Microsoft Windows: Releasing and renewing your IP address

By leon Author

Updated - December 01, 2021

Microsoft Windows: Releasing and renewing your IP address

: What you need to know

  • To release an IP address, open Command Prompt and enter ipconfig /release.
  • Changing your IP address can be done by opening Command Prompt and typing ipconfig /renew, which is done by typing Enter. Changing your IP address on a Windows computer resets the underlying IP connection, which can resolve many IP problems, at least temporarily. This process disengages the network connection and refreshes the IP address in a few steps. The instructions apply to Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, and Windows 7.

Windows: Release and Renew IP Addresses 


In normal circumstances, a device can use the same IP address indefinitely. Devices are usually reassigned correct addresses when they first join networks. DHCP and network hardware problems, however, can cause IP conflicts and other problems that hinder the networking system from working properly.

When to Release and Renew the IP Address

Releasing the IP address and then renewing it would be beneficial in the following scenarios:

  • Using a modem to connect a computer.
  • Computers are physically moved from one network to another, such as from an office network to home or home to a hotspot.
  • A network outage is unexpected.

Release and renew an IP address using command prompt

Here's how you can release and renew the address of any computer that runs Windows..

  • Open the Command Prompt. The fastest method is to press Win+R to open the Run dialog box, type cmd, and then click Enter.


  • Type ipconfig /release and click Enter.
  • 0.0.0.0 is shown as the IP address in the command results. It is normal to see this message because the command releases the IP address from the network adapter. During this period, your computer has no IP address and cannot access the internet.
  • To get a new IP address, type ipconfig /renew and press Enter.
  • A new line appears at the bottom of the Command Prompt screen with the IP address when the command is finished.


Find out more about IP renewal.

Windows may continue to receive the same IP address after renewal. This is a normal occurrence. Regardless of which address numbers are involved, deleting the old connection and starting a new one has the desired effect.

Renewals of IP addresses might not work. An error message may read:

  • It was not possible to contact your DHCP server while renewing interface [interface name]. The request has expired.

There may be a problem with the DHCP server or it may be unreachable. Reboot the client or server before continuing.

Additionally, Windows provides a troubleshooting section in Network and Sharing Center and Network Connections. When necessary, these troubleshooting tools run diagnostics that include an equivalent procedure for IP renewal.


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