How to Flush and Clear Windows DNS Cache

This article explains how to flush and clear Windows DNS cache, including methods that utilize the Run dialog box, command prompt, and Windows PowerShell. If you aren’t sure which one to use, start with the Run dialog box method.

How to Flush and Clear Your Windows DNS Cache

The easiest way to clear your DNS cache is to use the Run dialog box, which is a tool in Windows that allows you to quickly run commands, launch apps, and open files if you know exactly what to type.

1. Press and hold the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.

   

2. Type ipconfig /flushdns into the text field, and click OK.

   

3. Check to see if your problem has been resolved.

How to Use Command Prompt to Clear Your DNS Cache

The Run dialog box is quick and easy, but it doesn’t provide a lot of feedback or options. If you aren’t sure whether the Run dialog box method worked, or you prefer some more feedback about whether the process has actually completed, then you can use the exact same command in the Windows command prompt.

1. Click the Start button or Taskbar search field, and type command.

   

2. Click Run as Administrator.

   

3. Type ipconfig /flushdns and press the enter key.

   

4. Wait for the process to finish.

   

5. Check to see if your problem has been resolved.

How to Use Windows PowerShell to Clear DNS in Windows 10

The last method you can use to clear and flush your DNS in Windows 10 is a little different. It uses Windows PowerShell instead of the Command prompt, so it uses a completely different command.

1. Right click the Start button, and select Windows PowerShell (Admin).

   

2. If prompted for permission from User Account Control, click Yes.

3. Type Clear-DnsClientCache and then press the enter key.

   

4. Wait for the process to finish.

   

5. Check to see if your problem has been resolved.

Why Flush Your DNS Cache?

The purpose of DNS is to let you visit websites by typing a URL instead of an IP address, and the point of a DNS cache is to speed up website access by making it so that your computer doesn’t have to wait for a DNS lookup every time you visit a website that you’ve already been to in the past. If this local record ends up getting corrupted, it’s out of date, or you connected to a DNS server that provided incorrect information, you may have trouble accessing websites. By clearing, or flushing, your DNS cache, you force your computer to check a DNS server when visiting websites because there is no longer a local record.

While Windows 10 maintains its own local DNS cache that you can flush with the methods found in this article, your router may also maintain its own cache. If you find that flushing your DNS in Windows 10 doesn’t fix your internet connectivity problem, then rebooting your router may help.