If you’ve ever faced problems like websites not loading, slow internet browsing, or DNS-related errors in Google Chrome, you might have heard about chrome://net-internals/#dns. This hidden tool in Chrome is designed to help diagnose and fix DNS issues that directly affect how your browser connects to websites.
In this guide, we’ll explain what this page is, how it works, and why it’s an important troubleshooting feature for improving your browsing performance.
What is chrome://net-internals/#dns?
chrome://net-internals/#dns is a built-in diagnostic page in Chrome. It shows how Chrome handles DNS (Domain Name System) requests, stores DNS cache, and lets you clear or reset it when issues occur.
For most users, this tool remains hidden. But for developers, network admins, and advanced users, it’s a powerful way to manage and fix Chrome’s DNS resolutions.
Understanding DNS and Chrome’s DNS Cache
What is DNS?
The Domain Name System (DNS) converts human-friendly domain names like www.google.com into IP addresses like 172.217.3.100. Without DNS, browsers wouldn’t know how to reach websites.
Why Does Chrome Cache DNS?
To save time, Chrome stores DNS lookups in a cache. When you revisit a site, Chrome uses this stored entry instead of asking the DNS server again. This speeds up browsing but sometimes causes issues when:
- DNS entries change, but Chrome still uses the old record.
- Cache gets corrupted.
- Incorrect redirects happen.
That’s where chrome://net-internals/#dns comes into play.
How can you use Chrome://net-internals/#dns to clear the DNS cache in Chrome?
If you’re using Google Chrome on Windows, macOS, or Linux, you can clear the browser’s DNS cache by navigating to chrome://net-internals/#dns in the address bar. This built-in feature helps resolve connectivity issues by flushing stored DNS records within Chrome.
All you have to do is,
Step 1: Open your Chrome Browser
Step 2: Enter the chrome://net-internals/#dns to the chrome address bar and hit the “Enter” button to open the interface.
Step 3: Now click the Clear Host cache button as shown in the picture.
Step 4: After that restart Chrome and go to the link chrome://net-internals/#sockets to flush the socket pools.
You have successfully cleared the DNS cache in Chrome. This method is compatible across multiple platforms and devices, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS (iPhone/iPad).
How can you use chrome://net-internals/#dns on mobile devices?
The chrome://net-internals/#dns tool is a powerful feature that allows you to clear the DNS cache on your mobile device, whether you’re using Chrome on Android, iPhone, or iPad.
Now, you might be wondering: how can you clear the host cache in Chrome’s net-internals DNS on mobile? The solution is simple and straightforward.
To clear the host cache on Chrome net internals DNS page, simply follow the same steps as mentioned earlier. Open the Chrome browser on any mobile device—be it Android, iPhone, or iPad—and navigate to chrome://net-internals/#dns to clear the host cache.
chrome://net-internals/#dns Mobile
If that doesn’t work, try the following simple steps:
1) Open the Chrome app on your Android/iOS phone or tablet.
2) Tap the “More” button located at the top-right corner of the screen.
3) Select “History” from the list of options.
4)Choose a time range by tapping on the drop-down menu located at the top of the screen. To clear all browsing data, select “All time.”
5) Check the boxes next to “Cookies and site data” and “Cached images and files.”
6)Tap the “Clear data” button located at the bottom of the screen.
What to do if chrome.//net-internals/dns doesn’t Work?
The chrome://net-internals/#dns tool may not always work or resolve DNS issues. If you encounter any problems, consider using the alternative DNS flushing methods outlined below.
1) Purge DNS cache using Command Prompt
2) By Restarting DNS Client Service
3) By Resetting Chrome Flags
1. Purge DNS Cache Using the Command Prompt
If you’re using Windows, macOS, or Chrome, you can quickly clear your DNS cache by following these easy steps.
For Windows Users
Step 1: Go to your Start menu > Search “Command Prompt” > Right-click on it and select “Run as Administrator“.
Step 2: When the Command prompt window appears, type the given command below and press Enter.
| ipconfig /flushdns |
For MacOS Users
Step 1: In your Mac open the Terminal application.
Step 2: Now type the given command below and hit the Return Key.
| sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder |
Step 3: Now enter your password and hit the Return Key.
Step 4: Now open your browser and attempt to access the website again. This will allow you to check whether or not the error has been resolved.
2. By Resetting DNS Client Services
Option 1: Open up the Command Prompt window using key combinations of Windows Key+R
Once the terminal opens, type services.msc and press Enter to access the Local Services page. Locate the DNS Client service, right-click on it, and select Restart. This action refreshes the DNS cache, potentially resolving any errors.
Option 2: Alternatively, depending on your Windows OS version, you can use the Command Prompt to resolve the issue. Simply search for cmd in the Run dialog to open the Command Prompt. Then, enter the following commands to refresh the DNS cache:
| net stop dnscache net start dnscache |
3. By Resetting Chrome Flags
Chrome Flags are experimental features in Google Chrome that are disabled by default but can be manually enabled for testing. However, activating certain Chrome Flags may sometimes trigger the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.
To reset Chrome Flags to their default settings, follow these steps:
1) Open the Chrome browser on your device.
2) In the address bar, type chrome://flags and press Enter.
3) Locate the “Reset all to default” button at the top of the page and click on it.
4) A prompt will appear asking you to confirm the reset. Click on “Reset all” to confirm.
5) Once the reset is complete, you will be prompted to relaunch Chrome to apply the changes.
Flushing DNS cache on macOS
1. Enter “Terminal” into Spotlight
2. Go to the Terminal window and enter the following command:
| sudo dscacheutil -flushcache sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder |
Flushing DNS cache on Linux
Flushing the DNS cache on Linux can be done through the terminal using the “systemd-resolve” command. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Open a terminal on your Linux system.
2. Type the following command and press Enter
| sudo systemd-resolve –flush-caches |
3. This command will flush both the negative and positive DNS cache entries.
4. To verify that the DNS cache has been cleared, type the following command and press Enter:
| sudo systemd-resolve –statistics |
This command will display statistics of the resolved DNS queries. If the cache has been cleared, the count of “CacheHit” should be zero.
Pros and Cons of Using chrome://net-internals/#dns
Pros:
- Quick and simple way to clear DNS cache.
- Built directly into Chrome (no extra software).
- Helps resolve browsing errors instantly.
Cons:
- Clearing cache removes all stored DNS lookups → may slow browsing until cache rebuilds.
- Advanced tool → beginners may find it confusing.
- Misuse can cause unexpected issues.
Why Clearing the Host Cache Helps
- Websites may change their IP address.
- If Chrome keeps the old IP in its cache, you won’t reach the site.
- Clearing the cache forces Chrome to fetch the updated IP from DNS servers.
Key Features of chrome://net-internals/#dns
- DNS Cache Overview – Shows stored domains, IP addresses, and TTL (time to live).
- DNS Resolution Statistics – Success rates, failures, and lookup times.
- Live Query Logging – Real-time tracking of DNS lookups for troubleshooting.
Best Practices for DNS Management
- Use reliable DNS providers (Google DNS, Cloudflare, OpenDNS).
- Enable backup DNS servers for redundancy.
- Implement DNSSEC for security.
- Monitor DNS traffic for unusual activity.
- Set TTL values smartly for balance between speed and flexibility.
- Regularly flush caches and audit DNS records.
Conclusion
The chrome://net-internals/#dns tool is a must-know feature for developers, IT professionals, and even regular users facing connectivity issues. With just a few clicks, you can flush Chrome’s DNS cache, troubleshoot slow browsing, and get websites working again.
By combining this with OS-level DNS flushing, you ensure smooth and reliable internet performance.
FAQs
1. What is chrome net internals?
It’s a hidden diagnostic tool in Chrome to monitor network activity (DNS, sockets, proxies, etc.).
2. What does chrome://net-internals/#dns do?
It shows Chrome’s DNS cache and lets you clear it.
3. How do I clear DNS cache in Chrome?
Go to chrome://net-internals/#dns → Clear host cache.
4. Why clear Chrome DNS cache?
To fix website loading errors, outdated records, or slow browsing.
5. Is Chrome DNS cache the same as system DNS cache?
No. Chrome cache is browser-level. For full flush, clear system DNS too.
6. How to clear DNS cache on mobile Chrome?
Open Chrome → go to chrome://net-internals/#dns → tap Clear host cache.