If you’ve recently made DNS changes like switching nameservers or updating DNS records and things still don’t look right on your device, it may be because your computer or browser is storing an outdated version of the DNS information. This is called the DNS cache, and sometimes it needs a little refresh.

Flushing (or clearing) your DNS cache helps your device fetch the most up-to-date version of your domain’s records.

Here’s how to do it depending on the system you’re using.

For Windows #

1. Click Start, then type cmd
2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator (If this is a company owned device, you may need to contact your IT Department)
3. In the window that opens, type the following and press Enter: ipconfig /flushdns
4. You should see a message confirming the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed

For Mac OS #

The steps depend slightly on your macOS version, but this method works on most modern systems:

1. Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities)
2. Paste the following command and press Enter: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
3. Enter your Mac’s password if prompted (you won’t see it as you type)
4. No message will appear, but your cache will be cleared

For Linux #

The process depends on which DNS service your system is using. Most common distributions use either systemd-resolved or nscd.

Option 1: systemd-resolved (most modern systems)

1. Open Terminal
2. Run the following command: sudo systemd-resolve –flush-caches
3. You can verify it by running: systemd-resolve –statistics

Option 2: nscd (older systems or some desktop environments)

1. Open Terminal
2. Run the following command: sudo service nscd restart

If your system doesn’t have nscd or systemd-resolved, flushing DNS may not be necessary — or it may be handled automatically when you restart your network service or reboot your system.

For Google Chrome #

If you use Chrome and suspect your browser is caching DNS info:

1. Open a new tab and go to: chrome://net-internals/#dns
2. Click Clear host cache

When Should I Flush My DNS Cache? #

• After switching nameservers or updating A/MX/CNAME records
• If your website is loading on one device but not another
• If you’re seeing an outdated version of a site
• When troubleshooting DNS-related email or SSL issues

Need Help? #

If things still don’t look right after flushing your cache, let us know – there may be something else going on. You can reach us any time and we’ll be happy to help get it sorted.