Can’t edit the hosts file to block something, it doesn’t let me type… does it have a maximum amount of lines that can be added or number of sites that can be blocked? Can’t edit with notepad++ but I can use notepad to edit but doesn’t let me save, is there a broken update like something broke the ability to edit hosts or should I just copy it and delete the original because it’s just not working?

 

The file itself, no, it has the maximum size of whatever your filesystem lets you create. Windows name resolver might have a limit but whatever that would be is pretty huge.

However, you need to be administrator to save the file. Also, it might be locked by some other app (Tinywall for instance can do this), or it's set to be read only.

Check permissions and you can use things like File Locksmith from Windows PowerToys or Nirsoft's OpenedFilesView to check if some other process is holding the file hostage.

 

I fixed it by clicking to open the properties window and unchecking read only, I might go back and recheck it just in case but doing that fixed my problem for now

 

Don't use text editors, use (free) Sordum Bluelife Hosts. Easy as pie.

 

There is absolutely ZERO (Ø) issues editing the hosts file with a "text editor". Been editing the stupid thing for 2+ decades with np/notepad II, so that should be testament enough. You have stock in that software house I take it? Also, the Hosts file should be set to read-only. It's safer that way. Remove read-only to edit and save - once done, set it back to read-only again.

 

make sure you don't have read only ticked

 

it is a file which is loaded by the system.

this means you make a copy, edit the copy, move the copy to where it belongs and eventually even log out or reboot.

i have made the experience that you can also just edit it, but it depends on the account and some other settings. the above described mode is the "safe" version.

 

Windows own textpad.exe is absolutely up to the task.
There is no need for third party software.
//Edit// but it has to be run as admin, as others stated.
Third party software would have to be run as admin as well, but might bring the comfort of asking for admin privileges on startup.
You run texpad.exe as admin by right clicking an selecting run as administrator. Then you navigate to the hosts file from the open menu.

 

Last edited: May 24, 2026 at 2:11 AM

Text editor is fine.
I use BlueLife Hosts Editor to quickly/easily enable / disable blocking on individual lines, and to open it with notepad instead of browsing to the file. But ATM I am just using a VPN to access those that are blocked.

 

how unsympathetic: when you visit their website, the program automatically downloads. this is considered an attack.

 

Not really, in such a broad rule. An automatic download is rude, but not necessarily an attack. A actual attack would leverage an exploit of whatever variety to execute the file.

 

I want to be clear:
1) I perfectly know that hosts is a text file and as such can be edited, BUT
2) the OP met some difficulties, so instead of - search "hosts" with no extension, remove readonly property, blahblah - I suggested the easy way, we wouldn't be here to discuss;
3) IMO unless you have some few specific IPs to block (or sw like spybot filling it up thousands), hosts is a pretty awful way to fence connections, I alway suggest firewalls that unfortunately need little more knowledge of networks.

So don't bother me with "I used this/that for millennia and it's perfect", it may be for you (skilled/smart guys) but not for others, as you should have understood from the OP.

 

Last edited: May 23, 2026 at 6:39 AM

Well, that link that appears in search results DOES indicate "download".
(Download BlueLife Hosts Editor v1.6)
True it is not common to get direct download links in search results.

Anyway Sordum stuff is top-notch.

 

And just for reference here is my hosts file in .txt.
I don't have all sites one might need, but it's a good start:

Spoiler

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names.
# Each entry should be kept on an individual line.
# The IP address should be placed in the first column followed by at least one space, and then the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one space.
# Comments may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
# For example:
# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost

# # Begin Main Listing # #

127.0.0.1 www.r2rdownload.net
172.67.174.87 audioz.download
127.0.0.1 www.accentize.com # Accentize
127.0.0.1 wyday.com # Accusonus
127.0.0.1 account.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 activation.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 download.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 gateway.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 liveupdate.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 orders.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 ns1.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 ns2.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 ns3.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 web-api-tih.acronis.com # Acronis
127.0.0.1 activate.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 activate.bitsum.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 assets.adobedtm.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 genuine.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 hlrcv.stage.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 lm.licenses.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 lmlicenses.wip4.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 na1r.services.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 practivate.adobe.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 prod.adobegenuine.com # Adobe
127.0.0.1 alfaebooks.com # Alfa ebooks
127.0.0.1 dl.amplesound.net # Ample Sound
127.0.0.1 d3.amplesound.net # Ample Sound
127.0.0.1 live.virtualdj.com # Atomix [VirtualDJ]
127.0.0.1 www.wyday.com # Aurora DSP
127.0.0.1 303clones.com # AudioRealism
127.0.0.1 audiorealism.se # AudioRealism
127.0.0.1 bandicam.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 bandisoft.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 activate.bitsum.com # Bitsum [Process Lasso]
127.0.0.1 cert.bandicam.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 ssl.bandisoft.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 www.bandicam.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 www.bandisoft.com # Bandicam
127.0.0.1 api2.amplitude.com # Bandlab
127.0.0.1 www.bandlab.com # Bandlab
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com # Bandlab
127.0.0.1 foodstamps.blacksaltaudio.com # Black Salt Audio
127.0.0.1 www.bleass.com # BLEASS
127.0.0.1 bogrendigital.com # Bogren Digital
127.0.0.1 services.celemony.com # Celemony
127.0.0.1 software.crumar.it # Crumar
127.0.0.1 cap.cyberlink.com # Cyberlink
127.0.0.1 activation.cyberlink.com # Cyberlink
127.0.0.1 userarea.d16.pl # D16
127.0.0.1 ddmf.eu # DDMF
127.0.0.1 virtualaudiostream.com # DDMF
127.0.0.1 account.deltasoundlabs.com # Delta Sound Labs
127.0.0.1 wyday.com # DJ Swivel, Accusonus
127.0.0.1 activation.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 api.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 buy.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 easeus.com.cn # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 easeusinfo.us-east-1.log.aliyuncs.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 order.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 track.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 track.easeus.com.cn # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 uompro.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 update.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 v2api-uoss.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 www.easeus.com # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 www.easeus.com.cn # EaseUS
127.0.0.1 api.keyzy.io # Evabeat
127.0.0.1 www.fabfilter.com # FabFilter
127.0.0.1 focusrite.count.ly # Focusrite
127.0.0.1 plugins.futurephonic.co.uk # Futurephonic
127.0.0.1 aaa100cd68bbe03f3.awsglobalaccelerator.com # globalaccelerator.com
127.0.0.1 expatriate.goodhertz.com # Goodhertz
127.0.0.1 goodhertz.com # Goodhertz
127.0.0.1 www.ikstore.com # IK Multimedia
127.0.0.1 txc.ikmultimedia.com # IK Multimedia
127.0.0.1 support.image-line.com # Image-Line
127.0.0.1 www.image-line.com # Image-Line
127.0.0.1 api.imaginando.pt # Imaginando
127.0.0.1 juce.com # Juce
127.0.0.1 www.juce.com # Juce
127.0.0.1 www.karaosoft.com # Karaosoft
127.0.0.1 www.lennardigital.com # Lennar Digital
127.0.0.1 rhea.exsilia.net # Lennar Digital
127.0.0.1 line6.com # Line6
127.0.0.1 www.meldaproduction.com # MeldaProduction
127.0.0.1 api.gumroad.com # MidiBro
127.0.0.1 api.lemonsqueezy.com # MidiBro
127.0.0.1 api.minimal.audio # Minimal Audio
127.0.0.1 api.minimalplugins.com # Minimal Audio
127.0.0.1 events.minimal.audio # Minimal Audio
127.0.0.1 graphql.minimal.audio # Minimal Audio
127.0.0.1 apidev.odesimusic.com # Mixed In Key
127.0.0.1 odesimusic.com # Mixed In Key
127.0.0.1 secure.nch.com.au # NCH Software
127.0.0.1 apidev.odesimusic.com # Odesi Music
127.0.0.1 odesimusic.com # Odesi Music
127.0.0.1 api.output.com # Output
127.0.0.1 api.rollbar.com # Output
127.0.0.1 arcade-events-api.output.com # Output
127.0.0.1 looper-events-api.herokuapp.com # Output
127.0.0.1 output-looper-json-api.herokuapp.com # Output
127.0.0.1 www.overloud.com # Overloud
127.0.0.1 overloud.com # Overloud
127.0.0.1 philspeiser.com # Phil Speiser
127.0.0.1 cloud.kuvo.com # Pioneer
127.0.0.1 rb-share.kuvo.com # Pioneer
127.0.0.1 accounts.us1.gigya.com # Pioneer
127.0.0.1 us1.gigya.com # Pioneer
127.0.0.1 www.pitchinnovations.com # Pitch Innovations
127.0.0.1 defraggler.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 license.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 ccleaner.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 license-api.ccleaner.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 www.ccleaner.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 www.defraggler.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 www.recuva.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 www.speccy.piriform.com # Piriform
127.0.0.1 polyversemusic.com # Polyverse Music
127.0.0.1 account.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 api.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 api.positivegrid.com.cn # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 assets.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 bias1.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 dlcf.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 pg-api-staging.herokuapp.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 pg-tonecloud-webapp.herokuapp.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 store.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 tonecloud-staging.herokuapp.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 tonecloud.positivegrid.com # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 tonecloud.positivegrid.com.cn # positivegrid
127.0.0.1 api.presonus.com.cdn.cloudflare.com # Presonus
127.0.0.1 registration.presonus.com # Presonus
127.0.0.1 updates.presonus.com # Presonus
127.0.0.1 www.presonus.com/registration # Presonus
127.0.0.1 pulsarmodular.com # Pulsar Modular
127.0.0.1 www.quikquak.com # QuikQuak
127.0.0.1 www.elephantafiles.com # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 www.elephantafiles.net # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 www.elephantafiles.org # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 www.r2rdownload.com # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 www.r2rdownload.net # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 www.r2rdownload.org # R2R fakers
127.0.0.1 web.refx.com # ReFX
127.0.0.1 crs.rvslabs.io # Roland
127.0.0.1 ids.rvslabs.io # Roland
127.0.0.1 id.serato.com # Serato
127.0.0.1 accounts.sonarworks.com # Sonarworks
127.0.0.1 activation.sonarworks.com # Sonarworks
127.0.0.1 analytics.sonarworks.com # Sonarworks
127.0.0.1 updates.sonarworks.com # Sonarworks
127.0.0.1 license01.sonible.com # Sonible
127.0.0.1 license02.sonible.com # Sonible
127.0.0.1 soniccharge.com # Sonic Charge
127.0.0.1 vox1b.nuedge.net # Sonic Charge
127.0.0.1 nuedge.net # Sonic Charge
127.0.0.1 elysian.se # Sonic Charge
127.0.0.1 www.sononym.net # Sononym
127.0.0.1 www.soundradix.com # SoundRadix
127.0.0.1 entitlements.steinberg.net # Steinberg
127.0.0.1 entitlements.steinberg.net # Steinberg
127.0.0.1 userarea.stltones.com # STL Tones
127.0.0.1 www.userarea.stltones.com # STL Tones
127.0.0.1 www.syntorial.com # Syntorial
127.0.0.1 api.keygen.sh # Techivation
127.0.0.1 api.techivation.com # Techivation
127.0.0.1 apiv2.techivation.com # Techivation
127.0.0.1 Tone2.co.uk # Tone2
127.0.0.1 Tone2.com # Tone2
127.0.0.1 Tone2.net # Tone2
127.0.0.1 www.Tone2.co.uk # Tone2
127.0.0.1 www.Tone2.com # Tone2
127.0.0.1 www.Tone2.net # Tone2
127.0.0.1 www.toneboosters.com # ToneBoosters
127.0.0.1 www.toneprojects.com # Toneprojects
127.0.0.1 www.u-he.com # u-he
127.0.0.1 www.u-he.de # u-he
127.0.0.1 products.ujam.com # UJam
127.0.0.1 software.ujam.com # UJam
127.0.0.1 ujam.com # UJam
127.0.0.1 www.ujam.com # UJam
127.0.0.1 217.160.0.45 # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 217.160.0.171 # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 support.vengeance-sound.com # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 www.vengeance-sound.com # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 www.vps-avenger.com # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 www.support.vengeance-sound.com # Vengeance
127.0.0.1 virtualaudiostream.com # VirtualAudioStream
127.0.0.1 licenses.waproduction.com # WaProduction
127.0.0.1 register.waves.com # Waves
127.0.0.1 www.xferrecords.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 www.xferrecordz.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 support.xfer.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 support.xferrecords.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 splice.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 support.splice.com # XferRecords
127.0.0.1 foodstamps.yum-audio.com # Yum Audio
# # END Main Listing # #

# Others
127.0.0.1 147.75.71.186 # ????
127.0.0.1 52.42.114.201 # ????
127.0.0.1 52.70.136.170 # ????
127.0.0.1 54.70.136.156 # ????
127.0.0.1 173.231.151.131 # ????
127.0.0.1 212.227.140.66 # ????
127.0.0.1 curl.haxx.se # curl.haxx ?
127.0.0.1 map2.hwcdn.net # Hwcdn.net?
127.0.0.1 *.nuedge.net # nuedge.net (Sonic Charge association)
127.0.0.1 *nuedge* # nuedge.net (Sonic Charge association)
127.0.0.1 vox1b.nuedge.net # nuedge.net (Sonic Charge association)

# Ads
127.0.0.1 msmarketintel.com # Advertisment
127.0.0.1 adriver.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 adwolf.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 am10.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 begun.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 ellipse.relax.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 imho.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 mc.yandex.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 tns-counter.ru # Advertisiment - Russian
127.0.0.1 youdo.ru # Advertisiment - Russian

# Microsoft
127.0.0.1 activity.windows.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 assets.msn.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 azureedge.net # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 bingapis.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 data.microsoft.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 data.msn.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 edge.microsoft.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 msedge.net # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 msftconnecttest.com # Microsoft
127.0.0.1 scorecardresearch.com # Microsoft

# # BEGIN Win10 privacy settings # #
127.0.0.1 a-0001.a-msedge.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 bingads.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 choice.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 compatexchange.cloudapp.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 corp.sts.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 corpext.msitadfs.glbdns2.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 cs1.wpc.v0cdn.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 df.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 diagnostics.support.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 i1.services.social.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 oca.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 pre.footprintpredict.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 redir.metaservices.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 reports.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 services.wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 settings-sandbox.data.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 sqm.df.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 sqm.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 statsfe1.ws.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 statsfe2.update.microsoft.com.akadns.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 statsfe2.ws.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 survey.watson.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telecommand.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telemetry.appex.bing.net:443 # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 telemetry.urs.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 vortex-sandbox.data.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 vortex-win.data.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 vortex.data.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 watson.live.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 watson.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 watson.ppe.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 watson.telemetry.microsoft.com.nsatc.net # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 wes.df.telemetry.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
127.0.0.1 www.bingads.microsoft.com # Win10 privacy
# # END Windows 10 privacy settings # #

Oh, and what's the latest on whether to use 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0 ?
I read "If you are strictly developing and testing alone, bind to 127.0.0.1 to stay safe."

 

Last edited: May 23, 2026 at 1:03 PM

Run Notepad as Administrator as stated above, and browse to the "hosts" file from the File Menu.
If that doesn't solve your problem, try using File/Save from the Menu instead of Ctrl + S.
Make sure you're saving "hosts" with "Save as type" set to "All Files (*.*)" to prevent ending up with a "hosts.txt" file

 

I still use the good old 127.0.0.1.
https://stenzr.medium.com/understanding-0-0-0-0-vs-127-0-0-1-c6257ae35c62

 

-

That link is about binding network services to interfaces where 0.0.0.0 means "all". It however has nothing to do with outbound traffic. That article even begins with "When dealing with network configurations and server setups..." and we are not setting up a server here.

Consider this, on my machine which is a normal non-server workstation that does no routing, I can ping 127.0.0.1 because it's the same machine, if I attempt to ping 0.0.0.0 I can't because there's no route to that host. You can try opening these addresses in your browser and see the responses. On one of my servers trying to send traffic to 0.0.0.0 send it to 127.0.0.1 so both would do the same thing.

So on my workstation 0.0.0.0 is the better option because I can't even try to send traffic that way, whereas 127.0.0.1 I can. I'd ignore the nuance because both are non-routable addresses for outbound traffic and just use either, we're not dealing with server setups or routers/routing.

 

FAKE NEWS! 1.) Visit the website https://www.sordum.org/ 2.) Click on BlueLife Hosts Editor - 341.806 3.) Scroll to the bottom and click 'download'.

They don't have 'automatic downloads' on their website.

 

Yeah, he mischaracterizes it (as @clone says above).
I believe he was referring to a link that shows up at or near the top of search results when searching "Bluelife Hosts Editor".
(As I mentioned above as well).

But perhaps he thinks Sordum has SEO settings that somehow put that link near the top?
I can't imagine WHY they would WANT that...
They should something like the opposite, where people actually go to their website!

Which they should, because Easy Context Menu is fantastic, as are many of their utilities.
Just look at the context menu possibilities (and getting rid of useless annoying ones)
(Bottom row only shows with "SHIFT+right-click):

Spoiler: On Win 11, skip the new context menu with:

===========================================
Restore the old Context Menu in Windows 11
------------------------------------------------
Right-click the Start button and choose Windows Terminal.

Copy the command from below, paste it into Windows Terminal Window, and press enter.

reg.exe add "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}\InprocServer32" /f /ve"

Restart File Explorer or your computer for the changes to take effect.

============================================
Restore Modern Context menus in Windows 11
---------------------------------------------------------
To undo this change, in a Terminal Window, execute this command:

reg.exe delete "HKCU\Software\Classes\CLSID\{86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b-a509-50c905bae2a2}" /f

Restart the File Explorer or Computer for the changes to take effect.

 

Last edited: May 24, 2026 at 6:53 AM

That kind of post goes from treating low level convenience mechanisms (hosts) as if they meaningfully shift security posture to suddenly throwing in random CVEs. Pick one. Talking about “attack surface” while only changing DNS resolution behavior collapses a bunch of different layers into the same bucket. That is what makes it feel exaggerated and like everything is dangerous.

This kind of writing is not really precise engineering language. It comes from writers trying to avoid being wrong in edge cases. They are often aiming at beginners who mix up network exposure with internet exposure, so they strip out nuance and default to worst case framing instead.

If you actually care about controlling traffic, use a real firewall instead of trying to turn a text file into one.