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Getting Started: Flushing Your DNS Cache

Matt Prytuluk
  • Updated
  • min read

The following table provides instructions for clearing the DNS cache on computers and servers. The commands need to be run at the command prompt with administrator privileges.

Please add any additions, corrections, updates or suggestions to the comments on this article to better help the community.

Windows_XP_2001.jpg
 

Windows 7 and Earlier

 

  1. Click the Start Menu.
  2. Navigate to All Programs.
  3. Choose Accessories and right-click Command Prompt.
  4. Choose Run as Administrator.
  5. Run the following command in the command line and press enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
 
Windows_logo_-_2012.png
 

Windows 8

 

  1. Press the Windows Key or hover your mouse over the bottom left corner and click the Windows Icon.
  2. Begin typing Command Prompt.
  3. Right-click the application and select Run as Administrator.
  4. Run the following command in the command line and press enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
 
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OS X 10.4 TIGER

 

  1. Click the Terminal icon in the dock or in Finder under Application/Utilities/Terminal
  2. Run the following command in the command line and hit enter
lookupd -flushcache
 
  
leopard_os_x.gif
 

OS X 10.5 and 10.6 LEOPARD

 

  1. Click the Terminal icon in the dock or in Finder under Application/Utilities/Terminal.
  2. Run the following command in the command line and press enter:
dscacheutil -flushcache
 
 
OS-X-Lion-Logo.jpg
 

OS X 10.7 and 10.8 Lion

 

  1. Click the Terminal icon in the dock or in Finder under Application/Utilities/Terminal.
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
 
 
 
apple-logo-600px-304.jpg
 

OS X 10.9 and 10.10

 

  1. Click the Terminal icon in the dock or in Finder under Application/Utilities/Terminal.
dscacheutil -flushcache;sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
 
 
871px-Linux_logo.png
 

Linux (most distributions)

 

  1. Open a terminal window (gnome-terminal, konsole, xterm, etc)
sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart
   or 
sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart
 
 
 
ubuntu-logo1.gif
 

Ubuntu Linux

 

  1. Open a terminal window.
  2. Run the following command in the command line and press enter:
 sudo service network-manager restart
 

Clearing the DNS Cache on Browsers

 If you have recently set up your filtering, or just changed a setting, a cache clear may be necessary before you see your filtering take effect.

The following table provides instructions for clearing the DNS cache within common Internet browsers.

Browser

 

Steps to clear the DNS Cache

 
Internet Explorer  8 and above (Windows)

 

  1. Navigate to the History menu, select Delete Browsing History, check all boxes (except passwords, if desired) and click Delete.

 
Mozilla Firefox (Windows)

 

  1. Click Firefox at the top left of your browser, navigate to the History menu, select Clear Recent History and check all boxes.
  2. Under Time range to clear select Everything (except passwords, if desired) and click Clear Now.
Apple Safari (Windows)

 

  1. Expand the Cog Icon in the upper right corner and select Reset Safari.
  2. Check all boxes and click Reset.
Apple Safari (Windows)

 

  1. Go to the Safari menu, select Reset Safari, check all boxes and click Reset.
Google Chrome (Windows)

 

  1. Expand the Wrench Icon in the upper right corner and select History and check all boxes.
  2. Under Clear data for this time period, select Everything(except passwords, if desired) and click Clear Browsing Data.
Google Chrome (Mac)
  1. Under Go to the Chrome menu, select Clear Browsing Data and check all boxes (except passwords, if desired).
  2. Under Clear data for this time period, select Everything and click Clear Browsing Data.

 

 

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