Chrome ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED in Chrome means the browser could not find the server for the website you are trying to visit. It is a DNS error — Chrome looked up the website's address but got no answer. This can mean the website is down, your DNS settings have a problem, or your internet connection is broken.

Affected Models

Google Chrome on Windows
Google Chrome on macOS
Google Chrome on Android
Google Chrome on iOS

Common Causes

Your DNS server (which translates website names into addresses) is slow or not responding
The website itself is down or the domain name has expired
You typed the website address incorrectly
Your internet connection is down or limited
Chrome's internal DNS cache has stored a bad or outdated address for the site

How to Fix It

Check if other websites load. If no websites work at all, restart your router by unplugging it, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging it back in.

If other sites load fine, the problem is either with the specific website or Chrome's cached address for it.
Clear Chrome's DNS cache. Type chrome://net-internals/#dns in the address bar and press Enter. Click 'Clear host cache'.

Chrome stores DNS lookups locally to speed up browsing. If the cached address is wrong, clearing it forces a fresh lookup.
Flush your Windows DNS cache. Open Command Prompt as administrator and type: ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.

Windows also has its own DNS cache separate from Chrome's. Flushing both is a thorough fix.
Try changing your DNS server to Google's free public DNS. Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Change Adapter Options, right-click your connection, Properties > Internet Protocol Version 4 > Properties. Set Preferred DNS to 8.8.8.8 and Alternate to 8.8.4.4.

Google's DNS servers (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) are fast and reliable — they often outperform your ISP's default DNS.
Try opening the website in a different browser (Edge, Firefox). If it works there, Chrome has a specific issue. Try disabling Chrome extensions one by one or resetting Chrome settings.

If the site works in another browser, a Chrome extension may be interfering with DNS resolution.

When to Call a Professional

This error is almost always fixable without professional help. If every website shows ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED, contact your internet provider — your connection or their DNS servers may have an issue. If only one specific website shows the error, the problem is likely on that website's end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED mean the website is permanently down?

Not necessarily. It could be a temporary outage, a website maintenance window, or a problem with your own DNS. Try visiting the site again after 5–10 minutes. You can also check if others can access it by visiting downdetector.com and searching for the website.

What is DNS and why does it matter for browsing?

DNS (Domain Name System) works like a phone book for the internet. When you type 'google.com', your computer asks a DNS server for Google's actual IP address (like 142.250.80.46). If the DNS server cannot find the address, you get ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED. Without DNS working correctly, you cannot browse by website name — only by direct IP address.

Can a VPN cause this error?

Yes. Some VPNs handle DNS differently or route DNS queries through their own servers. If this error started after you enabled a VPN, try disconnecting the VPN and see if the site loads. If it does, your VPN's DNS settings may need adjusting.