Windows Host File

All Operating System users host files to determine hostnames to IP address and in Modern Operating systems it works as a primary or fallback method to resolute domain names. Most commonly it is used to resolve the domain name for an Operating System so that Computer don't have to ask DNS server to decode name into IP address. Host file works well for redirecting a domain name, creating local short domain names and more often in blocking certain websites in user's Computer. There are many Host Editors are available for Windows Operating System, but editing it manually with Notepad is easier.

"Host File Location" in Windows

Host file location has not been changed yet since Windows XP, path for Windows Host File is as following:-

C:/Windows/System32/Drivers/etc/
Or
%systemroot%\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

Type any of the above in Windows path bar and it will open the etc. folder in located under followings Windows > System32 > Drivers.
In the etc folder you can see the host, lmhost.sam, networks, protocol and services file. Host file location in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows XP is completely same.

How to Edit Host file in Windows

There are many editors available for editing host files, they help to keep separate host files at once and enable or disable them from time to time, but you can modify host file by yourself too. Just head locate host file, type above path to get into, etc. folder and right click on host file to get options to "Open with". Now if you are not using any advanced editor then click on open with and choose notepad.
Now you can add domain names and redirect them to localhost for blocking or redirecting to any other website.

Host File Editors

Hostsman, Host editors both are good host file editors, and they provide a few useful features like managing host data from its Window and enable or disable them when you need. One most important thing is you can save more than one host file and enable or disable them according to your requirements. Host file editors make it easy to switch between host multiple files, and can be accessed from the system tray.

Default Windows Host File

Sometimes a lot of users this manage their Windows host file, and they make much error while editing their machine's host file for blocking or redirecting website purpose. You can use this method to restore your Windows Host File to Default, just copy and paste text from this post and save it.