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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.
For more details on what DNS is and why it’s important please see my article: DNS 101: What It Is and Why It’s Essential for the Internet
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.
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.
How to clear your computer’s DNS cache in the following:
Windows 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Windows 2000 Server
Windows 10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Windows 2000
Windows 8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MacOS 10.8
Windows 7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â MacOS 10.7
Windows Vista            MacOS 10.6
Windows 2003 Server     MacOS 10.5
Clearing Computer Cache in Windows 11
1. Click the Start button.
2. Search for “cmd” (without the quotes) in the Windows search bar.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt.
4. To the Right click on Run as Administrator.
5. 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. Click the Start button.
2. Scroll down the programs list for Windows System.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt.
4. Mouse over more and click on Run as Administrator.
5. 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 8
1. Press Win+X to open the WinX Menu.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click the Start button.
2. Enter cmd in the Start menu search field.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
5. 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. Click the Start button.
2. On the Start menu, click Run….
Note: If you do not see the Run command in Vista, enter run in the Search bar.
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click the Start button.
2. On the Start menu, click Run<
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click the Start button.
2. On the Start menu, click Run
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click the Start button.
2. On the Start menu, click Run
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click the Start button.
2. On the Start menu, click Run
3. Type (or copy and paste) the following command in the Run text box:
ipconfig /flushdns
4. 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. Click Applications.
2. Click Utilities.
3. Double-click the Terminal application.
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following command:
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Note: To run this command, you’ll need to know the computer’s Admin account password.
Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.7
1. Click Applications.
2. Click Utilities.
3. Double-click the Terminal application.
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following command:
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Note: To run this command, you’ll need to know the computer’s Admin account password.
Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.6
1. Click Applications.
2. Click Utilities.
3. Double-click the Terminal application.
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following command:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
Clearing Computer Cache in MacOS 10.5
1. Click Applications.
2. Click Utilities.
3. Double-click the Terminal application.
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following command:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
