ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED means your browser never got an address to connect to. It asked for the IP behind a domain name, and the answer never arrived in a usable form — so no connection was even attempted. The site itself might be perfectly healthy.
That distinction matters, because it rules out a whole category of causes immediately. Nothing here is a problem with the website’s server. The failure happened at the lookup stage, on your side of the conversation.
Key Takeaway:
This error points at your resolver, not at the website. Work out first whether the name fails to resolve everywhere or only on your network — that single test decides which half of this guide you need.
How This Differs From DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN
Chrome has several DNS-related errors and they are not interchangeable. Telling them apart saves you from working through fixes that were never going to apply.
| Error | What actually happened | Suspect first |
|---|---|---|
| ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED | No usable answer came back at all — the resolver was unreachable, timed out, or the reply was blocked | Your DNS server or network |
| DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN | A resolver answered clearly: that domain does not exist | A typo, or an expired domain |
| ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED | The name resolved fine, but the server actively rejected the connection | The site, a firewall or a port |
If you are looking at NXDOMAIN instead, go to the NXDOMAIN guide. If the connection was refused, see ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED.
Sixty-Second Triage
Do this before changing any settings. Three tests tell you where the fault sits.
1. Is the connection itself alive? Open Command Prompt or Terminal and run ping 8.8.8.8. Replies mean your internet works and DNS is the isolated problem. No replies mean the connection is down and DNS is a symptom, not the cause.
2. Does the name resolve outside your browser? Run nslookup example.com, substituting the site that failed. An address means the lookup works and the issue is inside Chrome. A timeout or failure means the problem is your resolver.
3. Does it fail on mobile data? Turn Wi-Fi off on your phone and load the same site. Working on mobile data but not at home isolates the fault to your network — your router, your ISP’s resolver, or a filter running on it.
| Result | Where the fault is |
|---|---|
| One browser fails, others work | Chrome’s own cache, an extension, or its Secure DNS setting |
| One device fails, others work | That device’s DNS settings, VPN client, or security software |
| Every device on the network fails | Your router or your ISP’s DNS server |
| One site fails, everything else works | A stale cached record, a block, or the domain itself |
The Fixes, in the Order Worth Trying
1. Clear Chrome’s own DNS cache
Chrome keeps a resolver cache entirely separate from your operating system’s, which is why the error can survive a system-level flush. Paste chrome://net-internals/#dns into the address bar and choose Clear host cache, then chrome://net-internals/#sockets and Flush socket pools. This alone resolves a surprising number of single-browser cases.
2. Flush the operating system cache
On Windows, run Command Prompt as administrator and enter ipconfig /flushdns. On macOS, sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. Full commands for every platform, and the five separate layers where DNS gets cached, are in how to flush your DNS cache.
3. Change your DNS server
If nslookup timed out, your resolver is the problem. Switching to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1) or Google (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) usually fixes it immediately and often resolves faster than an ISP’s default. Step-by-step for every device: how to check and change your DNS settings.
4. Check Chrome’s Secure DNS setting
Under Settings → Privacy and security → Security → Use secure DNS, Chrome may be using a DNS-over-HTTPS provider that your network blocks — common on corporate or school networks, and on some ISPs. Toggling it off, or switching provider, tells you quickly whether that is the cause. Background: what DNS over HTTPS actually does.
5. Disable VPN, proxy and extensions
A VPN that disconnected badly can leave DNS settings pointing at a tunnel that no longer exists. Disconnect it fully and retest. Then try the site in an incognito window, which disables most extensions — ad blockers and privacy extensions both block domains by design, and an over-broad filter list produces exactly this error.
6. Rule out security software and the hosts file
Antivirus suites with web-filtering modules intercept DNS. Pause the web-protection component briefly — not the whole product — and retest. Also check your hosts file (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows, /etc/hosts on macOS and Linux) for a stale entry pointing the domain somewhere dead.
7. Restart the router, then reset the network stack
Routers run their own small DNS forwarder that can wedge. Power it down for thirty seconds. If the error persists on Windows only, reset the stack from an administrator Command Prompt:
netsh winsock resetnetsh int ip resetipconfig /releasethenipconfig /renew
Reboot afterwards. This clears corrupted network configuration that survives ordinary restarts.
⚠️ When It’s Not Your Fault At All
If nslookup fails for one specific domain on every network you try, including mobile data, the domain’s own DNS records are broken or the domain has expired. Nothing on your device will fix that — the owner has to.
There is a second possibility worth knowing about: your ISP may be blocking the domain at the resolver level, which is one of the most common ways site blocking is implemented. If a site loads over a VPN but never on your normal connection, and it resolves fine using a public resolver, you are looking at a block rather than a fault. Our guide to what your ISP’s DNS sees explains why every lookup you make is visible to them in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED mean the website is down?
No. It means no address was returned for the name. The server may be running perfectly — your browser never got far enough to ask it anything.
Why does it happen on only one website?
Usually a stale cached record, a filter blocking that specific domain, or a genuine problem with the domain’s DNS records. Test it on mobile data to tell which.
Why does Chrome fail when Firefox works?
Chrome keeps its own DNS cache and may be using a different Secure DNS provider than the rest of your system. Clear its host cache at chrome://net-internals/#dns and check the secure DNS setting.
Can a VPN cause this error?
Yes, frequently — particularly after an unclean disconnect that leaves DNS pointed at a tunnel interface that no longer exists. Disconnect properly and flush your cache.
Is changing my DNS server safe?
Yes. It changes only which service translates names to addresses. You can revert to automatic at any time, and reputable public resolvers are generally faster than ISP defaults.
Why does it appear on my phone but not my laptop?
Devices cache independently and may use different resolvers — especially if one has a VPN profile or private DNS configured. Toggle airplane mode on the phone to clear its cache and retest.
Will resetting network settings delete anything?
It clears saved Wi-Fi passwords and custom network configuration, so have those to hand. It does not touch your files.