🔍 DNS Error

Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error Chrome

📅 Updated: Jan 14, 2026 ⏱️ 5-20 min to fix ✅ 91% Success Rate

🔍 DNS Resolution Error

Error: DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Browsers: Chrome, Edge, Chromium-based browsers

Meaning: Domain name doesn't exist or can't be found

Fix Time: 5-20 minutes

You type in a website address that you KNOW exists—maybe you've visited it hundreds of times before. You press Enter, expecting the page to load, and instead you're hit with: "This site can't be reached. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN." Below that, Chrome helpfully suggests "Check if there is a typo in [website]." There's no typo. The site exists. So what's going on?

Here's the technical breakdown: NXDOMAIN stands for "Non-Existent Domain." It's DNS-speak for "I searched everywhere and this domain name doesn't exist." But obviously the domain DOES exist (you know it does!), so the real problem is that YOUR computer or network can't find the correct DNS records to translate the domain name (like example.com) into an IP address (like 192.168.1.1).

Think of DNS as the internet's phone book. You're trying to look up someone's number (IP address) using their name (domain), but the phone book is either missing pages, has wrong information, or you're looking in an outdated edition. The frustrating part? This error can be caused by issues on your computer, your router, your ISP's DNS servers, or (rarely) the website's DNS actually being misconfigured. We'll check each possibility systematically.

What DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Actually Means

When you type a web address, your computer needs to convert it to an IP address through DNS lookup. This error means that lookup failed with "NXDOMAIN" response.

What happens during a DNS lookup:

  1. Your browser asks: "What's the IP for example.com?"
  2. Your computer checks its DNS cache
  3. If not cached, it asks your router
  4. Router asks your ISP's DNS servers
  5. ISP's DNS asks authoritative DNS servers
  6. IP address is returned and connection proceeds

NXDOMAIN means somewhere in that chain, the answer came back as "domain doesn't exist."

Common causes:

  • DNS cache corruption - Your computer has wrong/outdated DNS information cached
  • Wrong DNS servers - Using DNS servers that are down or misconfigured
  • ISP DNS problems - Your internet provider's DNS is having issues
  • Router issues - Router's DNS cache or configuration is corrupted
  • Malware or hosts file - Something is blocking or redirecting DNS
  • Actual DNS problem - The website's DNS is genuinely misconfigured (rare)

Fix #1: Flush DNS Cache

Your computer caches DNS lookups to speed things up. If that cache has wrong information, you get NXDOMAIN errors.

Flushing DNS cache
  1. Windows - Flush DNS:
    • Open Command Prompt as Administrator
    • Type: ipconfig /flushdns
    • Press Enter
    • You'll see "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache"
    • Close Command Prompt
  2. Flush Chrome's DNS cache:
    • Open Chrome
    • Type in address bar: chrome://net-internals/#dns
    • Click "Clear host cache" button
    • Then go to: chrome://net-internals/#sockets
    • Click "Flush socket pools"
    • Restart Chrome
  3. macOS - Flush DNS:
    • Open Terminal
    • Type: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
    • Enter your password
    • Press Enter
  4. Linux - Flush DNS:
    • Open Terminal
    • Type: sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches
    • Or: sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart
  5. Try accessing website again

Fix #2: Change DNS Servers to Google or Cloudflare

Your ISP's DNS servers might be having problems. Switching to reliable public DNS often fixes NXDOMAIN errors instantly.

Changing DNS servers
  1. Windows - Change DNS servers:
    • Press Windows + R
    • Type: ncpa.cpl
    • Press Enter
    • Right-click your network connection (WiFi or Ethernet)
    • Select "Properties"
    • Double-click "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)"
    • Select "Use the following DNS server addresses"
    • For Google DNS:
      • Preferred: 8.8.8.8
      • Alternate: 8.8.4.4
    • For Cloudflare DNS (faster, more private):
      • Preferred: 1.1.1.1
      • Alternate: 1.0.0.1
    • Check "Validate settings upon exit"
    • Click OK on all windows
  2. macOS - Change DNS servers:
    • System Preferences → Network
    • Select your active connection
    • Click "Advanced"
    • Go to "DNS" tab
    • Click "+" button below DNS Servers
    • Add: 8.8.8.8 then 8.8.4.4 (or Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 then 1.0.0.1)
    • Click OK → Apply
  3. Restart browser and try website

Fix #3: Restart Router and Release/Renew IP

Your router caches DNS information too. Sometimes it gets corrupted or stale.

Restarting router
  1. Restart your router/modem:
    • Unplug power from both router and modem
    • Wait 30 seconds
    • Plug modem in first
    • Wait 2 minutes for it to fully boot
    • Then plug router back in
    • Wait for all lights to stabilize
  2. Release and renew IP address (Windows):
    • Open Command Prompt as Administrator
    • Type: ipconfig /release
    • Wait for it to complete
    • Type: ipconfig /renew
    • Wait for new IP assignment
  3. Reset network stack (Windows):
    • Type: netsh winsock reset
    • Type: netsh int ip reset
    • Restart computer
  4. Try website again

Fix #4: Check and Clear Hosts File

The Windows hosts file can override DNS lookups. If a website is blocked or redirected there, you'll get NXDOMAIN.

  1. Open hosts file:
    • Open Notepad as Administrator (right-click → Run as administrator)
    • File → Open
    • Navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\
    • Change file type filter to "All Files"
    • Open file named "hosts" (no extension)
  2. Check for problematic entries:
    • Look for lines that aren't commented out (lines starting with #)
    • Check if the website you're trying to visit is listed
    • Common malicious entries look like:
      • 127.0.0.1 facebook.com
      • 0.0.0.0 google.com
  3. Remove suspicious entries:
    • Delete any lines blocking the websites you want
    • Or delete ALL non-comment lines if unsure
    • File → Save
  4. Flush DNS again and try website

Fix #5: Disable IPv6

Sometimes IPv6 DNS lookups fail while IPv4 works fine. Disabling IPv6 can resolve NXDOMAIN errors.

  1. Windows - Disable IPv6:
    • Open ncpa.cpl (Network Connections)
    • Right-click your network adapter
    • Properties
    • Uncheck "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)"
    • Click OK
    • Restart computer
  2. macOS - Disable IPv6:
    • System Preferences → Network
    • Select connection → Advanced
    • TCP/IP tab
    • Configure IPv6: Off
    • Apply
  3. Test website

💡 Quick Test: Does The Domain Actually Exist?

Before assuming it's your computer, verify the domain actually exists:

Method 1 - Use mobile data:

Turn off WiFi on your phone, use cellular data, try accessing the website. If it works on mobile data but not your home network → problem is your network/DNS. If it doesn't work anywhere → the domain might genuinely not exist or have DNS issues.

Method 2 - Use online DNS checker:

Visit whatsmydns.net or dnschecker.org and enter the domain. If these tools can't resolve it either, the problem is with the website's DNS, not your computer.

Method 3 - Ping from Command Prompt:

Open Command Prompt and type: ping example.com (replace with your domain)

If you get "could not find host" → DNS problem. If you get replies → connection is working (NXDOMAIN might be browser-specific).

Additional Quick Fixes

  • Clear browser cache and cookies - Ctrl + Shift + Delete → Clear all time → Cached images and Cookies.
  • Disable VPN/Proxy - VPNs can cause DNS resolution problems. Disconnect completely and test.
  • Try Incognito mode - Ctrl + Shift + N in Chrome. If site works in Incognito, problem is browser extension or setting.
  • Update network drivers - Device Manager → Network adapters → Update driver for your network card.
  • Scan for malware - Run full antivirus scan. Malware can hijack DNS to redirect you.
  • Reset browser settings - Chrome Settings → Reset settings → Restore settings to defaults.
  • Try different browser - Test in Firefox or Edge. If it works there, it's Chrome-specific issue.

Common Questions

Why does this error only happen on some websites?

Different websites use different DNS servers and configurations. Your DNS cache might have wrong information for specific sites, or those sites' DNS might have propagation issues. If error affects ALL sites, it's your DNS. If only specific sites, could be those sites' DNS.

What's the difference between NXDOMAIN and DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET?

NXDOMAIN means DNS lookup completed but domain wasn't found. NO_INTERNET means your computer has no internet connection at all (can't even reach DNS servers).

Can I get NXDOMAIN if I typed the URL correctly?

Absolutely. Even if the domain exists and you typed it right, YOUR DNS cache/servers might have wrong information, causing NXDOMAIN. That's why flushing cache and changing DNS servers are the first fixes to try.

Why does clearing DNS cache fix so many problems?

DNS cache stores lookup results for speed. But if it cached wrong information (from DNS server issues, network changes, or corruption), every subsequent lookup uses that bad data. Flushing forces fresh lookups from DNS servers.

Is it safe to use Google or Cloudflare DNS?

Yes, both are legitimate and widely used. Google DNS (8.8.8.8) is reliable and fast. Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1) is even faster and privacy-focused (they don't sell your browsing data). Both are safer than potentially misconfigured ISP DNS.