How to Enable or Disable Discovery of Network-Designated Resolvers in Windows 11 Discovery of Network-Designated Resolvers, or DNR, is an important new Windows networking feature. It simplifies how encrypted DNS is configured and managed. Let's walk through what DNR does, how it works in Windows 11, and how you can enable or disable it. Before we begin, be sure to subscribe to NinjaOne's IT video hub and our YouTube channel for more tech content like this. What Discovery of Network-Designated Resolvers Does DNR is an IETF standard that allows Windows to automatically discover encrypted DNS resolvers on a network. Instead of manually configuring DNS server IP addresses, Windows can learn this information directly from the network using DHCP. As a result, systems can securely use encrypted DNS without user intervention. At the time of writing, DNR is available starting with Windows 11 build 25982 and is limited to Windows Insider Preview builds. The feature is still being standardized, and general availability has not yet been confirmed. How To Enable Or Disable DNR Using the Registry For individual systems or test machines, DNR can be controlled through the Windows Registry. First, open the Registry Editor and navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ Services\Dnscache\Parameters. If the Parameters key does not exist, it must be created. Next, create a DWORD value named EnableDnr. Setting this value to 1 enables DNR, while setting it to 0 disables it. After making the change, restart the system to apply the configuration. Because registry edits affect core networking behavior, backing up the registry beforehand is strongly recommended. Managing DNR With Command Line and Automation For administrators managing multiple devices, Command Prompt offers a faster option. Using an elevated prompt, the same EnableDnr value can be created or modified with a single registry command. After restarting the device, the configuration can be verified using either Command Prompt or PowerShell. Meanwhile, in enterprise environments, DNR can be deployed through scripts or RMM tools. Administrators can push a registry file that defines the EnableDnr value and schedule a reboot to finalize the change. Since no Group Policy setting currently exists, registry-based automation is the primary deployment method. Important Considerations Before Deployment Finally, DNR requires DHCP server support to function correctly. Networks must advertise encrypted DNS resolvers using the appropriate DHCP options. When configured properly, DNR reduces DNS spoofing risks and simplifies encrypted DNS adoption across Windows environments. For more information, check out our official blog post on Discovery of Network-Designated Resolvers in Windows 11, linked in the description below.