7 Best Free Host File Editor Software For Windows

Here is a list of best free host file editor software for Windows. A host file is an operating system file that translates domain names to IP addresses. A computer first uses the local host file to resolve the hostname and if it doesn’t find one, then it uses the DNS (domain name service) to resolve it. A host file generally carries hostnames and their corresponding IP addresses. Through these software, you can easily edit hostnames and IP addresses. In some cases, you will also be able to block, boost, and redirect domains through these software.

To edit a host file, some software offers conventional methods while others offer new and simple editing methods. In the conventional method, you can directly select and replace any domain name and IP address values. However, you need to take care of the syntax in the conventional method as the wrong syntax can cause errors. Host file editors that offer newer editing methods, generally have dedicated fields to edit and add new entries without worrying about the syntax. There are also some host file editors that only let you add the new IP address and domain name entries.

In these software, you also get multiple additional tools through which you can backup host files, exclude certain hostnames, disable host, test hosts, etc. Go through the list to know more about these software.

My Favorite Host File Editor Software For Windows:

hostsController is my favorite software because it offers both conventional and modern host file editing tools. Plus, its dedicated action buttons enable you to quickly perform actions like domain blocking, domain unblocking, domain boosting, etc.

You can also check out lists of best free BIN File Editor, DDS File Editor, and FIT File Editor software for Windows.

hostsController

hostsController is a free host file editor software for Windows. Through this software, you can view and edit Windows host file. It gives you complete control over the host file that enables you to block, boost and redirect domains. To simplify the editing process, it offers dedicated action buttons through which you can block a domain, unblock a domain, boost a domain, un boost a domain, and create redirections. If you want to conventionally edit the host file, then you can use its editing section to manually write or edit new instructions. After editing, you can save the changes in the native host file or export it as a TXT file. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Actions Section: It is the main section of this software that offers dedicated actions to quickly perform important changes like domain blocking, domain boosting, redirection, etc.
•  Editing Area: This software also offers a conventional editing area in which you can view and edit existing host file data like hostnames, IP addresses, comments, etc.

Additional Features:

• Backup: Before making any changes to the host file, you can use this backup feature to create a backup of existing host file data.
• Host Add-Ons: In this software, you can also add add-ons to block, boost, and redirect certain domains.

Final Thoughts:

It is one of the best free host file editor software because it offers conventional editor along with predefined host file editing actions.

HostsMan Editor

HostsMan Editor is another free host file editor software for Windows. It also comes in a portable package that you can use with the installation. Through this software, you can view the host file, edit host file, and add a local or remote source to the host file. To edit a host file, it offers an Edit section with multiple editing tools.

This software also offers a basic troubleshooter to help you identify common issues. Along with troubleshooting, you can also use it to fix errors, remove duplicate entries, and possible hijack entries tools to resolve problems. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• View: Using it, you can view all the host file entries, possible hijack entries, disabled entries, and new or modified entries at a time.
• Editing Tools: To edit the host file, this software offers multiple editing tools using which you can add hostnames, add comments, delete entries, delete comments, and replace existing IP with new ones.

After editing, you can save the host file in Windows Hosts format.

Additional Features:

• Exclusion List: In it, you can specify a set of hostnames that you don’t want to add to the host file.
• Backup Manager: Use it to create and manage backups of host files.

Final Thoughts:

It is a simple host file editor through which you can easily edit host files and fix errors.

Easy Hosts File Editor

Easy Hosts File Editor is yet another free host file editor software for Windows. As its name suggests, it is a simple host file editor in which you can view and edit host file data. To edit host file data, it offers two modes namely Easy Mode and Advanced Mode. In the Easy mode, you can view host file data in the conventional format that you can directly modify. On the other hand, Advanced mode provides a tabular interface containing IP address and domain name fields in which you can enter new domain names and their IP addresses. After editing the data, you can save it in the original host file.

Main Features:

• Basic Mode: This mode lets you directly editing a host file. Plus, it offers simple tools to create a new host file, fetch host file from Windows directory, return host file, read host file, and write data to host file.
• Advanced Mode: In the advanced mode, you can manually choose a certain set of IP addresses and subdomain names that you want your system to use during domain name to IP address translation. Plus, options to save tables (IP address and subdomain tables), load tables, write tables to hosts, return host files, etc. are offered by it.

Final Thoughts:

It is a simple host file editor that offers all the necessary tools to cater to edit various aspects of a host file.

HostsCK

HostsCK is another free host file editor software for Windows. It is a conventional hos file editor in which you can directly add new entries and edit existing ones. However, you need to take care of the syntax, to avoid errors. To help you during the editing, it offers tools like search (to look from a specific entry that you want to edit) and remove duplicate entry (to find and remove all duplicate entries). Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Main Editor: In the main editor of this software, you can view all the existing domain name entries that you can directly edit. It also enables you to add new entries. Plus, helping tools such as search and remove duplicate entries are present in it.
• Restore Original Microsoft Hosts: By enabling this feature, you can restore the host file to its original state with all default entries.

Additional Features:

• Backup Hosts: Use it to make a backup of the existing host file that you can restore later when required.
• Disable Hosts: Using it, you can lock a host file to prevent it from editing.
• GetIP: Through this feature, you can quickly find out the IP address of a domain name.

Final Thoughts:

It is another really good host file editor that offers essential host file editing tools along with useful additional tools.

HostsDock

HostsDock is a free open source host file editor software for Windows. In this software, you can view and edit existing host file entries. It also lets you add new hostnames and corresponding IP addresses to the host file. To edit the host file, it offers an editing area from where you can select existing entries and replace them with new ones. To further help you out, it offers a handy search and replaces feature to quickly find and replace a specific entry. Plus, standard editing tools namely cut, copy, paste, and select all are also present in it. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Current System Hosts: It shows the current IP addresses and hostname entries over the main editing area. Before editing, it is necessary to press the Refresh icon as, without the refresh of the host file, you will not be able to edit the current entries.
• Remote: It is another handy tool that allows you to access and edit the remote host schemes.

Additional Features:

• Test Hosts: Through this feature, you can test all the hosts of the host file by pinging them.
• System hosts backup: It keeps a backup of the host entries that you can export in TXT, DOT, RTF, etc., file formats.

Final Thoughts:

It is a beautifully designed host file editor in which you can edit both the local and remote host schemes.

HOST File Manager

HOST File Manager is a free open source host file editor software for Windows. Through this software, you can manually map hostnames to IP addresses. In it, you can enter new hostnames and IP addresses, but you cannot access and edit the existing hostname and IP address entries. The main advantage of this software is the ability to take care of the syntax of the hostname entries that removes the chances of syntax error. Now, check out the main features of this software.

Main Features:

• Simple HostName Entry Process: This software offers the simplest hostname entry process as you just need to add a target IP address and its domain name to add a new entry to the host file.
• Restore Original Host File: In the case of error or data corruption, you can use this feature to restore back the original host file data.

Additional Feature:

• In this software, you also get remove all entries from IP feature, that you can use to remove all the new or old entries from a host file.

Final Thoughts:

It is another easy to use host file editor software through which you can enter new hostnames and corresponding IP addresses to host file.

Hosty

Hosty is the next free host file editor software for Windows. It is a simple and lightweight software using which you can add a new hostname and its corresponding IP address entries to a host file. However, it does not let you view or edit the existing entries of the host file. The process of adding a new entry is quite simple in it as you don’t have to worry about the syntax of the entry, unlike some other similar software. After adding new entries, you can save it to the existing host file.

Main Features:

• Add: Use it to enter a new IP address and its corresponding domain name to the host file.
• Remove: Through this feature, you can select and remove one of the recently added entries.
• Apply: After adding or removing an entry, use this feature to save the changes to the host file.

Final Thoughts:

It is a straightforward software to add new entries to the host file.