How to Flush DNS Cache on Mac, Windows, or Linux

DNS (Domain Name System) is an essential component of the internet. It acts as a translator between human-readable domain names and IP addresses. The DNS system maintains a cache of recently accessed domain names and their corresponding IP addresses, which speeds up subsequent queries.

However, over time, this cache may become outdated or corrupted, leading to network issues. This guide will explain how to clear the DNS cache on Mac, Windows and Linux.

What is DNS Cache?

A DNS cache is a temporary storage area for recently accessed domain name records. When you visit a website or access any internet service, your computer first checks its local cache for the domain name’s IP address. If it finds a match, it uses that information to connect you with the destination server quickly.

Why Flush DNS Cache?

Sometimes, the cached information becomes outdated or corrupted due to various reasons:

Websites change their IP addresses.
Network problems cause incorrect information to be cached.
Security programs block legitimate access.

In such cases, clearing the cached data can solve many problems related to internet connectivity.

How to flush DNS Cache on Mac

Flushing the DNS cache on Mac OS X involves using the Terminal application:

Click on Spotlight search icon (magnifying glass) in the top-right corner of your screen.
Type Terminal and hit enter.
In Terminal window type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press enter.
Type your admin password when prompted and press enter again.

The command clears both IPv4 and IPv6 resolver caches.

How to flush DNS Cache on Windows

Windows provides a command-line interface to flush the DNS cache:

Press Windows key + X and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
In the Command Prompt window, type ipconfig /flushdns and press enter.
Wait for the message “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.”

This command only clears the IPv4 resolver cache. If you want to clear the IPv6 cache as well, use this command: ipconfig /flushdns; netsh int ipv6 reset dnsservers – you will need to reboot your computer if you clear the IPv6 cache also.

How to flush DNS Cache on Linux

Linux has different commands to flush DNS cache depending on the distribution:

Ubuntu/Debian-based distributions:

Open a Terminal window.
Type sudo systemctl restart systemd-resolved.service and press enter.

Red Hat-based distributions

Open a Terminal window.
Type sudo systemctl restart named.service and press enter.

Arch Linux

Open a Terminal window.
Type sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager.service and press enter.

Summary

Clearing DNS cache is an effective solution for resolving many network issues related to domain name resolution. The process of flushing DNS cache is easy and quick, but it varies slightly depending on your operating system or distribution.

With this guide, you can confidently clear your DNS cache in just a few simple steps!

The DNS system maintains this cache of recently accessed domain names and their corresponding IP addresses, which speeds up subsequent queries. However, over time, this cache may become outdated or corrupted due to various reasons such as websites changing their IP addresses, network problems causing incorrect information to be cached, or security programs blocking legitimate access. In such cases, clearing the cached data can solve many problems related to internet connectivity.

Flushing DNS cache is an essential step in resolving network issues related to domain name resolution. DNS cache is a temporary storage area for recently accessed domain name records. It is designed to speed up subsequent queries by translating human-readable domain names into IP addresses. However, over time, the cached information can become outdated or corrupted due to various reasons such as websites changing their IP addresses, network problems causing incorrect information to be cached or security programs blocking legitimate access.

Clearing DNS cache can solve many problems related to internet connectivity. When you clear the cached data, your computer starts fresh and creates a new cache with up-to-date information. This process helps your computer connect quickly and accurately with the destination servers, resulting in faster browsing and improved overall internet experience.

Flushing DNS cache is easy and quick, but it varies slightly depending on the operating system or distribution being used. With this guide’s help, you can clear your DNS cache with confidence in just a few simple steps.