In this article, we will see how to flush the DNS cache in Windows 10. It is one of the important network parameters which allows you to browse the Internet and resolve remote computer names. We will see what DNS is, and why you might want to flush its cache.
DNS stands for Domain Name System. Windows comes with an option which stores the specified DNS server address and makes the TCP/IP stack use that IP address. It refers to this user-specified DNS service or gateway-specified service to resolve the domain name of a website to its IP address and load it in your web browser.
In most cases, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides their own DNS server which does its work. This DNS server is usually specified in your router or automatically fetched from the ISP. But in some cases, you may have a reason to switch to an external DNS server. It may update its cache faster (this can be a reason for web developers) and can have some features that your default DNS doesn't have. For example, a third-party DNS service can have a built-in ad blocker. In some cases, the ISP's DNS server can make you run into an issue where sites do not load fast enough or do not load at all. Other DNS services can provide extra security. Refer to the following article to see how to change the DNS server settings in Windows 10:
How to Change DNS Server in Windows 10
Windows makes the name resolution process faster by caching resolved addresses. If the IP address of a website can be found in the local cache, it will be resolved faster. The web site will be opened instantly without extra requests to Internet servers.
How to see your current DNS cache
To see your current Windows DNS resolver cache, open a new elevated command prompt instance and type the following command
ipconfig /displaydns
The command will produce a very long output.
For your convenience, you can redirect it to a file. Use the following command:
ipconfig /displaydns >%USERPROFILE%\Desktop\dns.txt
Then you can open the dns.txt file created on your Desktop and inspect its entries.
If information in the DNS cache is outdated, some sites may not open in the browser. If you are facing an issue that certain sites does not work despite your network connection being reliable, you could try to flush the DNS cache.
Ensure that you are signed in as an administrator before proceeding, otherwise you won't be able to change your DNS settings.
How to reset your current DNS cache
To flush the DNS cache in Windows 10, do the following.
- Open an elevated command prompt.
- Type or copy-paste the next command:
ipconfig /flushdns
This is all you need to do to reset your DNS cache in Windows 10.
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Yes, this is how to flush the DNS cache in Windows 10… and Windows 8/8.8… and Windows 7… and Windows XP… and probably Windows 2000.
I appreciate the tips you’re posting, but they’re getting so generic these days you might as well drop the Windows 10 bit or people might think it’s a Windows 10-specific tip and not realize that virtually all versions of Windows currently in use can do this (and most other tips) the same way. Just saying. :)
Well, thanks for feedback.
I will consider writing something less generic.
Thanks a lot for this tip! I didn’t know about it. Be sure to post more of those ‘hidden’ gems.
You are welcome.