If sites won’t load properly on Google Chrome or you’re seeing the same error over and over, a corrupted DNS cache is usually to blame, and clearing it refreshes Google Chrome’s connection to the Internet. This guide provides instructions for clearing a DNS cache on Chrome (Windows, Mac, and Android) as well as resetting it across the system for seamless browsing.
The Domain Name System (DNS) acts like a phone book for the internet, converting a site name into an IP address. Chrome keeps a record of these lookups in its DNS cache, which should improve site load times. However, if the cache is outdated, you will encounter:
Clearing the DNS cache forces Chrome to fetch fresh data, which usually fixes the issue instantly.
Chrome maintains its own DNS cache. Here’s how to clear it:
This ensures Chrome disconnects stale connections and reloads with new DNS data.
Tip for Mac Users: If you’re on macOS and want to clear both Chrome and system caches, you’ll need to follow the extra steps in the system section below (how to clear DNS cache on Chrome Mac).
On mobile, Chrome doesn’t give a full DNS menu like on desktop. However, you can still clear DNS cache in Chrome for Android:
This works the same way as desktop, but may appear slightly different depending on your Chrome version.
If Chrome clearing doesn’t solve the issue, your operating system’s DNS cache may also need a reset.
A lot of people believe the Incognito window doesn’t cache anything, but the Chrome DNS cache is shared between your normal and incognito windows. If you’re experiencing issues in your Chrome netinternals DNS clear incognito, you’ll have to do it the same way as before:
This clears the cache for all sessions.
You can also see the DNS Details in Chrome through chrome.//net-internals/dns history. This section will show you cached entries and also help you confirm if clearing cache fixed the issue. If you still have issues, you can clear both cache and socket pools, which is best practice
Other browsers may store their own DNS entries:
Sometimes, your router caches DNS too, and it usually resets this cache when you restart your router. For advanced users, most routers also have a setting in their admin to clear the DNS.
If clearing DNS doesn’t help:
Flushing your DNS cache in Chrome is a simple but effective fix to resolve browsing errors. No matter whether you are using the browser on Windows, Mac, or Android, you can clear Chrome’s DNS with chrome://net-internals/#dns clear. Optionally, you can clear your system or router cache as well. Doing this, and then pointing to stable DNS servers, leads to a better browsing experience that is faster and more reliable.
Launch Chrome and input chrome://net-internals/#dns into the address bar. Hit Enter and then select Clear host cache. For optimal results, it’s recommended you then visit chrome://net-internals/#sockets and hit Flush socket pools so that any active connections are refreshed, too.
Yes, it is entirely safe. The only thing clearing the DNS cache does is remove any outdated or corrupted records of website addresses. It does not touch your passwords, bookmarks, or browsing history.
The chrome://net-internals/#dns page is a hidden settings page in Chrome that shows DNS records that are cached on your computer. It also has the Clear host cache button, which allows you to manually reset the DNS cache in Chrome.
No, clearing the DNS cache resets only stored DNS lookups. This will not affect your browsing history, cookies, bookmarks, or saved logins.
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