---
title: "DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (Transact-SQL)"
description: DBCC FREEPROCCACHE removes all elements from the plan cache, removes a specific plan from the plan cache, or removes all cache entries associated with a specified resource pool.
author: rwestMSFT
ms.author: randolphwest
ms.date: 12/05/2022
ms.service: sql
ms.subservice: t-sql
ms.topic: reference
f1_keywords:
  - "FREEPROCCACHE_TSQL"
  - "FREEPROCCACHE"
  - "DBCC_FREEPROCCACHE_TSQL"
  - "DBCC FREEPROCCACHE"
helpviewer_keywords:
  - "freeing procedure cache"
  - "removing procedure cache elements"
  - "deleting procedure cache elements"
  - "DBCC FREEPROCCACHE statement"
  - "procedure cache [SQL Server]"
  - "clearing procedure cache"
dev_langs:
  - "TSQL"
monikerRange: ">=aps-pdw-2016||=azure-sqldw-latest||>=sql-server-2016||>=sql-server-linux-2017||=azuresqldb-mi-current"
---
# DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (Transact-SQL)

[!INCLUDE [sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw](../../includes/applies-to-version/sql-asdb-asdbmi-asa-pdw.md)]

Removes all elements from the plan cache, removes a specific plan from the plan cache by specifying a plan handle or SQL handle, or removes all cache entries associated with a specified resource pool.

> [!NOTE]  
> `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` doesn't clear the execution statistics for natively compiled stored procedures. The procedure cache doesn't contain information about natively compiled stored procedures. Any execution statistics collected from procedure executions will appear in the execution statistics DMVs: [sys.dm_exec_procedure_stats (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-procedure-stats-transact-sql.md) and [sys.dm_exec_query_plan (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-query-plan-transact-sql.md).

:::image type="icon" source="../../includes/media/topic-link-icon.svg" border="false"::: [Transact-SQL syntax conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)

## Syntax

Syntax for SQL Server and Azure SQL Database:

```sql
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE [ ( { plan_handle | sql_handle | pool_name } ) ] [ WITH NO_INFOMSGS ]
```

Syntax for [!INCLUDE[ssazuresynapse-md](../../includes/ssazuresynapse-md.md)] and [!INCLUDE[ssPDW](../../includes/sspdw-md.md)]:

```sql
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE [ ( COMPUTE | ALL ) ]
     [ WITH NO_INFOMSGS ]
[;]
```

## Arguments

#### ( { *plan_handle* | *sql_handle* | *pool_name* } )

*plan_handle* uniquely identifies a query plan for a batch that has executed and whose plan resides in the plan cache. *plan_handle* is **varbinary(64)** and can be obtained from the following dynamic management objects:

- [sys.dm_exec_cached_plans](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-cached-plans-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_requests](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-requests-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_query_memory_grants](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-query-memory-grants-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_query_stats](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-query-stats-transact-sql.md)

*sql_handle* is the SQL handle of the batch to be cleared. *sql_handle* is **varbinary(64)** and can be obtained from the following dynamic management objects:

- [sys.dm_exec_query_stats](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-query-stats-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_requests](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-requests-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_cursors](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-cursors-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_xml_handles](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-xml-handles-transact-sql.md)
- [sys.dm_exec_query_memory_grants](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-query-memory-grants-transact-sql.md)

*pool_name* is the name of a Resource Governor resource pool. *pool_name* is **sysname** and can be obtained by querying the [sys.dm_resource_governor_resource_pools](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-resource-governor-resource-pools-transact-sql.md) dynamic management view.  

To associate a Resource Governor workload group with a resource pool, query the [sys.dm_resource_governor_workload_groups](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-resource-governor-workload-groups-transact-sql.md) dynamic management view. For information about the workload group for a session, query the [sys.dm_exec_sessions](../../relational-databases/system-dynamic-management-views/sys-dm-exec-sessions-transact-sql.md) dynamic management view.

#### WITH NO_INFOMSGS

Suppresses all informational messages.

#### COMPUTE

Purge the query plan cache from each Compute node. This is the default value.

#### ALL

Purge the query plan cache from each Compute node and from the Control node.

> [!NOTE]  
> Starting with [!INCLUDE[sssql16-md](../../includes/sssql16-md.md)], `ALTER DATABASE SCOPED CONFIGURATION CLEAR PROCEDURE_CACHE` can be used to clear the procedure (plan) cache for the current database.

## Remarks

Use `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` to clear the plan cache carefully. Clearing the procedure (plan) cache causes all plans to be evicted, and incoming query executions will compile a new plan, instead of reusing any previously cached plan.

This can cause a sudden, temporary decrease in query performance as the number of new compilations increases. For each cleared cachestore in the plan cache, the [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] error log will contain the following informational message:

```output
SQL Server has encountered %d occurrence(s) of cachestore flush for the '%s' cachestore (part of plan cache) due to 'DBCC FREEPROCCACHE' or 'DBCC FREESYSTEMCACHE' operations.
```

This message is logged every five minutes as long as the cache is flushed within that time interval.

The following reconfigure operations also clear the procedure cache:

- access check cache bucket count
- access check cache quota
- clr enabled
- cost threshold for parallelism
- cross db ownership chaining
- index create memory
- max degree of parallelism
- max server memory
- max text repl size
- max worker threads
- min memory per query
- min server memory
- query governor cost limit
- query wait
- remote query timeout
- user options

In [!INCLUDE [ssazure-sqldb](../../includes/ssazure-sqldb.md)], `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` acts on the database engine instance hosting the current database or elastic pool. Executing `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` in a user database clears the plan cache for that database. If the database is in an elastic pool, it also clears the plan cache in all other databases in that elastic pool. Executing the command in the `master` database has no effect on other databases on the same logical server. Executing this command in a database using Basic, S0, or S1 service objective may clear the plan cache in other databases using these service objectives on the same logical server.

## Result sets

When the `WITH NO_INFOMSGS` clause isn't specified, `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` returns:

```output
DBCC execution completed. If DBCC printed error messages, contact your system administrator.
```

## Permissions

Applies to: [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)], [!INCLUDE[ssPDW](../../includes/sspdw-md.md)]

- Requires **ALTER SERVER STATE** permission on the server.

Applies to: [!INCLUDE [ssazure-sqldb](../../includes/ssazure-sqldb.md)]

- Requires membership in server role **##MS_ServerStateManager##**.

Applies to: [!INCLUDE[ssazuresynapse-md](../../includes/ssazuresynapse-md.md)]

- Requires membership in the **db_owner** fixed server role.

## Remarks for Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

Multiple `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` commands can be run concurrently.

In [!INCLUDE[ssazuresynapse-md](../../includes/ssazuresynapse-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[ssPDW](../../includes/sspdw-md.md)], clearing the plan cache can cause a temporary decrease in query performance as incoming queries compile a new plan, instead of reusing any previously cached plan.

`DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (COMPUTE)` only causes [!INCLUDE[ssNoVersion](../../includes/ssnoversion-md.md)] to recompile queries when they are run on the Compute nodes. It doesn't cause [!INCLUDE[ssazuresynapse-md](../../includes/ssazuresynapse-md.md)] or [!INCLUDE[ssPDW](../../includes/sspdw-md.md)] to recompile the parallel query plan that is generated on the Control node.

`DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` can be canceled during execution.

## Limitations and restrictions for Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

`DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` can't run within a transaction.

`DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` isn't supported in an EXPLAIN statement.

## Metadata for Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

A new row is added to the `sys.pdw_exec_requests` system view when `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE` is run.

## Examples: SQL Server

### A. Clear a query plan from the plan cache

The following example clears a query plan from the plan cache by specifying the query plan handle. To ensure the example query is in the plan cache, the query is first executed. The `sys.dm_exec_cached_plans` and `sys.dm_exec_sql_text` dynamic management views are queried to return the plan handle for the query.

The plan handle value from the result set is then inserted into the `DBCC FREEPROCACHE` statement to remove only that plan from the plan cache.

```sql
USE AdventureWorks2022;
GO
SELECT * FROM Person.Address;
GO
SELECT plan_handle, st.text
FROM sys.dm_exec_cached_plans
CROSS APPLY sys.dm_exec_sql_text(plan_handle) AS st
WHERE text LIKE N'SELECT * FROM Person.Address%';
GO
```

[!INCLUDE[ssResult](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]

```output
plan_handle                                         text
--------------------------------------------------  -----------------------------
0x060006001ECA270EC0215D05000000000000000000000000  SELECT * FROM Person.Address;
  
(1 row(s) affected)
 ```

```sql
-- Remove the specific plan from the cache.
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (0x060006001ECA270EC0215D05000000000000000000000000);
GO
```

### B. Clear all plans from the plan cache

The following example clears all elements from the plan cache. The WITH `NO_INFOMSGS` clause is specified to prevent the information message from being displayed.

```sql
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE WITH NO_INFOMSGS;
```

### C. Clear all cache entries associated with a resource pool

The following example clears all cache entries associated with a specified resource pool. The `sys.dm_resource_governor_resource_pools` view is first queried to obtain the value for *pool_name*.

```sql
SELECT * FROM sys.dm_resource_governor_resource_pools;
GO
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE ('default');
GO
```

## Examples: Azure Synapse Analytics and Analytics Platform System (PDW)

### D. DBCC FREEPROCCACHE basic syntax

The following example removes all existing query plan caches from the Compute nodes. Although the context is set to `UserDbSales`, the Compute node query plan caches for all databases will be removed. The `WITH NO_INFOMSGS` clause prevents informational messages from appearing in the results.

```sql
USE UserDbSales;
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (COMPUTE) WITH NO_INFOMSGS;
```

 The following example has the same results as the previous example, except that informational messages will show in the results.

```sql
USE UserDbSales;
DBCC FREEPROCCACHE (COMPUTE);
```

When informational messages are requested and the execution is successful, the query results will have one line per Compute node.

### E. Grant permission to run DBCC FREEPROCCACHE

The following example gives the login `David` permission to run `DBCC FREEPROCCACHE`.

```sql
GRANT ALTER SERVER STATE TO David;
GO
```

## See also

- [DBCC (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/database-console-commands/dbcc-transact-sql.md)
- [Resource Governor](../../relational-databases/resource-governor/resource-governor.md)
- [ALTER DATABASE SCOPED CONFIGURATION (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/alter-database-scoped-configuration-transact-sql.md)