--- title: Editing Your Hosts File description: In certain scenarios, for example, to use SiteSpect in an offline environment, you'll have to edit a file called hosts that your operating system uses to map host names to IP addresses. 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[Site](https://doc.sitespect.com/knowledge/site?hsLang=en) # Editing Your Hosts File In certain scenarios, for example, to use SiteSpect in an offline environment, you'll have to edit a file called hosts that your operating system uses to map host names to IP addresses. We provide instructions here for both [Windows](https://doc.sitespect.com/knowledge/editing-your-hosts-file) and [Mac](https://doc.sitespect.com/knowledge/editing-your-hosts-file). #### Windows You must edit the hosts file as administrator, otherwise your changes won't take effect. To do so: 1. Locate **Notepad**. 2. Right click on it and select **Run as Administrator**. You may be asked to enter your credentials. ![Editing Your Hosts File - Windows](https://doc.sitespect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kbase%20Images/Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Windows.png?width=263&name=Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Windows.png) 1. Open C:\\windows\\system32\\drivers\\etc\\hosts. 2. Switch to SiteSpect and select **Site**, **Configuration**, **Domains**. 3. In the lower left corner of the Domains list, click **Get Hosts File Entries**. SiteSpect displays a small window with hosts file entries for your Domains. ![Editing Your Hosts File - Get Hosts File Entries](https://doc.sitespect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kbase%20Images/Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Get%20Hosts%20File%20Entries.png?width=434&name=Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Get%20Hosts%20File%20Entries.png) 1. Copy these entries. 2. Switch back to Notepad and paste the entries you just copied into your hosts file. 3. Save your hosts file. 4. Open a Command Prompt window. In Windows 10, click the Windows icon in the lower left and launch Command Prompt under Windows System in the list of programs. 5. In the Command Prompt window, type the following to clear the DNS cache on your computer: ipconfig /flushdns   ![Editing Your Hosts File - Command Prompt](https://doc.sitespect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kbase%20Images/Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Command%20Prompt.png?width=500&name=Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Command%20Prompt.png) 1. In SiteSpect, Preview a Variation Group: select **Campaigns**, select a **Status**, select a **Campaign**, open a **Variation Group**, click **Preview**. Your site opens in the SiteSpect Preview window. ![Editing Your Hosts File - Clothing Co](https://doc.sitespect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kbase%20Images/Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Clothing%20Co.png?width=688&name=Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Clothing%20Co.png) #### Mac These instructions use the Terminal application to edit the hosts file. 1. Open a **Finder** window and select **Applications** from the sidebar. 2. Open **Utilities** and then open **Terminal**. 3. In the Terminal window, open the **Nano** text editor, which requires your administrator password. - Type sudo nano /etc/hosts and press return. - Enter your administrator password and then press return. 1. Switch to SiteSpect and select **Site**, **Configuration**, **Domains**. 2. In the lower left corner of the Domains list, click **Get Hosts File Entries**. SiteSpect displays a small window with hosts file entries for your Domains. ![Editing Your Hosts File - Mac](https://doc.sitespect.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kbase%20Images/Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Mac.png?width=434&name=Editing%20Your%20Hosts%20File%20-%20Mac.png) 1. In the Terminal window, add these entries to your hosts file. 2. When you're done, press **Control + O** to save the file and press **Enter**. Then press **Control + X** to exit Nano. 3. In the Terminal window, type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press return. That clears the DNS cache on your computer. 4. In SiteSpect, Preview a Variation Group: select **Campaigns**, select a **Status**, select a **Campaign**, open a **Variation Group**, click **Preview**. 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