Website/docs/application/hosts-file-editor.md
The Hosts File Editor allows you to view, add, edit, enable, disable, or remove entries in the local computer's hosts file.
:::info
The hosts file is a plain text file that maps hostnames to IP addresses and is checked by the operating system before querying DNS servers. It's commonly used to override DNS settings for testing websites, redirecting domains, or blocking access to certain sites. On Windows, the file is located at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts and requires administrator privileges to edit.
Each line in the hosts file typically contains an IP address followed by one or more hostnames, separated by spaces or tabs. Lines starting with # are comments and ignored by the system.
Example of a hosts file entry:
10.8.0.10 example.borntoberoot.net # Test server not reachable via DNS
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:::warning[Administrator privileges required]
Without administrator privileges, the view is read-only. Use the Restart as administrator button to relaunch the application with elevated rights.
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:::note
The application automatically creates a daily backup of the hosts file, retaining up to 5 backups in the same directory (Syntax: hosts_backup_NETworkManager_YYYYMMDD).
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| Button | Description |
|---|---|
| Add entry... | Opens a dialog to add an entry to the hosts file |
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable | Enables the selected entry |
| Disable | Disables the selected entry |
| Edit | Opens the edit dialog for the selected entry |
| Delete | Removes the selected entry |
| Copy | Copies the entry information to the clipboard |
| Export | Exports the entry to a file |
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
F5 | Refresh |
F2 | Edit selected entry |
Del | Delete selected entry |
The Add entry dialog is opened by clicking the Add entry... button below the entry list. The same dialog (with the values pre-filled) is used to edit an existing entry.
Whether the entry is active right after creation. A disabled entry is written to the hosts file as a comment (prefixed with #) and is ignored by the operating system.
Type: Boolean
Default: Enabled
IP address the hostname(s) should resolve to.
Type: String
Default: Empty
Example:
10.0.0.10fe80::1:::note
Both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses are accepted. The field is required and validated for a correct address format.
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One or more hostnames that should resolve to the IP address. Multiple hostnames are separated by a space — matching the native hosts file format.
Type: String
Default: Empty
Example:
example.borntoberoot.netexample.borntoberoot.net www.example.borntoberoot.net:::note
Each hostname must conform to the standard hostname / domain syntax. The field is required.
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Optional comment associated with the entry. The comment is written after the hostname(s) on the same line, separated by a #.
Type: String
Default: Empty
Example: Test server not reachable via DNS