The DNS cache is an important feature of your Windows 11 operating system, as it helps speed up access to websites by recording the IP addresses of the sites you visited recently. However, sometimes the DNS cache can get corrupted or contain outdated information, which can lead to connection issues. Fortunately, it is very easy to clear the DNS cache on Windows 11. In this article, we will guide you how to do it step by step.
Why clear the DNS cache?
Clearing the DNS cache may be necessary in some situations to resolve Internet connection issues. DNS (Domain Name System) is responsible for translating domain names into IP addresses, allowing browsers and other applications to access websites and online services.
Here are some common reasons why you might want to clear your DNS cache:
- Update DNS records: When a website makes changes to its DNS records, there may be a delay before your computer reflects those changes. Clearing the DNS cache forces your system to get the latest DNS information.
- Access a blocked website: If you cannot access a particular website, your computer may have registered the wrong DNS entry for that website. By clearing the DNS cache, you can clear this bad entry and get the correct DNS information.
- DNS resolution problems: If you are having DNS resolution issues, such as server not found or timeout errors, clearing the DNS cache can help resolve these issues by removing old DNS entries that may be corrupt or outdated.
It should be noted that clearing the DNS cache is usually a basic troubleshooting procedure and may not solve all connection issues.
Clear DNS cache from command prompt
To clear DNS cache on Windows 11 using Command Prompt, follow these steps:
1. Click the button to start from Windows.
2. Genre command prompt in the search bar, then right-click Command Prompt in the search results. He chooses Execute as administrator. If you don’t have an administrator account, just choose Command Prompt.
3. At the command prompt, type the following command and hit Enter:ipconfig /flushdns
Wait a few moments for the process to complete. You will see a message indicating that the DNS cache has been flushed successfully.
4. (Optional) To make sure your DNS cache has been cleared successfully, you can run the following command: ipconfig /displaydns
This will display the DNS records currently stored in the cache. If your DNS cache has been flushed correctly, you won’t see any entries there.
After performing these steps, the Windows 11 DNS cache will be cleared. This can be useful if you are having DNS resolution issues or just want to refresh the cache.
Clear DNS cache using PowerShell
To clear the DNS cache using PowerShell, follow these steps:
1. Open PowerShell as administrator. To do this, right-click on the button to startthen select Windows Terminal (administrator).
2. In the PowerShell window, run the following command to clear the DNS cache: Clear-DnsClientCache
Wait for it to complete. Once executed, your system’s DNS cache will be cleared.
Note that this command is available from Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8. If you are using an earlier version of Windows, you will need to use another method to clear the DNS cache.
How to clear browser DNS cache in Windows 11
To clear your browser’s DNS cache, you can follow these steps depending on the browser you’re using:
1. Open edge or chrome.
2. Type the following path into the address bar and hit Enter: chrome://net-internals/#dns
3. On the “DNS” page, click the button Clear host cache for the Host Resolver Cache parameter.
After following these steps, you should clear your browser’s DNS cache.
Also Read: How to completely clear cache in Windows 11
Clearing the DNS cache on Windows 11 is a simple yet effective step to resolve connection issues related to corrupt or outdated DNS records. By following the steps in this article, you can easily clear your system’s DNS cache and improve your browsing experience.
