How to fix it

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN is the error Chrome shows when it couldn't get a valid DNS answer for a website. "NXDOMAIN" means "non-existent domain" — but in practice it usually just means your lookup failed, not that the website has vanished. Other browsers show a plain "no internet connection" or "site can't be reached" for the same underlying problem. The key point: this is almost always on your side (device, DNS, or network), not the website.

What it means

When you type an address, your computer asks a DNS server to translate the name into an IP address. If that lookup fails — the DNS server is unreachable, the answer is refused, or your DNS settings are wrong — the browser shows DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. The website is fine; the translation step is failing.

Where you'll usually see it

  • One or a few sites won't load, but others do
  • After a router or ISP change
  • When you switch to a new Wi-Fi network
  • On one device only (a device-specific DNS problem)
  • Randomly, with an ad-blocker, proxy, or VPN in the way

Common causes

  • A DNS server on your device that's wrong or unreachable
  • A router or ISP problem with DNS
  • A stale DNS cache on your device
  • A proxy or VPN that's misconfigured
  • An ad-blocker or security extension blocking the lookup

Quick fixes (try these first)

  1. Restart your router — power it off for 30 seconds, then on. This fixes a large share of DNS hiccups.
  2. Flush your DNS cache (see below) and restart the browser.
  3. Try another DNS server — set your device to use 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 8.8.8.8 (Google) and see if the site loads.

Detailed fixes

Flush the DNS cache on Windows. Open an admin Command Prompt and run:

`` ipconfig /flushdns ``

What this does: it clears the list of recently looked-up addresses your PC is holding in memory. It does not change any of your settings and does not touch other devices — it's a safe, local clean-up. Re-run it after changing DNS servers.

Set a working DNS server on the device. In Settings → Network & internet → Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) → your connection → IP assignment → Edit, switch to Manual, enable Set DNS server manually, and enter 1.1.1.1 (preferred) and 1.0.0.1 (alternate), or 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Save, then test the site. If it loads, your original DNS was the problem — you can keep the manual servers or fix your router's DNS.

Check the proxy/VPN. In Settings → Network & internet → Proxy, make sure Automatic proxy setup and Manual proxy setup are off unless you specifically need a proxy. Turn off any VPN and retry.

Rule out the extension. Test in an Incognito window (which disables most extensions) or with an ad-blocker temporarily off. If the site loads there, an extension was blocking the lookup.

Confirm the domain actually resolves. From a Command Prompt, run:

`` nslookup example.com ``

What this does: it asks your current DNS server for the address of a test domain. If nslookup returns an IP, your DNS is working and the issue is site- or device-specific. If it times out or errors, your DNS server is the problem and the manual-DNS fix above is the one to use.

If it's only one website

If every site works except one, that one site may genuinely have a DNS or hosting problem on their side — wait a bit and retry, and check whether others can reach it. But if many sites fail, it's your DNS or network, and the steps above apply.

Related errors

  • 0x80004005 — Unspecified error (a different, Windows-side failure)
  • 0x80070005 — Access is denied
  • CRITICAL_PROCESS_DIED — a core Windows process stopped