How to set static IP address on Windows 10

To set a static IP address on Windows 10, open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi, click the connection, click on “Edit,” select “Manual,” turn on “IPv4,” and set the static IP address.
Alternatively, you can configure a static IP address from Command Prompt, PowerShell, and Control Panel.

UPDATED 12/20/2023: On Windows 10, setting a static IP address to a computer is a configuration you may need to set up in many scenarios. For instance, if you plan to share files, set up a printer on a local network, enable and use Remote Desktop, or configure port forwarding on the router.

If you don’t assign a static IP address, services or a port forwarding configuration may eventually stop working. The reason is that, by default, connected devices use dynamic IP addresses assigned by the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server (usually the router), which can change anytime, as soon as you restart the machine or after the dynamically assigned configuration lease expires. On the other hand, a static configuration is permanent, and it’ll remain assigned until you change it.

Regardless of the reason, Windows 10 offers multiple ways to configure a static network configuration through the Settings app, the legacy Control Panel, and the command line using Command Prompt and PowerShell.

In this guide, I will teach you the steps to set a static IP (version 4) address to a Windows 10 computer.

Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Settings
Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Control Panel
Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Command Prompt
Set static IP address on Windows 10 from PowerShell

Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Settings

To assign a static IP address on Windows 10, use these steps:

Open Settings on Windows 10.
Click on Network & Internet.
Click on “Wi-Fi” or “Ethernet.”
Click on the current network connection.
Under the “IP settings” section, click the Edit button.
Using the drop-down menu, select the Manual option.
Turn on the “IPv4” toggle switch.
Set a static IP address to use by the Windows 10 computer.
Specify a “Subnet prefix length” (subnet mask). If the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0, the subnet prefix length in bits is 24.
Specify a “Default Gateway” address.
Specify a “Preferred DNS” address.
Specify an “Alternate DNS address” (if applicable).
Click the Save button.

After you complete the steps, you can test your settings using your web browser to open a website.

Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Control Panel

To assign a static IP from the Control Panel on Windows 10, use these steps:

Open Control Panel.
Click on Network and Internet.
Click on Network and Sharing Center.
Click the Change adapter settings option on the left navigation pane.
Right-click the Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter and select the Properties option.
Select the “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” option.
Click the Properties button.
Select the “Use the following IP address” option.
Set the static IP address for the adapter – for example, 10.1.2.220.
Specify a Subnet mask. (Typically, on a home network, the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0.)
Specify a Default gateway. (Usually, your router’s IP address. For example, 10.1.2.1.)
Under the “Use the following DNS server addresses set Preferred DNS server” section, set the Preferred DNS server address. (Usually, your router’s IP address or server IP address that provides the DNS resolution, such as 10.1.2.1).
(Optional) Specify an Alternative DNS server. (The computer will use this address if it cannot reach the preferred DNS server.)
Click the OK button.
Click the Close button again.

Once you complete the steps, you can open your web browser and load a website to see if the configuration works.

Set static IP address on Windows 10 from Command Prompt

To set a static IP address on Windows 10 from Command Prompt, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to see your current networking configuration and press Enter:
```
ipconfig /all
```
Under the network adapter, note the name of the adapter as well as the following information in these fields:
- IPv4
- Subnet mask
- Default Gateway
- DNS Servers
Type the following command to assign a static IP address on Windows 10 and press Enter:
```
netsh interface ip set address name="Ethernet1" static 10.1.4.220 255.255.255.0 10.1.4.1
```
In the above command, replace “Ethernet0” with the name of your network adapter. Change “10.1.4.220 255.255.255.0 10.1.4.1” with the device IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway address corresponding to your network configuration.
Type the following command to set a DNS server address and press Enter:
```
netsh interface ip set dns name="Ethernet1" static 10.1.4.1
```
In the command, make sure to change “Ethernet0” with your adapter’s name and “10.1.4.1” with the DNS server address of the network.
Type the following command to set an alternate DNS server address and press Enter:
```
netsh interface ip add dns name="Ethernet1" 8.8.8.8 index=2
```
In the command, replace “Ethernet0” with your adapter’s name and “8.8.8.8” with an alternate DNS server address.

After you complete the steps, you can test the new configuration using the ping command (for example ping google.com) to see if the internet is working. Alternatively, you can open a website to see if the configuration works.

Set static IP address on Windows 10 from PowerShell

Windows 10 also includes the PowerShell command line platform that allows you to use the “NetTCPIP” module to manage networking settings, including the ability to change your computer’s IP address settings. Microsoft recommends using this command-line method instead of netsh.

To set a static IP address from PowerShell, use these steps:

Open Start.
Search for PowerShell, right-click the result, and select the Run as administrator option.
Type the following command to view your current network configuration and press Enter:
```
Get-NetIPConfiguration
```
After running the command, note the following information:
- InterfaceIndex
- IPv4Address
- IPv4DefaultGateway
- DNSServer
Type the following command to set a static IP address and press Enter:
```
New-NetIPAddress -InterfaceIndex 5 -IPAddress 10.1.4.220 -PrefixLength 24 -DefaultGateway 10.1.4.1
```
In the command, replace the “InterfaceIndex” number (5) with the corresponding number of your adapter. Change “IPAddress” with the static IP address you want to assign to your device. Change PrefixLength (subnet mask) with the correct bit number if necessary. Typically, on a home network, the setting is “24.” Also, change the “DefaultGateway” option with the default gateway address of the network.
Type the following command to assign a DNS server address and press Enter:
```
Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceIndex 5 -ServerAddresses 10.1.4.1
```
If you need to set a secondary DNS server address, use a comma to use the same command with another address. For example:
```
Set-DnsClientServerAddress -InterfaceIndex 5 -ServerAddresses 10.1.4.1, 8.8.8.8
```
In the command, replace the “InterfaceIndex” number (5) with your network adapter’s corresponding number. Also, change “ServerAddresses” with the DNS IP address.

After you complete the steps, you can test the new configuration by opening your web browser and navigating a website.

Whatever method you use, assigning an IP address within the network range and outside of the DHCP server scope is recommended to allow proper connectivity and avoid address conflicts. If multiple devices share the same address, this will cause a networking conflict, preventing connection to the internet.

Update December 20, 2023: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and reflect changes to the process.