If you’ve ever encountered the frustrating error message “DNS address could not be found” while trying to visit a website, you’re not alone. DNS issues can arise due to a variety of reasons, and one of the most common causes is a corrupted DNS cache. The Domain Name System (DNS) functions as the “phonebook” of the internet, helping your browser connect to websites by translating human-readable domain names (like www.example.com) into machine-readable IP addresses (like 192.168.1.1).
When your device has a problem retrieving the right DNS information, you may experience disruptions such as DNS lookup errors, slow connections, or even websites that refuse to load altogether. Fortunately, flushing the DNS cache can often resolve these issues by forcing your device to clear out old, cached data and retrieve updated, accurate information.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about flushing DNS cache on various devices, fixing DNS errors, and ensuring smooth internet access. We will also discuss how to troubleshoot and resolve other DNS-related issues you might encounter, such as the “DNS address could not be found” error and slow browsing speeds. Let’s dive in!
Check our detailed blog How to Fix “Wi-Fi Connected but No Internet” on Any Device and How to Troubleshoot Your Home Wi-Fi Router: Step-by-Step Guide
What is DNS Cache?
Before we start with the steps to flush DNS cache, it’s important to understand what DNS cache is and why it’s crucial for smooth browsing.
Every time you visit a website, your computer or mobile device needs to look up the domain name of the site (e.g., www.example.com) and resolve it to an IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.1). This process, known as DNS resolution, can take time. To avoid repeatedly looking up the same domain name each time you visit a site, your device stores the DNS information in a cache.
This DNS cache can sometimes become corrupted or outdated, which can lead to problems such as DNS lookup errors and the dreaded “DNS address could not be found” message. The solution? Flushing the DNS cache, which clears out the stored data and forces your device to fetch fresh DNS information from your DNS servers.
How to Flush DNS Cache on Windows
1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator
The first step to flushing the DNS cache on a Windows device is to open the Command Prompt. This allows you to run commands that can modify network settings, including clearing your DNS cache.
Here’s how to do it:
- Press
Windows + Rto open the Run dialog box. - Type
cmdand press Enter or click OK to open the Command Prompt window. - Right-click on Command Prompt in the search results and select Run as administrator to open it with administrator privileges.
2. Run the DNS Flush Command
Once you have the Command Prompt open, the next step is to flush the DNS cache. To do this, enter the following command and press Enter:
bashCopyEditipconfig /flushdns
This command clears your DNS cache, and you should see the message “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache”. This means the process was successful and the cache has been cleared.
3. Verify That the Problem is Fixed
After running the flush command, you can verify whether the DNS issues have been resolved by trying to visit the website again. If the website loads successfully without the “DNS address could not be found” error, the problem has been fixed.
What Does Flushing the DNS Cache Do? Flushing your DNS cache removes old or corrupted records and forces your device to fetch the latest DNS data from your DNS server. This can resolve errors like DNS lookup failures and ensure that your device is connecting to the right server.
How to Flush DNS Cache on macOS
For macOS users, the process to flush DNS cache is slightly different than on Windows, but it’s just as easy to do.
1. Open the Terminal
To begin, you need to open the Terminal on your macOS device. You can do this by:
- Going to Applications > Utilities and opening the Terminal app.
2. Run the DNS Flush Command
Once you have the Terminal open, type the following command and press Enter:
- For macOS High Sierra and later:CopyEdit
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder - For macOS Yosemite and earlier:CopyEdit
sudo discoveryutil mdnsflushcache
You will be prompted to enter your administrator password to confirm the action.
3. Check the Result
Unlike Windows, macOS does not provide a confirmation message after the cache is flushed. To verify the DNS flush, try accessing a website again. If the site loads without issues, you’ve successfully flushed the DNS cache.
How to Flush DNS Cache on Android
On Android devices, the steps to flush DNS cache are a bit more indirect, but you can clear the cache by following these methods:
1. Clear the Browser Cache
The first step in fixing DNS issues on Android is to clear your browser’s cache. Follow these steps for Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome on your Android device.
- Tap the three dots in the upper-right corner and go to Settings.
- Tap Privacy > Clear Browsing Data.
- Check the box next to Cached images and files and tap Clear Data.
This clears the browser’s cache and may resolve DNS issues for specific websites.
2. Reset Network Settings
If clearing the browser cache doesn’t work, you may need to reset your network settings to clear any stale network configurations:
- Go to Settings > System > Reset options.
- Tap Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth and confirm the action.
- Restart your device.
This reset restores network settings to their default state and can fix persistent DNS problems.
3. Change DNS Settings Manually
Another solution is to change your DNS settings manually on Android. By default, Android uses your ISP’s DNS servers, but you can change this to a faster and more reliable DNS provider like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1).
- Go to Settings > Wi-Fi.
- Long-press on the network you’re connected to and tap Modify network.
- Tap Advanced options and change the IP settings to Static.
- Enter a preferred DNS server like 8.8.8.8 or 1.1.1.1 and save the settings.
This method is particularly useful if you’re experiencing slow DNS resolution.
How to Flush DNS Cache on iOS
For iOS users, flushing DNS cache is a bit more straightforward, but it involves a couple of steps:
1. Toggle Airplane Mode
The simplest way to reset the DNS cache on iOS is by toggling Airplane Mode on and off:
- Go to Settings and toggle Airplane Mode on for about 30 seconds.
- Toggle it back off, and your device will reconnect to the network with a fresh DNS cache.
2. Reset Network Settings
If toggling Airplane Mode doesn’t work, you can reset the network settings:
- Go to Settings > General > Reset.
- Tap Reset Network Settings. This action will erase all your saved Wi-Fi passwords and Bluetooth connections, so make sure you have them saved elsewhere.
- After resetting, reconnect to your Wi-Fi network, and your device will automatically use fresh DNS information.
How to Flush DNS Cache on Ubuntu
For users with Ubuntu or other Linux-based systems, clearing the DNS cache can be done with a few simple commands.
1. Open the Terminal
Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the Terminal.
2. Run the DNS Flush Command
In the terminal, type the following command and press Enter:
arduinoCopyEditsudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches
This will flush the DNS cache on your Ubuntu device. You may need to enter your administrator password to complete the process.
3. Restart Network Services
After flushing the cache, you can restart the network service by running the following command:
CopyEditsudo systemctl restart NetworkManager
This step ensures the changes take effect and helps refresh the network configuration on your device.
How to Resolve DNS Lookup Errors
If flushing your DNS cache doesn’t completely resolve the DNS address could not be found error, there are a few additional troubleshooting steps you can take:
1. Verify DNS Server Settings
Your DNS server settings may be misconfigured. If you’re using your ISP’s default DNS servers, try switching to a more reliable DNS provider like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1). These DNS servers tend to be faster and more reliable than the ones provided by your ISP.
- Go to your network settings and manually enter the DNS server addresses: 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS) or 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare DNS).
2. Use Chrome’s Net Internals to Clear Cache
Google Chrome includes a powerful internal tool to manage DNS cache. You can access this by entering the following URL in the Chrome address bar:
bashCopyEditchrome://net-internals/#dns
From here, you can clear Chrome’s internal DNS cache directly. This is particularly useful if you’re encountering DNS lookup errors specifically in Chrome.
3. Test Connection with Ookla Speed Test and Fast.com
If your internet connection is slow or unreliable, it might be worth running a speed test to check if your internet access is the issue. Use tools like Ookla Speed Test or Fast.com to test your connection and ensure it’s not an underlying network problem causing the DNS lookup errors.
Additional Tools to Fix DNS Issues
1. DNS Lookup Tools: There are several tools available online that allow you to perform a DNS lookup and diagnose DNS issues. Websites like DNSstuff or MXToolbox provide DNS lookup services that can help identify and fix DNS resolution problems.
2. Use Chrome’s Net Internals: Another advanced method to clear DNS cache is by visiting chrome://net-internals/#dns in Google Chrome. Here, you can not only clear the host cache but also inspect the DNS records for your device. This feature is helpful for more technical users who want to track DNS requests in real-time.
Conclusion
Flushing the DNS cache is a simple but effective way to fix common DNS lookup errors and improve your internet access. By following the steps for your specific device—whether it’s Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, or Ubuntu—you can clear outdated or corrupted DNS records and ensure your system retrieves fresh, accurate information.
If you continue to face DNS address could not be found errors, don’t forget to check your DNS server settings, clear browser caches, and test your connection using reliable tools like Ookla speed test or Fast.com.
By following this guide, you can ensure a smooth and seamless browsing experience, free from DNS lookup issues.