# How to disable WPAD in Win10?

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706>\
**Category:** Off topic\
**Created:** [April 30, 2021, 11:26am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706 "2021-04-30T11:26:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alfabeta](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@alfabeta](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/alfabeta)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2021, 11:26am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/1 "2021-04-30T11:26:49Z")

</div>

> [@Pi hole flooded with queries to wpad and isatap - Ubiquiti](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/pi-hole-flooded-with-queries-to-wpad-and-isatap-ubiquiti/5563/4):
>
> I noticed the wpad (unresolved) dns requests a long time a go. They are coming from windows 10 and I haven't found a way to stop windows making these requests.

[How-to Geek:](https://www.howtogeek.com/298460/disable-wpad-in-windows-to-stay-safe-on-public-wi-fi-networks/)

> On Windows 10, you’ll find this option under Settings \> Network & Internet \> Proxy.... Just turn the “Automatically detect settings” option off to disable WPAD.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alfabeta](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@alfabeta](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/alfabeta)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 2:25pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/2 "2021-05-01T14:25:52Z")

</div>

> [@alfabeta](#):
>
> On Windows 10, you’ll find this option under Settings \> Network & Internet \> Proxy.... Just turn the “Automatically detect settings” option off to disable WPAD.

The How-to Geek instruction to turn off the “Automatically detect settings” option has not disabled WPAD DNS queries.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [May 1, 2021, 3:11pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/3 "2021-05-01T15:11:42Z")

</div>

This may be a good topic for a Windows forum.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wd9895](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/wd9895/32/54849_2.png) [@wd9895](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/wd9895)\
**Post date:** [May 2, 2021, 10:10am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/4 "2021-05-02T10:10:06Z")

</div>

> [@alfabeta](#):
>
> has not disabled WPAD DNS queries.

Confirmed. Id you have a solution please let us know.

Found this here:

> **[Was man mit dem Pi-hole noch so machen kann](https://www.mielke.de/blog/Was-man-mit-dem-Pi-hole-noch-so-machen-kann--494/)**
>
> Den Pi-hole habe ja nun schon länger im Einsatz und er verrichtet hier zuverlässig seinen Dienst. Im Schnitt habe ich dabei aktuell eine Blockquote von ...

Is that a potential solution ?

Or this ?  
[https://technikbench.de/pi-hole-wpad-deaktivieren/](https://technikbench.de/pi-hole-wpad-deaktivieren/)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![alfabeta](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@alfabeta](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/alfabeta)\
**Post date:** [May 5, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/5 "2021-05-05T03:13:55Z")

</div>

I haven't tried the [recommendation](https://www.mielke.de/blog/Was-man-mit-dem-Pi-hole-noch-so-machen-kann--494/), having the [Pi-hole serve a valid WPAD.dat response](https://technikbench.de/pi-hole-wpad-deaktivieren/):

> Die Lösung ist aber so einfach wie naheliegend: Man muss einfach nur sicherstellen, dass die Clients eine eigene, also vertrauenswürdige „ _wpad.dat_ “ finden. Und dazu ist der Pi-hole natürlich bestens geeignet.

> Die Lösung ist simpel: Man liefert einfach eine eigene, gültige _wpad.dat_ aus. Dazu kann man das Pi-Hole nutzen.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wd9895](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/wd9895/32/54849_2.png) [@wd9895](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/wd9895)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 2:27pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/6 "2025-04-18T14:27:05Z")

</div>

Windows 10

HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinHttpAutoProxySvc  
Name: Start  
Value: 3 (default)  
New: 4

4 disables WPAD Service on the PC.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beverlyd](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@beverlyd](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/beverlyd)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2026, 10:37am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-disable-wpad-in-win10/46706/7 "2026-07-26T10:37:08Z")

</div>

Had the same WPAD flood hit my Pi-hole — turning off auto-detect in proxy settings does help, but Windows 10 still fires queries through WinHTTP for built-in services regardless. A registry key under the WinHTTP path is what actually killed them for me. Full breakdown on that (plus the isatap side of things) here: [https://portandpatch.com/uncategorized/disable-wpad-windows-10-stop-dns-queries/](https://portandpatch.com/uncategorized/disable-wpad-windows-10-stop-dns-queries/)
