If ipconfig /flushdns ran but DNS is still stale, the command almost certainly worked and the stale answer is coming from somewhere it does not clear. The Windows DNS resolver cache is only one of several places an old record can hide: your browser keeps its own DNS cache, the DNS Client service can be stuck, the command may have run without administrator rights, or the record never actually changed upstream. This guide walks through each cause in order, so you can find the one that is actually holding the old answer.
What ipconfig /flushdns actually clears
The command empties the Windows DNS resolver cache, the system-wide store of recently resolved names managed by the DNS Client service. That is all it does. It does not touch your browser's internal DNS cache, it does not change anything at your router or upstream resolver, and it cannot help if the authoritative record still points at the old value. Understanding that narrow scope is the key to troubleshooting: when a flush seems to fail, the cause is nearly always outside the resolver cache.
A successful run prints the message that it successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache. If you see that line, the command did its job, and you should look elsewhere for the stale record.
Where the stale answer is really hiding
| Cause | Signal | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Not run as administrator | Access denied or no confirmation message | Reopen the prompt as administrator and re-run |
| Browser DNS cache | Site stale in browser, correct elsewhere | Clear the browser's internal DNS cache |
| DNS Client service stuck | Flush reports success but nothing changes | Restart the DNS Client (Dnscache) service |
| Hosts file override | One specific name is always wrong | Remove the stale entry from the hosts file |
| Upstream not propagated | Authoritative lookup still shows old value | Wait for propagation, then flush |
Fix it step by step
- Run the prompt as administrator. Right-click Command Prompt or Windows Terminal and choose Run as administrator, then run
ipconfig /flushdnsagain and confirm the success message appears. - Clear your browser's DNS cache. Chrome and Edge keep a separate cache you can clear from their internal net-internals DNS page; Firefox clears it on restart. Then reload the site.
- Restart the DNS Client service. Open Services, find DNS Client (Dnscache), and restart it, or run
net stop dnscachethennet start dnscachefrom an administrator prompt. - Check the hosts file. Open the hosts file at the Windows system path and remove any stale line pinning the name to an old address.
- Confirm the record upstream. If the name is still wrong everywhere, the change may not have propagated. Verify the authoritative answer before blaming the cache.
Running the command correctly
The single most common reason the flush appears to do nothing is that it ran in a non-elevated prompt. Without administrator rights, Windows may refuse to clear the cache and the command returns without the confirmation line. Always run it from a prompt opened with Run as administrator. If you want to inspect the cache before and after, run ipconfig /displaydns to list current entries; a successful flush leaves that list empty. The nslookup on Windows guide covers how to query names directly so you can compare what Windows caches against what the server actually returns.
When the DNS Client service is the problem
Occasionally the Dnscache service itself gets into a bad state where it reports a successful flush but keeps serving old entries. Restarting the service forces it to rebuild its cache from scratch. If restarting fixes it once but the problem recurs, a third-party security or VPN product may be interfering with name resolution, since several of those hook into the DNS Client. Temporarily disabling such software isolates whether it is the cause.
Confirming it is not a propagation issue
Before spending more time on your PC, rule out the upstream side. If the record genuinely changed recently, no amount of local flushing will help until the change reaches your resolver. Confirm the authoritative value with the Valla DNS lookup tool, which queries the real nameservers directly. If that still shows the old address, the fix is time, not flushing. The combined flush DNS on Windows, Mac, and Linux guide shows the equivalent steps on other systems if you are testing from more than one device.
Frequently asked questions
Why does ipconfig /flushdns say success but DNS is still wrong?
Because the command only clears the Windows resolver cache. If the stale answer lives in your browser's own DNS cache, in the hosts file, or upstream at your resolver, the flush succeeds yet changes nothing you can see. Check those locations next.
Do I need administrator rights to flush DNS on Windows?
Yes. Running the command in a non-elevated prompt can cause it to fail silently or return access denied. Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal with Run as administrator, then run the command and confirm the success message appears.
How do I clear my browser's DNS cache?
Chrome and Edge expose a clear host cache button on their internal net-internals DNS page. Firefox clears its DNS cache on restart. This cache is separate from the Windows resolver cache, so clearing it is often what finally fixes a stale site.
How do I restart the Windows DNS Client service?
From an administrator prompt run net stop dnscache followed by net start dnscache, or restart the DNS Client (Dnscache) service in the Services console. This rebuilds the cache and clears a resolver that is stuck despite a reported flush.
How can I tell if the problem is propagation instead of caching?
Query the authoritative nameservers directly. If they still return the old value, the record has not propagated and local flushing cannot help yet. If they return the new value but your PC does not, the issue is a local cache you still need to clear.
Not sure whether it is your cache or the record itself? Confirm the authoritative answer with the Valla DNS lookup tool before troubleshooting further.