Knowledge Base
How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows 10 and 11
To flush the DNS cache on Windows 10 or Windows 11, open Command Prompt and run ipconfig /flushdns. You should see “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache”. This clears the locally stored DNS records so Windows fetches fresh ones, which fixes most “this site used to work” problems caused by a stale or changed DNS entry.
Key facts
- The command to flush DNS on Windows is
ipconfig /flushdns, run in Command Prompt. - It works the same way on Windows 10 and Windows 11.
- The PowerShell equivalent is
Clear-DnsClientCache. - You do not normally need administrator rights to flush the DNS cache.
- Browsers keep their own separate DNS cache, which a system flush does not clear.
How do you flush DNS on Windows?
Flushing DNS on Windows takes one command. Press the Windows key, type cmd, and open Command Prompt. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. Windows confirms with “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” and the job is done. There is no reboot required and nothing else to configure.
If you prefer PowerShell, the equivalent command is Clear-DnsClientCache, which does the same thing with no on-screen confirmation message.
When should you flush the DNS cache?
The DNS cache is worth flushing whenever a domain’s address has changed but your computer is still trying to reach the old one. The classic cases are a website that just moved hosts, an email server that was migrated, or an internal site that started returning the wrong address after a network change. Flushing forces Windows to ask the DNS server again instead of trusting its stored copy, which clears up the mismatch.
It is also a quick first step when a site loads on your phone but not your work PC, since that points to a local cache problem rather than the site being down.
Why does flushing DNS not always fix the problem?
Flushing the Windows DNS cache only clears what the operating system has stored, so if the stale record lives somewhere else the problem persists. Browsers such as Chrome keep their own internal DNS cache, which you clear separately through the browser. Your router and your internet provider also cache DNS, and those can hold an old record for a while regardless of what you do on the PC. When a flush does not help, the next steps are usually clearing the browser cache, restarting the router, or simply waiting for the record’s time-to-live to expire.
Frequently asked questions
Does flushing DNS delete anything important?
No. It only clears temporary DNS lookup records that Windows rebuilds automatically the next time it needs them. It does not touch your files, settings, browsing history, or saved passwords. It is a safe, routine troubleshooting step.
Do I need to restart after flushing DNS?
No. The flush takes effect immediately and no reboot is needed. Windows simply starts asking the DNS server for fresh records straight away. If a problem persists after flushing, the cause is usually a cache outside the operating system rather than something a restart would fix.
How do I flush the DNS cache in Chrome?
Chrome keeps its own DNS cache that the Windows flush does not clear. Type chrome://net-internals/#dns into the address bar and click “Clear host cache”. Combining that with the Windows flush covers both caches when a stubborn site refuses to load.
Recurring DNS and connectivity issues across a few machines usually point to something at the network level rather than each PC. If your Sydney business keeps hitting these, happy to take a look at what is going on underneath.
