DNS · 4 min read · By WhatsMyIPv4 Team · Updated June 24, 2026

How to Flush Your DNS Cache

Your device keeps a local cache of DNS answers so pages load faster. When a site moves to a new server, that cache can hold an old address and the page fails to load. Flushing it forces a fresh lookup.

Windows

Press the Windows key, type cmd, and open Command Prompt.
Type: ipconfig /flushdns
Press Enter. You'll see 'Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.'

macOS

Open Terminal (press Cmd + Space, type Terminal, hit Enter).
Type: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Press Enter and type your password when asked. Nothing prints, which is normal.

Google Chrome

Chrome keeps its own small DNS cache. Visit chrome://net-internals/#dns and click 'Clear host cache'. Do this along with the system flush above if a single site is misbehaving only in Chrome.

When flushing helps

A website moved hosts and now loads the wrong page or an error.
You just changed your own DNS records and want to see the update.
You switched DNS providers and want a clean slate.

Frequently asked questions

Does flushing DNS delete anything important?

No. It only clears temporary cached lookups. Your device simply re-fetches them the next time you visit a site.

Will it fix slow internet?

Only if the slowness came from bad cached records. For general slowness, run a speed test and check the usual causes first.