Your computer remembers (caches) the IP addresses of websites you've visited. After a DNS change, such as moving your site or changing nameservers, it can keep sending you to the old address for a while. Clearing the cache makes it look the address up again.
Windows
- Open the Start menu, type cmd, and open Command Prompt.
- Run
ipconfig /flushdns.
macOS
- Open Terminal (in Applications > Utilities).
- Run
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponderand enter your Mac password when asked.
Linux
On most current distributions, run resolvectl flush-caches (or sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches on older ones).
Your browser
Browsers keep their own cache. Close all browser windows and reopen them, or in Chrome go to chrome://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache.
Tip: Clearing your own cache doesn't speed up the change for everyone else. Other networks update when the record's TTL runs out, which can take up to 24–48 hours after a nameserver change. To see what the rest of the internet sees, use cPanel's Track DNS tool (Domain Lookup) or an online DNS checker.
Related: What Is DNS? and Changing Your Domain's Nameservers.
