A site opens the wrong page, refuses to load, or works in one browser but not another. A stale DNS cache can be the reason, because your device or browser may be reusing an old saved lookup instead of asking for a fresh address. Start with the system-level reset for your computer, then clear the browser cache when the problem stays inside one browser.
Flush DNS on Windows with Command Prompt
On Windows 11 and Windows 10, the standard local DNS cache reset is ipconfig /flushdns.
Select Search on the taskbar, type Command Prompt, then choose Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission. On a standard account, Windows shows a credential prompt instead: enter an administrator name and password.
Type ipconfig /flushdns in the Command Prompt window and press Enter.
If this method fails, use the Windows PowerShell method below from an administrator window.
Use PowerShell when Command Prompt fails
The most common cause of a failed Windows DNS flush is opening the shell without administrator rights.
Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell as an administrator.
Type Clear-DnsClientCache and press Enter.
Microsoft treats Clear-DnsClientCache as equivalent to ipconfig /flushdns, so either administrator shell clears the local Windows DNS client resolver cache.
Flush DNS on Mac from Terminal
Use Terminal for the current macOS DNS-related cache flush.
- 1.Open Launchpad, type Terminal, then open Terminal.
- 2.Or open Finder, go to /Applications/Utilities, then double-click Terminal.
- 3.Type sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
- 4.Press Return.
- 5.Enter your Mac password when prompted.
Clear Chrome and Edge host cache
In Chrome, type chrome://net-internals/#dns in the address bar and press Enter. Click Clear host cache.
Then type chrome://net-internals/#sockets in the address bar and press Enter. Click Flush socket pools; this closes pooled browser connections that can keep using an old resolved endpoint.
In Microsoft Edge, type edge://net-internals/#dns in the address bar and press Enter, then click Clear host cache. Next, type edge://net-internals/#sockets, press Enter, and click Flush socket pools.
These browser controls clear Chromium's in-browser host resolver cache and connection pools. They do not clear the Windows or macOS system DNS cache.
Reset DNS in Brave Opera and Vivaldi
Chromium-family browsers use the same net-internals DNS surface when the vendor exposes it. In Brave, open brave://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache.
In Opera, open opera://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache. In Vivaldi, open vivaldi://net-internals/#dns, or use chrome://net-internals/#dns when that build redirects or supports it.
If this browser-level reset does not fix the site, clear the system DNS cache on Windows or macOS as well.
Clear Firefox DNS cache
Open Firefox.
Type about:networking#dns in the address bar.
Press Enter.
Click Clear DNS Cache.
On Windows, open the Menu button and choose Exit. On Linux, open the Menu button and choose Quit.
On macOS, choose Firefox > Quit Firefox.
After quitting Firefox, reopen it and test the site once before changing anything else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is clearing Chrome host cache the same as flushing DNS in Windows?
No. Chrome's Clear host cache clears Chromium's in-browser host resolver cache for that browser session or profile. It does not clear the Windows or macOS system DNS cache.
Does Flush socket pools clear DNS records?
No. Flush socket pools closes pooled browser connections after you clear the host cache. It helps stop the browser from reusing an old resolved endpoint.
Should I run dscacheutil -flushcache by itself on a Mac?
No. For current macOS DNS troubleshooting, use sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
Can Safari flush DNS inside the browser?
No. Safari has no current browser-level DNS flush control. Use the macOS Terminal method to clear the system DNS cache.