunately, changing your IP address will with the methods outlined below will not disguise your location. As the IP address will still be connected to your ISP, it can still be traced to their nearest networking hub. It will also not help if you have been banned by a service – you’re only changing the IP address on your local network, not the one the internet sees. For that kind of protection, you should consider using Tor or a VPN.
That said, if you do want to change IP address on Windows 10, you’ll need to have access to your administrator account. If you do have access, you can learn how to change IP by following the steps below:
How to Change IP Address in Windows 10 via Settings
Unsurprisingly, the simplest way to change your IP address in Windows 10 is via the in-built settings app, but there are a few things you need to look out for when it comes to choosing your new IP:
- Open Settings
Press the Start button, then click the settings cog, above the power button. Alternatively, press Windows + I.
- Click “Network & Internet”
- Click “Wi-Fi” in the sidebar and select your Wi-Fi network from the list
- Press “Edit” under the “IP assignment” heading
- Option 1: Automatic IP address assignment
If your IP address is currently set manually and you’re running into issues, you can change the dropdown in “Edit network IP settings” to “Automatic (DHCP)” and press “Save”.
- Switch the “IPv4” toggle to “On”
- Enter your new IP address information
When you change your IP address, it’s important to make sure the information you enter is correct. Before you start, it’s useful to gather:
– Your current IP address
– Your subnet mask
– Your gateway (router IP)If you don’t know these details, you can run the
ipconfigcommand in Command Prompt to obtain them.Ideally, your new IP address should be of the same format as your old one. For example, if your current IP address is 10.0.0.1, you’ll probably want to keep the 10.0.0.x format. Make sure you don’t set your IP to the same as your gateway or other devices on your network.
Once you’re done, press “Save”.
How to Change your Windows 10 IP Address in Control Panel
If you prefer the old-school way of doing things, the Control Panel may be better suited to you. In some ways, its interface is easier to navigate when it comes to IP editing. Here’s how you can use it for that purpose:
- Open Control Panel
Press Start and then type “Control Panel”. Click the top result.
- Click “View Network status and tasks” under the “Network and Internet” heading
- Click on your active Wi-Fi or ethernet next to the “Connections:” field
- Press the “Properties” button at the bottom of the Wi-Fi Status window
At this point, you’ll likely have to authenticate yourself as an administrator.
- Select “Internet Protocol Version 4” from the list and press “Properties” again
- Option 1: Automatically assign your IP address
If your IP address is currently manually assigned and you’re running into issues, you can tick “Obtain an IP address automatically” here instead and click “Save”.
- Option 2: Manually assign an IP address
When you change your IP address, it’s important to make sure the information you enter is correct. Before you start, it’s useful to gather:
– Your current IP address
– Your subnet mask
– Your gateway (router IP)If you don’t know these details, you can run the
ipconfigcommand in Command Prompt to obtain them.Ideally, your new IP address should be of the same format as your old one. For example, if your current IP address is 10.0.0.1, you’ll probably want to keep the 10.0.0.x format. Make sure you don’t set your IP to the same as your gateway or other devices on your network.
Once you’re done, press “OK”. You can leave the DNS fields blank, though it’s worth noting that there are advantages to changing them.
How to Change IP in CMD (Command Prompt)
The command-line is often the fastest way to get things done, and this is no exception. You can change your IP in Command Prompt in under a minute if you need to. Here’s how:
- Open Command Prompt
Press Start and type “Command Prompt”, then click “Run as administrator” on the right-hand side.
- Check your Wi-Fi interface name
Before you change your IP, you need to know the name of your interface. This will likely be “Wi-Fi” if you’re on a Wi-Fi network or “Ethernet” if you’re on Ethernet.
You can check yours with
netsh interface IP show config. While you’re there, note down its default gateway and subnet mask.
- Option 1: Enable automatic IP address assignment
If you set your manual IP previously, you can revert it to automatic assignment via DHCP with the following command:
netsh interface IP set address "Wi-Fi" dchp
Remember to replace “Wi-Fi” with whatever your interface is called.
- Change your IP address manually
If you’d rather set your IP address manually, you can instead use the following command:
netsh interface IP set address name="Wi-Fi" static new.ip.address sub.net.mask gatewway.ip.address
Now that you know how to change your IP address on Windows 10, you may be interested in learning more about your network. Here’s how you can change your network name or disable a Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
Last Updated on February 14, 2022 7:43 pm CET
