Have you ever found yourself in the situation of being unable to browse a website with a “This site can’t be reached” error in Chrome, and wondering what went wrong? This can often be due to a corrupted or expired DNS cache within your browser. Fortunately, Chrome has a built-in feature that enables you to achieve this: Chrome Net Internals.
In this article, you’ll learn how to use Chrome Net Internals to flush your DNS cache and how such a simple solution can overcome many of your browsing woes.
What is DNS and Why it Matter?
DNS (Domain Name System) is like the Internet’s phonebook. It translates website names (like google.com) into IP addresses your browser can connect to. Over time, Chrome stores these lookups to speed up browsing. But when that data becomes outdated, it can lead to connection errors.
That’s where clearing the DNS cache comes in.
Meet Chrome’s Hidden Helper: Net Internals
There’s a hidden diagnostics page in Google Chrome called Net Internals. This page is actually intended for devs and networking experts, but anyone can use it to flush the DNS cache.
You can find Net Internals at:
chrome://net-internals/#dns
The net internals page will show cached DNS hostnames, and it has a one-click option to clear them.
Pro Tip: If you want to know more technical fixes for Chrome DNS check out this blog from OraGe Technologies Chrome Net Internals DNS. It contains a lot of advanced information.
Steps to Clear DNS Cache in Chrome
Here’s how to do it in under a minute:
Open Chrome and go to your address bar.
Type chrome://net-internals/#dns and press Enter.
You’ll see a page titled "DNS Lookup". Look for the "Clear host cache" button.
Click it. Done!
You won’t get a confirmation message, but the cache will be cleared instantly.
When Should You Use It?
You don’t need to clear your DNS cache every day. But in some situations, it can be a lifesaver:
You’re working on a new website, and the domain changes aren’t showing.
A site you often visit is suddenly not loading.
You recently updated DNS settings or switched DNS providers.
You’re experiencing SSL or certificate errors.
Clearing the DNS cache lets Chrome forget old records and fetch fresh ones.
Extra Troubleshooting Tips
If flushing DNS doesn’t fix your issue, here are a few other tricks that often help:
Try Incognito mode to see if cached cookies or extensions are interfering.
Restart your router to reset your local network.
Use Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) on your system for more reliable resolution.
Clear all browser data including cache and cookies from chrome://settings/clearBrowserData.
Things to Keep in Mind
This method only clears Chrome’s internal DNS cache, not your system-wide DNS.
It won’t affect saved logins, history, or bookmarks.
If you’re on a network with custom DNS (e.g., a corporate firewall or VPN), talk to your IT admin before making changes.
Final Thoughts
Chrome’s Net Internals is a handy feature most users don’t know about—but it can quickly fix DNS issues that seem frustrating and mysterious. If a website refuses to load or keeps throwing DNS errors, don’t panic—just give the cache a reset and try again.
A small tool, a big fix.
FAQs
Q1: Do I need to restart Chrome after clearing DNS cache?
It’s optional, but restarting helps apply the change fully—especially if the issue persists.
Q2: Can clearing DNS cache improve speed?
In some cases, yes. If outdated DNS records are causing delays, clearing them lets Chrome use fresh info.
Q3: Will this fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN errors?
It might! That error is often related to DNS problems, and flushing the cache can be a good first step.
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