IPv6 is the newer version of IP addressing. Most networks now run both IPv4 and IPv6. But sometimes IPv6 causes issues – slow loads, connection failures, or just compatibility problems with old software.
Disabling it lets your computer use IPv4 only. Here are the steps for each platform.
Disable IPv6 on Windows 11
Right-click the network icon in the taskbar. Pick Network and Internet Settings. Click Advanced network settings. Click More network adapter options.
Right-click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Pick Properties. In the list, find Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) and uncheck the box next to it. Click OK.
Your computer now uses IPv4 only on that connection. Restart the connection (or your PC) to fully apply.
Disable IPv6 on Mac
Open System Settings > Network. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet). Click Details next to the network.
Click the TCP/IP tab. Find Configure IPv6 dropdown. Pick Link-local only or Off. Click OK.
If "Off" isn't in the dropdown, open Terminal and run:
sudo networksetup -setv6off "Wi-Fi"
Replace "Wi-Fi" with your service name if different. Enter your password when prompted.
Disable IPv6 on the router
Disabling IPv6 at the router level removes it for every device on your network. Log into your router's admin page (usually 192.168.1.1 or similar).
Find IPv6 settings. The location varies – sometimes under Advanced, sometimes under Internet or WAN. There's usually a toggle or a dropdown to set IPv6 to Disabled.
Save and let the router restart. All devices now use IPv4 only without you needing to configure each one.
Why you might want to disable IPv6
Common reasons to turn it off:
- Older games and apps don't handle IPv6 properly
- VPN compatibility issues with IPv6
- Slow loading for specific sites that prefer IPv6 routing
- Troubleshooting weird network problems
- Some routers handle IPv6 poorly and cause connection drops
The flip side – IPv6 is the future and most modern services work fine with it. Don't disable it as a habit. Only when you have a specific problem.
Check if IPv6 is causing your issue first
Before disabling, run a test. Visit test-ipv6.com. The page tells you whether IPv6 is working correctly on your connection.
If everything passes green, your IPv6 is fine. The problem is elsewhere. Disabling won't help. Look at DNS, routing, or specific app settings instead.
If the test fails or shows errors, IPv6 is genuinely broken on your network. Disabling at the OS level is a reasonable workaround until you can fix the underlying cause.
Disable IPv6 on Linux
Edit the file /etc/sysctl.conf with sudo. Add these lines at the bottom:
net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
Save the file. Run sudo sysctl -p to apply. IPv6 is now disabled system-wide. Reverse the change by removing those lines.
Re-enabling IPv6 later
Just reverse whatever you did. Recheck the box on Windows. Pick Automatic in the Mac dropdown. Toggle back on in the router.
IPv6 turns back on instantly. No restart needed in most cases.
What does NOT work – the registry hack
You'll find old guides saying to edit the Windows registry to disable IPv6. Microsoft says don't. The official way is the network adapter Properties checkbox. Registry edits can cause weird side effects in Windows 11.
Stick with the Properties method. Cleaner, safer, easier to reverse.
What specific problem are you trying to solve by disabling IPv6? Tell me and I'll check if there's a better fix.