How to Flush Your DNS Cache

Flushing your DNS cache on your local computer can ensure that you're pulling the most current version of a website. In this article, we will review the simplest methods to flush your DNS cache for various operating systems.

Windows Vista / Windows 7

1. Click the start button and navigate to the command prompt, Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt.
2. Make sure that you right-click on the command prompt and choose Run as Administrator.
3. Type in the command ipconfig /flushdns

Mac OS X Leopard

1. Open up a Terminal session
2. Run the command dscacheutil -flushcache

Mac OS X 10.51 / Older

1. Open a command terminal
2. Run the command lookupd -flushcache

Linux

1. Open up a command terminal, either as root, or run step 2 with sudo
2. Run the command /etc/init.d/nscd restart