What are the Signs You Should Flush Your DNS Cache?

Although the DNS cache is generally good, sometimes it may be worthwhile to flush the DNS cache to fix browsing issues. Some of the indicators of such situations are as follows:

• Websites fail to fully load: In case you encounter error messages like “This site can’t be reached” or see a website that looks outdated despite being updated elsewhere, this is an indication that your DNS cache may have been corrupted.
• Your internet service provider has changed: If you just recently switched ISPs and your DNS cache still references the old DNS servers. Clearing the cache will ensure that you are using the new servers which are accurate.
• You believe you’ve stumbled upon a phishing site: Phishing websites normally copy real sites. Deleting all cookies as well as clearing any other traces of these mentioned above will help in preventing users from getting redirected towards harmful duplicates and thereby remaining safe forever. But remember, when it comes to web things one can never be too cautious.

Among the reasons for the internet’s success is its efficiency, and a vital element here is the Domain Name System (DNS) cache. Understand DNS as a big phone book that turns web addresses such as www.example.com into numeric IP addresses that computers can process. Your device stores frequently accessed translations in a DNS cache, similar to how your browser remembers recently visited websites. Through this cache, you can continuously search for the same information without waiting.

However, there are times when this cache can become outdated or corrupted, leading to website loading issues or even accidentally directing you to malicious sites. This calls for the flushing of the DNS cache. To be specific, clearing these stored translations out of your computer simply means resetting it so that it will ask for fresh IP addresses from the DNS server whenever you open any site again.

This article takes a look at how one can flush their DNS caches on Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. Additionally, we will also discuss some typical instances where flushing the DNS cache may prove useful.