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Windows 11 does not include a Settings option called Prefer IPv4. To prefer IPv4 while keeping IPv6 enabled, set the Windows TCP/IP prefix-policy preference by creating the DisabledComponents registry value with decimal value 32 (0x20). The change requires an elevated Command Prompt and a restart.
Do not clear the adapter-properties checkbox for Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) as a substitute: that unbinds IPv6 from the adapter rather than simply changing address preference.
What Windows 11 normally does
When a hostname has both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, Windows uses a prefix-policy table to decide which address family to try first. By default, Windows generally favors IPv6 global-unicast addresses over IPv4.
Setting the documented PreferIpv4 bit changes that ordering without removing IPv6 from Windows. IPv6 remains available if it is required or if an IPv4 destination cannot be used.
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Set IPv4 as preferred with Command Prompt
This is the shortest supported method.
- Open Start and type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
- Approve the User Account Control prompt.
- Run this command exactly: reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters” /v DisabledComponents /t REG_DWORD /d 32 /f
- Restart Windows.
A successful command reports that the operation completed successfully. It creates a REG_DWORD named DisabledComponents with decimal value 32, also written as hexadecimal 0x20, at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters.
The restart is required. Writing the registry value successfully does not apply the new address-selection behavior immediately.
Verify that IPv4 has higher precedence
After restarting, open an elevated or normal Command Prompt and run: netsh interface ipv6 show prefixpolicies
Find these entries in the output:
| Prefix | What to check |
|---|---|
| ::ffff:0:0/96 | This is the IPv4-mapped prefix. Its Precedence should be higher than the IPv6 default prefix. |
| ::/0 | This represents the general IPv6 route. Its Precedence should be lower than the IPv4-mapped prefix. |
A higher precedence number is preferred. The exact numbers can vary, so compare the two entries rather than looking for one particular output value.
You can also perform a basic hostname test with ping bing.com. If Windows selects IPv4 for the returned destination, the ping output displays an IPv4 address. This checks address selection for that hostname only; it does not guarantee that every application or destination will use IPv4.
Do not use the adapter checkbox to prefer IPv4
Windows 11 exposes the IPv6 binding checkbox here:
Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings → More network adapter options → right-click Ethernet or Wi-Fi → Properties
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The checkbox is labelled Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6). Clearing it does not mean “prefer IPv4.” It unbinds IPv6 from that network adapter.
Microsoft warns that Windows is tested with IPv6 bound and functional. Removing the binding can create an unsupported configuration, and some Windows components may expect IPv6 to remain available. For that reason, use the DisabledComponents value of 32 instead. See Microsoft’s IPv6 configuration guidance.
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Do not use 0xFF to prefer IPv4
A frequently repeated instruction says to set DisabledComponents to 0xFF. That is not an IPv4-preference setting. It disables IPv6 components according to the documented bitmask.
| Value | Effect |
|---|---|
| 32 / 0x20 | Prefer IPv4 over IPv6 while leaving IPv6 enabled. |
| 255 / 0xFF | Disable IPv6 components on non-tunnel and tunnel interfaces according to the bitmask. |
| 16 / 0x10 | Disable IPv6 on non-tunnel interfaces. |
| 1 / 0x01 | Disable IPv6 on tunnel interfaces. |
| 17 / 0x11 | Disable IPv6 on non-tunnel interfaces except loopback and on IPv6 tunnel interfaces. |
Microsoft also notes that values other than 0 or 32 can cause the Routing and Remote Access service to fail after the change takes effect. Avoid experimenting with bitmask values unless you have a specific, documented requirement.
Restore the default Windows preference
To return to the normal Windows behavior, open Command Prompt as administrator and run: reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters” /v DisabledComponents /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
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Restart Windows afterward. A value of zero removes the IPv4-preference setting and restores the default prefix-policy behavior.
If verification does not show IPv4 first
If ::ffff:0:0/96 does not have a higher precedence than ::/0 after the restart:
- Confirm that the command was run from an elevated Command Prompt.
- Check that the registry value is under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters and is a REG_DWORD set to decimal 32.
- Restart again if the value was changed after the previous restart.
- Run netsh interface ipv6 show prefixpolicies and inspect the complete table.
- Look for manually configured prefix policies, management policies, or other existing network configuration that may be overriding the expected ordering.
Windows also supports manually editing prefix policies with netsh. The general syntax is: netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy [prefix=]<IPv6 address>/<prefix length> [precedence=]<integer> [label=]<integer> [store=]active|persistent
For example, Microsoft documents this syntax: netsh interface ipv6 set prefixpolicy ::/96 3 4. See the Microsoft netsh interface command reference.
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why keeping IPv6 enabled is preferable
Windows treats IPv6 as a core networking component. Microsoft’s guidance is to keep IPv6 enabled and change address preference through prefix policy rather than disabling IPv6 or unbinding it from an adapter. This approach addresses applications or networks that work better with IPv4 without unnecessarily removing IPv6 functionality from Windows.
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- Advanced Cat6 Technology: Experience Cat6 performance with higher bandwidth at a Cat5e price. This network cable is future-proof, ready for 10-Gigabit Ethernet and backwards compatible with any existing Cat 5 cable network. It meets or exceeds Category 6 performance according to the TIA/EIA 568-C.2 standard
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FAQ
Is there a Prefer IPv4 setting in Windows 11 Settings?
No. Windows 11 does not provide a normal Network settings option named Prefer IPv4. Use the DisabledComponents registry value and set it to decimal 32 (0x20).
Does setting DisabledComponents to 32 disable IPv6?
No. The documented value 32 sets the IPv4-preference bit while leaving IPv6 enabled. It is different from values such as 0xFF, which disable IPv6 components.
Should I uncheck TCP/IPv6 in my adapter properties?
No, not merely to prefer IPv4. Clearing that checkbox unbinds IPv6 from the adapter and can produce an unsupported Windows configuration. Set the prefix-policy preference instead.
Do I need to restart after changing DisabledComponents?
Yes. Restart Windows before expecting the new address-selection preference to take effect.
How can I confirm that IPv4 is preferred?
Run netsh interface ipv6 show prefixpolicies and compare the Precedence values for ::ffff:0:0/96 and ::/0. The IPv4-mapped prefix should have the higher number.
The Bottom Line
To prefer IPv4 on Windows 11 without disabling IPv6, run the following from an elevated Command Prompt, then restart: reg add “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters” /v DisabledComponents /t REG_DWORD /d 32 /f
Verify the result with netsh interface ipv6 show prefixpolicies. Do not use 0xFF or clear the adapter’s IPv6 checkbox: those actions disable or unbind IPv6 rather than simply preferring IPv4.
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