How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error in Chrome – Complete Guide

If you are trying to open a website and Chrome shows the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error, it means your browser is unable to find the IP address associated with the domain name. In simple words, your computer is asking the DNS system where the website is located, but the DNS system cannot find a valid answer.

This error is common when setting up a new website, changing hosting providers, updating DNS records, connecting a domain to a VPS, or when your local DNS cache has outdated information.

The good news is that DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN is usually easy to fix once you identify whether the problem is with your device, DNS configuration, domain, or hosting server.

In this guide, we will explain what DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means and show you several practical ways to fix it on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chrome, and VPS hosting environments.

What Does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Mean?

DNS stands for Domain Name System. It converts human-readable domain names such as:

example.com

into an IP address such as:

192.0.2.10

When you enter a website address in your browser, your device uses DNS to find the server where that website is hosted.

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error appears when DNS cannot find the requested domain or its DNS records.

The term NXDOMAIN essentially means that the domain name does not exist from the perspective of the DNS resolver being used.

Chrome may display a message such as:

This site can't be reached

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Common Causes of DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

There are several possible reasons for this DNS error:

• Domain DNS records are missing

• Nameservers are incorrect

• Domain is not connected to the hosting server

• DNS changes have not propagated yet

• Local DNS cache contains outdated information

• DNS server is experiencing problems

• Incorrect A record

• Incorrect CNAME record

• Domain has expired

• Website was recently migrated to another hosting provider

• Firewall or network configuration is interfering with DNS

• VPS IP address was changed but DNS was not updated

Before changing anything, it is important to determine whether the problem affects only your computer or everyone trying to access the website.

How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

1. Check Whether the Domain Is Correct

The first thing you should do is check the website address carefully.

For example:

example.com

and

exmaple.com

are completely different domains.

Make sure there are no spelling mistakes and try opening the website again in an incognito/private browser window.

If the website still shows the error, continue with the next steps.

2. Check Your Domain DNS Records

One of the most common reasons for DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN is an incorrect DNS configuration.

For a normal website, your domain will generally need an A record pointing to your hosting server's IPv4 address.

For example:

Type: A
Name: @
Value: 203.0.113.10
TTL: 3600

For the www version, you can use either an A record or CNAME depending on your setup.

Example:

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Value: example.com
TTL: 3600

The exact records depend on your hosting configuration.

If your domain is hosted on a VPS, make sure the A record points to the correct VPS IP address.

Important

Do not blindly copy an IP address from another website. Your DNS record must point to your own hosting server.

3. Check Your Nameservers

If you recently purchased a domain or moved your website to a new hosting provider, verify your nameservers.

For example, your domain registrar might use nameservers such as:

ns1.exampledns.com
ns2.exampledns.com

If the domain is using incorrect nameservers, the DNS records you configured elsewhere may not be used.

Log in to your domain registrar and check which nameservers are currently assigned to the domain.

If you recently changed nameservers, remember that DNS changes can take time to propagate.

4. Flush DNS Cache on Windows

Windows stores DNS information locally. Sometimes an old or incorrect DNS entry can cause the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

ipconfig /flushdns

You should see a message indicating that the DNS Resolver Cache was successfully flushed.

Then restart Chrome and try opening the website again.

You can also renew your IP configuration:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

After that, test the website again.

5. Flush DNS Cache on macOS

If you are using a Mac, DNS cache can also become outdated.

Open Terminal and run:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Enter your Mac password if requested.

Then close and reopen your browser and test the website.

6. Restart Your Router

Sometimes the DNS resolver provided by your internet connection may temporarily experience problems.

A simple router restart can refresh the connection.

Turn off your router, wait approximately 30 seconds, and turn it back on.

Then reconnect your device and try accessing the website again.

If other websites work normally but one particular domain does not, the problem is more likely related to that domain's DNS configuration.

7. Change Your DNS Server

If your current DNS resolver is having problems, try switching to another DNS service.

For example, you can test with a public DNS resolver such as:

Google DNS:
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

Or:

Cloudflare DNS:
1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1

After changing your DNS server, restart your browser and test the website again.

Why does this help?

Your internet provider may use its own DNS resolver. If that resolver has stale or incorrect information, switching to another resolver can help determine whether the problem is DNS-provider related.

8. Check DNS Propagation

If you recently:

• Registered a new domain

• Changed nameservers

• Changed an A record

• Moved your website to another server

• Changed your VPS IP address

then DNS propagation may still be in progress.

For example, suppose your old server was:

203.0.113.10

and you moved your website to:

203.0.113.20

You must update the domain's A record.

After changing the record, different DNS resolvers may temporarily return different results.

Therefore, don't assume that a DNS change has failed immediately after making it.

9. Check DNS From the Command Line

You can test DNS resolution directly from your computer.

Windows

Open Command Prompt:

nslookup example.com

macOS or Linux

Open Terminal:

nslookup example.com

You can also use:

dig example.com

If the domain is correctly configured, you should receive an IP address.

For example:

Name: example.com
Address: 203.0.113.20

If the response indicates that the domain cannot be found, investigate the domain's DNS configuration.

10. Check the A Record of Your Domain

For websites hosted on VPS servers, the A record is particularly important.

Your DNS should point the domain to the public IP address of your VPS.

Example:

example.com → 203.0.113.20

If the VPS IP is:

203.0.113.20

but the DNS record still points to:

203.0.113.10

your domain may connect to the wrong server.

If the old server no longer exists or the domain has no valid DNS record, DNS-related errors can occur.

11. Check the Domain Expiry

Another important thing to check is whether your domain is active.

If your domain registration has expired, DNS resolution may stop working.

Log in to your domain registrar and check:

• Domain status

• Expiration date

• Nameservers

• DNS records

• Registrar status

If the domain has expired, renew it before troubleshooting your server.

12. Check DNS Configuration for a VPS

If you are hosting your website on an Ubuntu VPS, make sure your domain points to the VPS public IP.

For example:

A record
@ → YOUR_VPS_IP

and:

A record
www → YOUR_VPS_IP

After DNS starts resolving correctly, you can check your web server configuration.

For Nginx, test the configuration using:

sudo nginx -t

If the configuration is correct, reload Nginx:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Remember that DNS resolution and Nginx configuration are different things.

If DNS cannot find your server, fixing Nginx alone will not solve DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

13. Check Whether the Problem Is Local or Global

This is one of the most useful troubleshooting steps.

If the website opens normally on your phone using mobile data but does not open on your Wi-Fi connection, the problem may be related to your local network or DNS resolver.

If the website fails everywhere, including different networks, devices, and locations, the problem is more likely related to the domain's DNS configuration.

Try checking the website from:

• Your computer

• Your phone

• Mobile data

• Another Wi-Fi network

This can quickly help identify the source of the problem.

14. Restart Chrome

Sometimes Chrome may temporarily retain network information.

Try completely closing Chrome and opening it again.

You can also test the website in an Incognito window:

Chrome → New Incognito Window

Then enter your domain again.

If the website works in Incognito but not in your normal browser, browser cache or extensions may be contributing to the problem.

15. Disable VPN or Proxy Temporarily

If you are using a VPN or proxy, temporarily disable it and test the website.

Some VPN or proxy services use their own DNS resolvers.

This can sometimes cause unexpected DNS resolution problems.

If the website starts working after disabling the VPN, the DNS issue may be related to that network configuration.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN vs Other Connection Errors

It is important not to confuse DNS errors with server errors.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Usually indicates a DNS/domain resolution problem.

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

Usually means the server rejected the connection.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

Usually indicates that the server did not respond within the expected time.

ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR

Usually indicates an SSL/TLS or HTTPS configuration problem.

502 Bad Gateway

Usually indicates a problem between a reverse proxy such as Nginx and the backend application.

Understanding the difference can save a lot of troubleshooting time.

Quick Fix Checklist

If you are facing DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, check these things in order:

✓ Check domain spelling
✓ Check domain registration status
✓ Check nameservers
✓ Check A record
✓ Check CNAME record
✓ Verify VPS IP address
✓ Flush local DNS cache
✓ Restart router
✓ Try another DNS resolver
✓ Test with nslookup or dig
✓ Check DNS propagation
✓ Test from another network
✓ Check Nginx after DNS starts resolving

How to Prevent DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in the Future

To avoid DNS problems when managing a website or VPS:

Keep DNS records organized

Only keep the records that your website and services actually require.

Record your server IP

Whenever you migrate servers, carefully update your DNS records.

Avoid unnecessary DNS changes

Frequent changes can make troubleshooting more complicated.

Monitor domain expiry

Always keep your domain registration active.

Verify nameservers

Make sure your domain is using the intended DNS provider.

Keep hosting information documented

Maintain a record of your:

• Domain

• Nameservers

• VPS IP

• DNS records

• Hosting provider

• SSL configuration

This makes future migrations and troubleshooting much easier.

Final Thoughts

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error usually indicates that your browser cannot resolve the requested domain through DNS. The problem can be caused by incorrect DNS records, wrong nameservers, an expired domain, DNS propagation, local DNS cache, or a problematic DNS resolver.

If you manage a website on a VPS, start by checking the domain's A record and nameservers. Once DNS correctly points to your server, you can move on to checking Nginx, SSL, firewall, and application configuration.

For most cases, following the troubleshooting steps above will help you identify whether the problem is with your domain, DNS provider, local network, or hosting server.

If you are looking for reliable VPS hosting for websites, applications, and development projects, choose a hosting environment where you have proper control over your server, DNS, and deployment configuration.