Clear DNS Cache on Windows, macOS & Streaming Devices

Windows 8, 10 & 11

1. Press the Windows Key or click the Windows icon in the bottom left.
2. Type Command Prompt.
3. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
4. In the command prompt window, type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

You should see a confirmation message: "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache."

Windows 7 & Earlier

1. Click the Start Menu.
2. Go to All Programs > Accessories.
3. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
4. Run the following command:

ipconfig /flushdns

macOS (Yosemite 10.10 and Later)

Open Terminal (found in Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and run:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Enter your administrator password when prompted.

macOS (Older Versions)

OS X 10.7 – 10.8 (Lion, Mountain Lion):

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

OS X 10.5 – 10.6 (Leopard, Snow Leopard):

dscacheutil -flushcache

OS X 10.4 (Tiger):

lookupd -flushcache

Linux

Most distributions:

sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart

Ubuntu:

sudo service network-manager restart

Streaming Devices (Fire Stick, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV)

Streaming devices don't have a command-line DNS flush. The simplest way to clear their DNS cache is to restart the device. This forces the device to make fresh DNS queries when it reconnects.

Amazon Fire Stick / Fire TV

1. Go to Settings → My Fire TV → Restart.
2. If a specific app (like Hulu or Netflix) is still blocked after restarting, also clear that app's cache: Settings → Applications → Manage Installed Applications → select the app → Clear Cache.

Roku

1. Go to Settings → System → System Restart.
2. Alternatively, unplug the Roku for 10 seconds and plug it back in.

Apple TV

1. Go to Settings → System → Restart.
2. Or hold down the Back + TV buttons on the remote until the status light blinks rapidly.

Android TV / Google TV (Sony, TCL, etc.)

1. Go to Settings → Device Preferences → About → Restart.
2. Note: Some Android TV devices hardcode Google DNS (8.8.8.8), which bypasses your router's DNS settings entirely. If filtering doesn't work even after a restart, you may need to block Google DNS at your router or set static DNS on the TV.

Gaming Consoles (Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch)

1. Full restart the console (not standby/sleep mode).
2. For detailed DNS configuration on gaming consoles, see our gaming console guide.