This article will discuss how to clear you’re computer’s DNS Cache. Your DNS cache (Domain Name System cache) is a place in your computer’s memory that stores the locations (domain names and their IP addresses) of web servers that contain pages you have viewed.

Initially, this caching system stores web pages and other data. Consequently, it can take up space, thus slowing down a computer. Moreover, it impacts running remote applications like WordPress. Essentially, WordPress needs local storage to facilitate website modifications from dashboards.

If You Need More Details

For more details on what DNS is and why it’s important to clear your computer’s DNS cache please see my article: DNS 101: What It Is and Why It’s Essential for the Internet

Why You’d Clear Your Computer’s DNS Cache

If the location of the web server changes before the entry in your DNS cache updates, you will be unable to access the new location. This becomes apparent when older content may still appear to be online. Usually, refreshing the page will help. On many laptops and desktop systems pressing the F5 key while on a web page will refresh the content.

DNS changes can take up to 72 hours to propagate the entire Internet. Not my rule (LOL)! The good news is that most happen much, much quicker (matter of minutes or hours). However, everyone who tried the old address and it didn’t work has that “try” stuck (cached) in their Internet browser. They would all need to clear their browser’s caches. Unfortunately, most people don’t know how to do this.

Refreshing Your Browser

Sometimes F5 doesn’t work. In that case, the directions here for manually clearing your DNS cache may solve problems of viewing old or stale web content.

UPDATE 6/4/24: I just learned that there is another way to clear your computer’s cache as well that you might try before getting into the more complicated weeds below! Check out these:

A ‘hard refresh’ may be necessary for users of ChatGPT on web at chatgpt.com. This should not be necessary for anyone using ChatGPT on the Mac app or our mobile (iOS/Android) apps. See below for how to perform a ‘hard refresh’ by browser.

Mac:
Chrome and/or Firefox = Press Cmd + Shift + R
Safari = Press Cmd + Option + R

PC:
Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge = Press Ctrl + F5

Mobile devices:
To hard refresh in your browser on a mobile device you will need to manually clear the cache before reloading the page.

Here’s how to do a hard refresh on both Android and Apple mobile devices:

Android (using Chrome):

1. Open the Chrome app on your Android phone or tablet.
2. Tap the three vertical dots in the top right corner to open the menu.
3. Select “History” and then “Clear browsing data.”
4. Choose a time range for what you want to clear. To clear everything, select “All time.”
5. Make sure the boxes next to “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files” are checked.
6. Tap “Clear data” to confirm.

Apple (using Safari):

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap “Safari.”
3. Scroll down again and tap “Clear History and Website Data.”
4. Tap “Clear History and Data” to confirm.

Important Note: Clearing browsing data may also remove cookies and browsing history. This might require you to log in again to some websites.

There’s another option for a hard refresh on some browsers (including Chrome on Android) that avoids clearing all your data. Here’s how:

1. Open the webpage you want to refresh.
2. While holding down the reload button (usually an arrow in a circle), look for an option that says “Reload with cache disabled” or similar.
3. Select that option to bypass the cache and download the latest version of the webpage.

This way, you can refresh a specific webpage without clearing your entire browsing history and cookies.

How to clear your computer’s DNS cache in the following:

October 5, 2021: Windows 11 (Sun Valley)
July 15, 2015: Windows 10 (Threshold)
October 26, 2012: Windows 8
July 25, 2012: MacOS 10.8 (Mountain Lion)
July 20, 2011: MacOS 10.7 (Lion)
October 22, 2009: Windows 7 (Blackcomb)
August 28, 2009: MacOS 10.6 (Snow Leopard)
October 26, 2007: MacOS 10.5 (Leopard)
January 30, 2007: Windows Vista
April 29, 2005: MacOS 10.4 (Tiger)
October 24, 2003: MacOS 10.3 (Panther)
April 24, 2003: Windows Server 2003 (Whistler Server)
August 24, 2002: MacOS 10.2 (Jaguar)
October 25, 2001: Windows XP (eXPerience) (Whistler)
September 25, 2001: MacOS 10.1 (Puma)
March 24, 2001: Mac OS X
September 14, 2000: Windows ME (Millennium Edition) (Georgia)
February 17, 2000: Windows 2000 Server (Windows NT 5.0 Server)
February 17, 2000: Windows 2000 Pro (Professional) (Windows NT 5.0 Workstation)
October 23, 1999: Mac OS 9
June 25, 1998: Windows 98 (Memphis)
July 31, 1996: Windows NT 4.0 (Cairo)
August 24, 1995: Windows 95 (Chicago)
November 22, 1993: Windows 3.2
November 8, 1993: Windows 3.11
April 6, 1992: Windows 3.1
May 22, 1990: Windows 3.0
May 27, 1988: Windows 2.1
December 9, 1987: Windows 2.0
November 20, 1985: Windows 1.0

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 11

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to search for “cmd” (without the quotes) in the Windows search bar.

3. Right-click on Command Prompt.

4. Subsequently, to the Right click on Run as Administrator.

5. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

6. If the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 10

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to scroll down the programs list for Windows System.

3. Right-click on Command Prompt.

4. Subsequently, mouse over more and click on Run as Administrator.

5. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

6. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration

Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 8

1. Firstly, press Win+X to open the WinX Menu.

2. Next, proceed to right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 7

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to enter “cmd” in the Start menu search field.

3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.

4. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

5. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows Vista

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to click Run on the Start menu

Note: If you do not see the Run command in Vista, enter run in the Search bar.

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 2003 Server

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to click Run< on the Start menu

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows XP

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to click Run on the Start menu

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 2000 Server

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to click Run on the Start menu,

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 2000

1. Firstly, click the Start button.

2. Next, proceed to click Run on the Start menu

3. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:

ipconfig /flushdns

4. Subsequently, if the command was successful, you will see the following message:

Windows IP configuration successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.

Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.8

1. Firstly, click Applications.

2. Next, proceed to click Utilities.

3. Subsequently, double-click the Terminal application.

4. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command:

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Please note: To run this command, you’ll need to know the computer’s Admin account password.

Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.7

1. Firstly, click Applications.

2. Next, proceed to click Utilities.

3. Subsequently, double-click the Terminal application.

4. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command:

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Please note: To execute this command, you’ll need the computer’s Admin account password.

Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.6

1. Firstly, click Applications.

2. After that, click Utilities.

3. Subsequently, double-click the Terminal application.

4. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache

Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.5

1. Firstly, click Applications.

2. After that, click Utilities.

3. Subsequently, double-click the Terminal application.

4. Then, type (or copy and paste) the following command:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache