Flush DNS on Windows when the local cache is the problem
Flush the Windows DNS cache when stale local answers are the problem. Save the original result, run the command, and verify the affected hostname again.
Written byYiyao
Use a cache reset for a cache problem
Flushing DNS clears the Windows client's local resolver cache. It can help when the computer is retaining an outdated answer or a negative result after the relevant public record has changed. It does not edit public DNS records or force every upstream resolver to refresh.
Before clearing anything, write down the affected hostname, the error, and the time. Check whether the problem occurs in one application, on one device, or across the network. Those differences tell you whether a local cache reset is a reasonable next step.
Inspect before changing
ipconfig /displaydns
nslookup -type=A example.com
The first command displays the Windows DNS client cache. Its output can include recently resolved names, so keep it private or redact it before sharing. The second command asks a DNS server a public question; substitute the affected public hostname only when appropriate.
An explicit nslookup query and an application lookup do not necessarily use the same resolution path. Use both observations to understand the symptom, not to assume that nslookup alone has tested the entire application cache. Browsers and applications may maintain their own caches or secure-DNS settings.
Run the Windows command
ipconfig /flushdns
Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal with the permissions required by your device and run the command once. If permission is denied on a managed computer, ask the administrator rather than trying to bypass policy. Read the confirmation before moving on.
Do not add ipconfig /release or a network reset to this procedure automatically. Releasing the interface's address can interrupt connectivity and is a different operation. A DNS-cache task should remain a DNS-cache task unless the evidence calls for a broader network repair.
Repeat the original application test
Return to the original hostname and application. Reload the failing page or retry the permitted operation, then compare the result with the note you recorded. If DNS now resolves but HTTPS fails, move to connection, certificate, or HTTP diagnosis.
If the symptom remains, record whether the new lookup returns an old address, NXDOMAIN, SERVFAIL, or a timeout. Repeating the flush command without a new observation rarely narrows the problem. Use the appropriate DNS guide for that response.
Recognize what remains outside this reset
| Layer | Does this command clear it? | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|
| Windows DNS client cache | Yes | Repeat the affected application request |
| A recursive resolver's cache | No | Compare its TTL and authoritative answer |
| Public authoritative records | No | Review the DNS provider configuration |
| A browser's separate cache or resolver | Not necessarily | Check the browser's current settings and documented controls |
| VPN or internal DNS policy | No | Use the approved network and administrator guidance |
After a public DNS change, a recursive resolver can legitimately continue serving its cached answer until the relevant lifetime expires. A successful local flush message does not establish that an upstream answer is current.
Work through an illustrative stale-answer case
Suppose a public service has moved and its authoritative answer is correct, but one Windows machine still reaches the previous destination. Capture the local symptom, flush the local cache once, and retry. If that machine now reaches the intended service, retain the before-and-after evidence.
If it still receives the old answer from its configured resolver, investigate that resolver's cache instead. If an independent public lookup differs, remember that private networks and geographic DNS policies can produce deliberate differences. Compare the intended service result, not just the numeric addresses.
FAQ and next action
Should I flush DNS every day? There is no need to make cache clearing a routine performance ritual. Use it when the evidence supports a stale local answer.
Are these commands for macOS or Linux? No. This procedure is specifically for Windows; other systems use different resolver services and commands. For a public comparison, use Arcvenza NSLookup while keeping its server-side result separate from the local repair.
Technical references
Microsoft: ipconfig · RFC 2308: Negative caching
Microsoft: ipconfig · RFC 2308: Negative caching