How to Disable IPV6 on Windows 11

Why disable or change IPv6?

Users sometimes prefer the older IPv4 internet protocol over IPv6. Other users wish to turn off IPv6 tunnel interfaces, which automatically connect when a computer detects specific network conditions. Completely disabling IPv6 is not advised, but users can control how IPv6 functions.

Understanding IPv6 settings

IPv6 settings are stored in the Windows registry at this location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters

The setting you need to change is called DisabledComponents. It uses a numbering system called hexadecimal to control different IPv6 features.

IPv6 options and what they do

Prefer IPv4 over IPv6

You can tell Windows 11 to use the older IPv4 connection first instead of the newer IPv6, which is a good middle ground if you don’t want to completely turn off IPv6 but still want to ensure your computer uses the most compatible connection.

Recommended: This is the best option instead of completely disabling IPv6.

To confirm this is working, follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
2. Type: ping bing.com
3. Look at the response. If IPv4 is preferred, you should see an IPv4 address returned

You can also check network settings by running:

netsh interface ipv6 show prefixpolicies

Look for entries with higher precedence numbers. These will be preferred over lower numbers.

Disable IPv6 completely via Registry – Recommended

⚠️ Admin Required: You need administrator rights to make these changes.

1. 🖱️ Right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator“
2. Type this command and replace with the number you want (like 0x20 or 0xFF):
   

   reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters" /v DisabledComponents /t REG_DWORD /d 0xFF /f
3. Press Enter
4. 🔄 Restart your computer for changes to take effect

Unbinding IPv6 from your network adapter – Not Recommended

What this means: You’re completely removing IPv6 from your network connection.

Disabling IPv6 on Windows 11 is not recommended because Windows performs best when IPv6 is active. Some important programs and computer features require IPv6 to function correctly. For example, certain network discovery tools rely on IPv6 for proper operation.

If you still want to unbind IPv6, you have two options:

Option 1Using Network Settings

1. 🖱️ Right-click on the network icon in 🖥️ your taskbar
2. Select “Network and internet settings”
3. Find your network adapter
4. Uncheck “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)“

Option 2Using PowerShell

⚠️ Admin Required: Open PowerShell as administrator.

Replace <MyAdapter> with your network adapter name (like “Ethernet” or “📶 WiFi“):

IPv6 tunnel interfaces act as special pathways allowing the newer IPv6 internet language to travel over the older IPv4 network. Windows automatically creates these interfaces when required, employing methods such as 6to4, ISATAP, and Teredo for network connections.

Users can disable Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and automatic network connections if IPv6 is not needed or if these connections cause problems. Turning off IPv6 on a computer can prevent network conflicts and improve performance for systems that use older network setups. This action helps ensure a smoother internet experience.

The main tunneling methods are:

• 6to4 tunneling
• ISATAP
• Teredo

How to disable tunnel interfaces

Method 1Using the registry

You can turn off IPv6 tunnel interfaces using either the Windows Registry or Group Policy, but both require administrator access. For the registry, you change the ‘DisabledComponents’ value to ‘0x01’, and for Group Policy, you’ll find the setting under Network settings.

Set the DisabledComponents value to 0x01

Method 2Using Group Policy (Windows Pro/Enterprise only)

You can turn off IPv6 tunnel interfaces using either the Windows Registry or Group Policy, but both require administrator access. For the registry, you change the ‘DisabledComponents’ value to ‘0x01’, and for Group Policy, you’ll find the setting under Network settings.

1. Press Windows key + R
2. Type gpdit.msc and press Enter
3. Navigate to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\TCPIP Settings\IPv6 Transition Technologies
4. Set the following to “Disabled”:

   • 6to4 State
   • ISATAP State
   • Teredo State

Important things to remember

• Changing the DisabledComponents registry setting doesn’t change the checkbox in network properties. The checkbox and the registry setting work separately.
• You cannot completely disable IPv6. It runs internally for system tasks.
• Disabling IPv6 incorrectly (using 0xffffffff instead of 0xff) can delay your computer startup by five seconds.
• Some programs and features expect IPv6 to work properly.

Summary

Windows 11 has IPv6 turned on by default, but you can manage it using the ‘DisabledComponents’ registry setting. The best method is usually to prefer IPv4 (using value 0x20) rather than disabling IPv6 entirely, and you need admin rights to make these changes.