How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache)
How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache). If you are having trouble connecting to websites and applications on Windows 11 despite deleting the temporary files of Windows and the system caches, the culprit might be an outdated or corrupted DNS cache.
Your computer keeps a temporary file called the DNS cache with the names of all the hosts and IP addresses you’ve ever visited through any web browser. It helps in reducing loading time while browsing.
But there are times when a website’s IP address changes but hasn’t been updated yet. Or the file data extends beyond a certain limit. This can make it hard for that page or website to load.
Hence, DNS cache flush comes into play here. All in all, it gets rid of all the old information so Windows can get the new information, which will resolve the above mentioned issues.
This guide shows you how to How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache).
What is DNS Cache
When you go to a website by typing in its domain name, like microsoft.com, your browser goes to an internet based DNS server to find out the website’s IP address. Then you are taken to that website.
Well, Windows expedites this process by using a temporary file called the DNS cache. It stores important information about how domain names are resolved.
In turn, this helps your internet connection work faster and better. In normal situations, this cache lets you get to your Internet destination faster by skipping the step of sending a request to an online DNS server.
Why Should You Flush the DNS Cache
Above all, DNS caching works very well to improve browsing speed and efficiency. But it is not without its cons.
For example, over time, the cache can become contaminated with inaccurate information, thereby slowing your network connection.
Windows first gets information from the cache, finds that it’s broken, and then sends a request to a DNS server. This wastes a lot of time and slows down the network.
Sometimes the IP address of a site may change. If the DNS Resolver Cache has the old IP address record, it may result in your computer not being able to reach the site. Cached data can also become corrupt.
Another case is when the IP address for a website changes. If the DNS Resolver Cache has an outdated IP address record, your computer may be unable to visit the site. Data that has been cached can potentially become corrupt.
When you flush the DNS cache, all of the stored (cached) information is thrown away. This forces the computer to look for new, relevant data instead of sending up old, outdated data.
This can not only solve the connectivity issues but can also be a great help in boosting browsing speed, which has faltered due to DNS issues.
Follow this post to learn how to How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache).
How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache)
Flush Windows DNS Cache Using Command Prompt
Firstly, you can clear the DNS cache from the command line with a simple command.
A) Start by opening the command prompt by typing cmd in the search bar.
B) Right click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
C) Press Enter after typing the following command in the command prompt.
ipconfig /flushdns
D) The command prompt should respond with a message indicating that it was executed successfully.
Have patience, if you find that navigating popular websites takes a little bit more time than you are used to at first.
Clear DNS Cache in Windows Using Run Dialog Box
Another simple approach for emptying the DNS cache on Windows is to launch Windows PowerShell in administrator mode.
To begin, launch Windows PowerShell in Admin Mode on your Windows system. If you don’t know how, just put PowerShell into the search box, right click Windows PowerShell from the possibilities, and select Run as Administrator Mode.
In the PowerShell window, type the following command:
Clear-DnsClientCache
Now press the Enter key. Please be aware that this command requires proper capitalization to function.
This command will delete the DNS cache on your Windows computer.
However, this command won’t produce an output, so use the following PowerShell command to view the cache to make sure the DNS is clear.
Get-DnsClientCache
Clear DNS Cache in Windows Using Run Dialog Box
It is also possible to delete the DNS cache directly from the Run dialog box, without the need to use either the Command Prompt or PowerShell .
This is probably the simplest method for clearing the DNS cache on a machine running Windows, and the process goes as follows:
- First, open the Run dialog box from the Start menu by pressing the Windows key and the letter R simultaneously on the keyboard.
2. The Run dialog box will open up. Now, type the following command and click the Enter key.
ipconfig /flushdns
3. Make sure that a space is present before the slash.
4. The DNS cache will be erased once a command box appears on the screen for a fraction of a second and then disappears again.
Flush DNS cache on Google Chrome
There are several Windows applications and browsers with built-in DNS caches, including Google Chrome. These cache files are independent of the DNS caches that your operating system keeps.
Therefore, you must explicitly clear the DNS for Google Chrome in addition to the DNS caches for the operating system. To accomplish that, just do as follows:
A) First, access the Google Chrome web browser on your PC.
B) Put the following URL string in the address bar now and press the Enter key.
chrome:/net-internals/#dns
C) The net internals page of Chrome will now redirect you to the DNS tab.
D) Select the Clear Host Cache option to clear the local DNS cache.
Clear DNS cache on Microsoft Edge
As mentioned above, some Windows applications, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, come equipped with their local DNS caches. It is not the same as the DNS cache that is saved by the operating system on your computer.
Microsoft Edge is one of these applications that maintains its DNS cache. You can clear the DNS cache of the Chromium based version of Microsoft’s Edge browser using the following process:
To begin, launch your web browser on the machine. Now, in the address bar of your browser, copy and paste the following URL, then click the Enter key:
edge://net-internals/#dns
When you click this button, the DNS tab of Edge’s net internals page will load. To flush the DNS resolver cache that is used by Microsoft Edge, select this box and then click the Clear host cache button.
That’s it for the How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache). We will conclude the article.
How to Flush DNS Windows 10 / 11 (Clear Windows DNS Cache) Conclusion
Clearing the Windows DNS cache can address many underlying connectivity and privacy issues.
Flushing the DNS cache may sound like a complicated process, but it’s a simple procedure, as you now know. There are several ways to flush the DNS cache, including using the Command Prompt, PowerShell, and the Run command.
So, you can now go ahead and clear the DNS cache on your Windows computer to fix any connection problems and protect your privacy.
Explore our DNS section to learn more.
