The DNS (Domain Name Resolver) cache, or sometimes called DNS resolver cache, is a record of all visits and attempted visits to websites from a computer that runs on a computer’s operating system.

All commonly used operating systems—Windows, Mac, Linux distros, et cetera—have a DNS cache working by default.

Like all operating systems, Windows stores the DNS cache so that it can load the records of website visits quicker. The reason the process is slow without DNS is that every time a user browses a site, the web browser being used on the computer as the portal to the internet sends out a request first ( this process is called name resolution), and that takes time. With the DNS cache keeping the records of the sites, the computer speeds up the process by handling the name resolution before the request is sent out to the internet.

Like all caches, the DNS cache is stored temporarily with the chance for you to reset or “flush” it to show fresher results if you feel they have changed.

Most Windows users won’t ever have to reset the DNS cache when they’re using their computers—at least not nearly as much as you might want to flush your browser cache anyway. Most of the times people look to reset the DNS cache is when they’re dealing with websites—more specifically when they change web servers and need to make sure that what they see on the new server is correct.

This tutorial demonstrates what you need to flush the DNS cache—aka the DNS resolver cache—when you’re using a version of the Windows 10 operating system.

Flush and Reset DNS Cache from Run Dialog Box

Press the Windows logo + R keys on your keyboard to bring up the Run dialog and then type ipconfig /flushdns and tap/click on the “OK” button.

You can now close the Run dialog box and expect to find the DNS cache flushed.

Flush and Reset the DNS Cache from Command Prompt

Open a Command Prompt window.

Enter the ipconfig /flushdns command and then press the “Enter” key.

You can now close the Command Prompt window and expect to find the DNS cache flushed.

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