{"id":82,"date":"2026-07-31T20:08:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-31T20:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/?p=82"},"modified":"2026-07-03T12:17:20","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T12:17:20","slug":"flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Flush DNS Cache: Windows, Linux, and macOS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Quick Answer:<\/strong> Flushing your flush DNS clears the local database of domain-to-IP address mappings stored on your computer. To do this on Windows, run ipconfig \/flushdns in an elevated Command Prompt. On macOS, use dscacheutil -flushcache. On Linux, use resolvectl flush-caches for most modern distributions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You update your website\u2019s A record, point your domain to a new server, and wait for the propagation to finish. You expect the change to be reflected immediately, but when you visit the site, you see the old version. You try again from a different device, and it works perfectly. That is when you realize the issue isn&#8217;t the server, it\u2019s your machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your computer has a list of websites you visited and their addresses. This list is called the DNS cache. It helps your computer work faster. When you open a website, your computer looks at this list first. It does this so it does not have to ask a server for the address every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DNS cache is like a phone book for your computer. When you change your DNS settings, your computer might still use the information in the cache. This means it is not using the information you just put in. This is not something that is broken on your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is actually working the way it is supposed to. It is not helping you in this case. The DNS cache is still using the information, which is why you might have problems. Your computer and the DNS cache are doing what they are supposed to do. It is causing problems for you because it is using the old DNS settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#What_is_a_DNS_Cache\" >What is a DNS Cache?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Comparison_of_Flush_Commands\" >Comparison of Flush Commands<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_Windows\" >How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_macOS\" >How to Flush DNS Cache on macOS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_Linux\" >How to Flush DNS Cache on Linux<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Use_Cases_Who_Needs_to_Flush\" >Use Cases: Who Needs to Flush?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Security_and_Best_Practices\" >Security and Best Practices<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Troubleshooting_DNS_Issues\" >Troubleshooting DNS Issues<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Conclusion_Maintaining_Your_Network_Hygiene\" >Conclusion: Maintaining Your Network Hygiene<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions\" >Frequently Asked Questions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#What_actually_happens_when_I_flush_my_DNS_cache\" >What actually happens when I flush my DNS cache?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Will_flushing_my_DNS_cache_delete_my_browsing_history_or_passwords\" >Will flushing my DNS cache delete my browsing history or passwords?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#How_do_I_know_if_my_DNS_cache_is_the_problem\" >How do I know if my DNS cache is the problem?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Why_does_my_site_still_show_the_old_version_after_flushing\" >Why does my site still show the old version after flushing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#Is_it_safe_to_clear_my_DNS_cache\" >Is it safe to clear my DNS cache?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/#What_is_the_difference_between_clearing_the_browser_cache_and_the_DNS_cache\" >What is the difference between clearing the browser cache and the DNS cache?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_DNS_Cache\"><\/span>What is a DNS Cache?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/\">DNS cache<\/a><\/strong> is like a list that your computer keeps. This list contains the addresses of websites you visited recently. It is helpful because your computer does not have to check the internet each time you visit a website. The DNS cache stores the addresses so your browser can find them quickly. This makes websites load faster when you visit them. The DNS cache is important because it helps your browser load websites you have been to before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_of_Flush_Commands\"><\/span>Comparison of Flush Commands<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Operating System<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Primary Command<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Access Required<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Windows<\/strong><\/td><td>ipconfig \/flushdns<\/td><td>Administrator<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>macOS<\/strong><\/td><td>dscacheutil -flushcache<\/td><td>Standard (Password may be required)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Linux (systemd)<\/strong><\/td><td>resolvectl flush-caches<\/td><td>Root\/Sudo<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Linux (nscd)<\/strong><\/td><td>systemctl restart nscd<\/td><td>Root\/Sudo<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_Windows\"><\/span>How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Windows handles DNS through the <a href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/\">DNS Records Checker<\/a> client service. Flushing this cache requires an elevated Command Prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Flush-DNS-Cache-on-Windows-1024x536.png\" alt=\"How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows\" class=\"wp-image-277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Flush-DNS-Cache-on-Windows-1024x536.png 1024w, https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Flush-DNS-Cache-on-Windows-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Flush-DNS-Cache-on-Windows-768x402.png 768w, https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/How-to-Flush-DNS-Cache-on-Windows.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Open the Start Menu:<\/strong> Press the Windows key and type cmd.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Run as Administrator:<\/strong> Do not just click the result. Right-click &#8220;Command Prompt&#8221; and select &#8220;Run as administrator.&#8221; This is essential; the command will fail silently without sufficient privileges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Execute the Command:<\/strong> In the window that appears, type the following and press Enter:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>DOSipconfig \/flushdns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confirm the Success:<\/strong> The system will return a message stating, &#8220;Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verify:<\/strong> Close the command prompt and attempt to access the resource again.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_macOS\"><\/span>How to Flush DNS Cache on macOS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Apple&#8217;s approach to DNS caching varies across versions, but the commands you use to do things have stayed pretty much the same in newer versions of Apple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Open Terminal:<\/strong> Press Command + Space and type &#8220;Terminal,&#8221; then press Enter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Execute the Command:<\/strong> Type the following command and press Enter:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bashsudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enter Password:<\/strong> You will be prompted for your user password. The terminal does not show characters while you type, so just type it and press Enter.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Wait:<\/strong> The command executes immediately. There is no confirmation message. If you do not see an error, the cache has been cleared.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Re-test:<\/strong> Return to your browser and refresh the page.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Flush_DNS_Cache_on_Linux\"><\/span>How to Flush DNS Cache on Linux<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Linux is fragmented, meaning the method depends on your distribution and the service handling your DNS. Most modern distributions now use systemd-resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Identify Your Resolver:<\/strong> If you are running Ubuntu, Debian, or Fedora, you likely use systemd-resolved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Execute the Flush:<\/strong> Open your terminal and run:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bashsudo resolvectl flush-caches<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Verification:<\/strong> You can check the cache status before and after using resolvectl statistics to confirm that the &#8220;Current Cache Size&#8221; drops to zero.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Alternative (nscd):<\/strong> If you are on an older system using nscd (Name Service Cache Daemon), run:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bashsudo systemctl restart nscd<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This simply restarts the service, effectively dumping the existing cache.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_Cases_Who_Needs_to_Flush\"><\/span>Use Cases: Who Needs to Flush?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Web Developer:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are frequently switching your site between a staging environment (local IP) and a production environment (public IP). Without flushing your cache, you might edit the production files while viewing the staging site, which could cause unnecessary confusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Network Administrator:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> You have performed a migration or a security update on your infrastructure. You need to verify that your local machines have picked up the new <a href=\"https:\/\/dnschecker.org\/reverse-dns.php\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">IP records<\/a> rather than relying on stale configuration data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Standard User:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are trying to access a site that was recently moved or migrated. You see a &#8220;404 Not Found&#8221; or a &#8220;Site Under Construction&#8221; error, while your friends in other locations see the live site. A quick flush is the first step in troubleshooting connectivity issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Security_and_Best_Practices\"><\/span>Security and Best Practices<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearing your DNS cache not only solves connectivity problems; it is also a security hygiene practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Stop Poisoning:<\/strong> DNS cache poisoning is a technique in which an attacker injects fake IP records into your machine&#8217;s cache, routing you to a malicious site. Regularly flushing your cache forces your machine to fetch fresh, authenticated records from your actual DNS server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Browser Cache:<\/strong> Often, the problem isn&#8217;t the OS cache it&#8217;s the browser cache. If you flush your OS cache and the site still won&#8217;t load, clear your browser\u2019s DNS cache. In Chrome, go to chrome:\/\/net-internals\/#dns and click &#8220;Clear host cache.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use Public Resolvers:<\/strong> If you find you are constantly flushing your cache to fix issues, your ISP\u2019s DNS servers might be unreliable or slow to update. Consider switching to a public, high-availability resolver like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Automate Periodic Flushes:<\/strong> In server environments where you handle frequent record changes, you can add a cron job to restart your DNS service, though this is rarely necessary on desktop machines.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Troubleshooting_DNS_Issues\"><\/span>Troubleshooting DNS Issues<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you have flushed your cache and the issue persists, the problem lies elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Problem<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Likely Cause<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Fix<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Site still points to old IP<\/td><td>Browser cache is holding on<\/td><td>Clear browser cache or use Incognito<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&#8220;Flush&#8221; command fails<\/td><td>Insufficient permissions<\/td><td>Ensure terminal\/CMD is run as admin<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Changes not reflected globally<\/td><td>Propagation delay<\/td><td>Wait for TTL to expire on upstream servers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Intermittent resolution<\/td><td>Host file override<\/td><td>Check C:\\Windows\\System32\\drivers\\etc\\hosts<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Still loading wrong site<\/td><td>ISP-level caching<\/td><td>Use a public DNS provider (e.g., Cloudflare)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion_Maintaining_Your_Network_Hygiene\"><\/span>Conclusion: Maintaining Your Network Hygiene<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you have problems with a website, and it looks broken or shows incorrect information, the local DNS cache is usually the problem. This is part of how the internet works, and as it gets older, it can make you think you have connection problems. The local DNS cache can cause a lot of trouble when it is not working properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Identify the operating system you are using.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open the terminal with administrative or root privileges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Run the appropriate flush command for your system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That said, here is the honest caveat: flushing your cache only clears the &#8220;phone book&#8221; on your device. If the upstream DNS servers the ones your ISP manages haven&#8217;t updated their records yet, flushing your local machine will not help. You will simply have to wait for the Time-To-Live (TTL) values to expire on those servers. If you are a developer, set low TTL values before a migration to avoid this altogether. If you are just a user, perform your flush, restart your browser, and move on. The network will catch up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851260192\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_actually_happens_when_I_flush_my_DNS_cache\"><\/span><strong>What actually happens when I flush my DNS cache?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Think of your DNS cache like an address book on your computer. It helps your computer know where websites are, so it doesn&#8217;t have to ask the internet every time you click a link. When you flush it, you remove that address book. This makes your computer look up the address for each website you visit. It fixes problems where you might go to a server. Flushing the DNS cache gets you the current website locations. Your computer then has the information to show you the correct websites.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851261586\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Will_flushing_my_DNS_cache_delete_my_browsing_history_or_passwords\"><\/span><strong>Will flushing my DNS cache delete my browsing history or passwords?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Not at all. Your DNS cache is strictly technical; it only stores the &#8220;map&#8221; of websites (their IP addresses). It has zero interaction with your cookies, browser history, saved passwords, or personal files. You can run these commands as many times as you want without worrying about losing any of your data or login sessions.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851262570\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_I_know_if_my_DNS_cache_is_the_problem\"><\/span><strong>How do I know if my DNS cache is the problem?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>You usually won&#8217;t see a &#8220;DNS error&#8221; message; you&#8217;ll just see symptoms. If you can\u2019t access a website, but your friends or mobile device can, or if you\u2019ve recently moved your website to a new host and your computer is still showing the old version, your cache is the primary suspect. If the site loads fine on a different device (like your phone) but not on your PC, it\u2019s almost certainly a local cache issue.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851263595\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_does_my_site_still_show_the_old_version_after_flushing\"><\/span><strong>Why does my site still show the old version after flushing?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>If you have flushed your system cache and the site is still wrong, your browser is likely holding onto its own independent DNS cache. Try closing and fully restarting your browser. If that doesn&#8217;t work, clear your browser&#8217;s specific cache. If it persists, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) might be aggressively caching the old record, which is unfortunately out of your control and will just require a bit more waiting.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851264314\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_it_safe_to_clear_my_DNS_cache\"><\/span><strong>Is it safe to clear my DNS cache?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Absolutely. It is a completely risk-free, standard technical procedure. It doesn&#8217;t modify any sensitive system files or change your network settings. It\u2019s effectively just a &#8220;refresh&#8221; button for your computer\u2019s network navigation. It\u2019s one of the first things IT professionals do when troubleshooting connectivity issues because it carries no downside.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-question-1781851265586\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_difference_between_clearing_the_browser_cache_and_the_DNS_cache\"><\/span><strong>What is the difference between clearing the browser cache and the DNS cache?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>It\u2019s helpful to think of them as two different layers. Your browser cache stores actual page content (images, scripts, layouts) to make pages load faster. Your DNS cache stores the &#8220;map&#8221; (IP addresses) to find those pages. Clearing your browser cache fixes layout or design issues; clearing your DNS cache fixes &#8220;site not found&#8221; or &#8220;wrong site&#8221; issues.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Latest Posts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list wp-block-latest-posts is-layout-flow wp-block-latest-posts-is-layout-flow\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/website-not-resolving-after-dns-update\/\">Website Not Resolving After DNS Update (Fix Guide)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-incorrect-mx-records\/\">How to Fix Incorrect MX Records<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/dns-conflict-between-a-record-and-cname\/\">DNS Conflict Between A Record and CNAME (How to Fix)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/why-dns-results-vary-by-country\/\">Why DNS Shows Different Results in Different Countries<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/flush-dns-cache-windows-linux-macos\/\">How to Flush DNS Cache: Windows, Linux, and macOS<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Quick Answer: Flushing your flush DNS clears the local database of domain-to-IP address mappings stored on your computer. To do this on Windows, run ipconfig \/flushdns in an elevated Command Prompt. On macOS, use dscacheutil -flushcache. On Linux, use resolvectl flush-caches for most modern distributions. You update your website\u2019s A record, point your domain to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":278,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-82","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dns-troubleshooting-guides"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=82"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":279,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82\/revisions\/279"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dnsrecordschecker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}