How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Error in Chrome – Complete Guide

Getting DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Google Chrome means that your browser could not find the IP address associated with the domain name you are trying to visit.

This is usually a DNS-related problem. It can happen when DNS records are missing, nameservers are incorrect, a domain has expired, DNS changes have not propagated yet, or your computer is using outdated DNS cache.

For website owners, the problem can also be caused by incorrect A records, broken nameserver configuration, expired domains, or hosting and VPS DNS settings.

In this guide, we will explain what DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means and show you how to fix it on Windows, macOS, Linux, domains, hosting accounts, and VPS servers.

What Does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN Mean?

DNS stands for Domain Name System.

When you type a website address such as:

https://example.com

your browser needs to find the server's IP address before it can connect to the website.

DNS converts a domain name into an IP address.

For example:

example.com → 203.0.113.10

If the DNS system cannot find the requested domain or hostname, Chrome may display:

This site can't be reached

example.com’s server IP address could not be found.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

The term NXDOMAIN essentially means that the requested domain name does not exist according to the DNS resolver.

Common Causes of DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

The error can have several causes, including:

• Incorrect DNS records

• Missing A record

• Incorrect nameservers

• Domain has expired

• Domain is not registered

• DNS propagation after a recent change

• Incorrect DNS cache

• ISP DNS problems

• Incorrect local DNS configuration

• VPN or proxy problems

• Incorrect /etc/hosts entry

• Hosting DNS configuration issues

• VPS DNS configuration problems

• Subdomain does not have a DNS record

• Domain was recently transferred to another registrar

Before changing anything, determine whether the problem occurs only on your device or for everyone visiting the website.

How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

1. Check the Website Address

Start with the simplest solution.

Make sure you typed the domain correctly.

For example:

example.com

is different from:

examp1e.com

A spelling mistake can cause DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN because the incorrect domain may not exist.

Also check whether the problem happens with the root domain, www, or a specific subdomain.

For example:

example.com
www.example.com
blog.example.com

These can have different DNS records.

2. Check Whether the Domain Is Expired

If you own the domain, log in to your domain registrar and check its status.

Make sure:

• The domain is active.

• The domain has not expired.

• The domain is not suspended.

• The nameservers are correct.

• DNS management is enabled.

An expired or suspended domain may stop resolving correctly.

If you recently renewed the domain, allow some time for the domain's status and DNS information to update.

3. Restart Your Router

A temporary DNS or network problem can sometimes be resolved by restarting your router.

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

Then reconnect your device and open the website again.

If possible, also test the website using mobile data.

4. Clear DNS Cache

Your computer stores DNS information to make future website lookups faster.

If this information becomes outdated, it can cause DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

Flushing the DNS cache forces your system to perform a fresh DNS lookup.

Windows

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

ipconfig /flushdns

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

Then restart Chrome and try the website again.

macOS

Open Terminal and run:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Enter your Mac password if requested.

Then close and reopen Chrome.

Linux

The command depends on the DNS service being used.

For systems using systemd-resolved, try:

sudo resolvectl flush-caches

You can check the resolver status with:

resolvectl status

After flushing the DNS cache, test the domain again.

5. Change Your DNS Server

Your current DNS resolver may be having trouble resolving the domain.

You can temporarily test another DNS service.

For example, Google Public DNS:

8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4

Cloudflare DNS:

1.1.1.1
1.0.0.1

After changing the DNS server, reconnect to your network and try the website again.

If the website works after changing DNS, your previous DNS resolver may have been experiencing a problem.

6. Check DNS With nslookup

You can use nslookup to determine whether your domain is resolving.

Run:

nslookup example.com

A working domain may return something like:

Name:    example.com
Address: 203.0.113.10

If the domain returns an NXDOMAIN response, investigate the domain's DNS configuration.

You can also query a specific DNS resolver:

nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

This helps determine whether the problem is specific to your default DNS resolver.

7. Check DNS With dig

Linux and macOS users can use the dig command.

Run:

dig example.com

For a simple IP result:

dig +short example.com

You can check the A record:

dig A example.com

And nameservers:

dig NS example.com

If dig +short example.com returns no IP address, investigate the domain's DNS records.

8. Check Your A Record

The A record tells DNS which IPv4 address your domain should use.

For example:

Type: A
Name: @
Value: YOUR_SERVER_IP

If your website is hosted on a VPS with an IP such as:

203.0.113.10

your DNS A record should point to the appropriate server IP.

A wrong or missing A record can prevent the domain from resolving correctly.

9. Check the www Record

Sometimes the main domain works but the www version does not.

For example:

example.com

may work while:

www.example.com

shows DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN.

Check whether your DNS provider has a record for www.

You can use a CNAME:

Type: CNAME
Name: www
Target: example.com

Or configure an appropriate A record.

10. Check Subdomain DNS

If only a subdomain is showing the error, check its DNS record.

For example:

api.example.com

may require:

Type: A
Name: api
Value: YOUR_SERVER_IP

If the DNS record for the subdomain does not exist, Chrome may return:

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

This is particularly common when setting up API servers, admin panels, mail servers, or separate applications on subdomains.

11. Check Nameservers

Nameservers tell the internet where your domain's DNS records are managed.

For example:

ns1.example-dns.com
ns2.example-dns.com

If your domain is using incorrect nameservers, the DNS records configured at your hosting provider may not be used.

Check the nameservers at your domain registrar.

You can also run:

dig NS example.com

Compare the result with the nameservers configured at your registrar or DNS provider.

12. Check DNS After Changing Nameservers

If you recently changed nameservers, DNS information may not update everywhere immediately.

For example, you may have changed:

Old Nameservers
→
New Nameservers

During the transition, different DNS resolvers may temporarily return different results.

Avoid repeatedly changing DNS records while waiting for an update because it can make troubleshooting more difficult.

13. Check Domain Registration

Make sure the domain is actually registered.

A domain that has not been registered, has expired, or has been deleted may return an NXDOMAIN response.

If you purchased the domain recently, verify that the registration was completed successfully through your domain registrar.

14. Disable VPN or Proxy

A VPN or proxy can sometimes use its own DNS resolver.

If that resolver cannot resolve your domain correctly, Chrome may show:

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Temporarily disable your VPN or proxy and test the website again.

If the website starts working, check the VPN or proxy DNS configuration.

15. Restart Chrome

After flushing DNS or changing network settings, completely close Chrome and open it again.

You can also clear Chrome's internal DNS information.

Open:

chrome://net-internals/#dns

If available in your Chrome version, use the option to clear the host cache.

Then test the website again.

16. Check the Hosts File

Your computer's hosts file can override normal DNS resolution.

If someone has manually added an incorrect entry, the domain may behave unexpectedly.

Windows

The hosts file is located at:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

macOS/Linux

The hosts file is:

/etc/hosts

You can inspect it on macOS or Linux using:

cat /etc/hosts

Look for unexpected entries related to your domain.

Only modify the hosts file if you understand what the entry does.

17. Test From Another Network

Try accessing the website using mobile data instead of Wi-Fi.

You can also test from:

• Another computer

• Another ISP

• Another Wi-Fi connection

• A different location

If the website works on another network, your local DNS resolver, router, ISP, VPN, or computer configuration may be causing the problem.

If it fails everywhere, investigate the domain and DNS configuration.

18. Check DNS From Your VPS

If you manage an Ubuntu VPS, you can perform DNS checks directly from the server.

Run:

dig +short example.com

Then:

dig NS example.com

And:

dig A example.com

These commands help verify whether the domain has the expected DNS records.

You can also query Google's DNS resolver:

dig @8.8.8.8 example.com

Or Cloudflare:

dig @1.1.1.1 example.com

If one resolver returns the expected IP while another returns NXDOMAIN, there may be a DNS propagation or resolver-specific issue.

19. Check Your Hosting DNS Configuration

If your website is hosted with a hosting provider, check the DNS zone.

Typical records may include:

A       @       YOUR_SERVER_IP
CNAME   www     example.com

Depending on your setup, you may also have records for:

mail
ftp
cpanel
api
webmail

Do not delete DNS records unless you know what they are used for.

If you use email on the domain, incorrect DNS changes can also affect mail delivery.

20. Check VPS DNS and Domain Mapping

If you recently moved your website to a VPS, make sure the domain points to the new VPS IP.

For example:

example.com
        ↓
YOUR_VPS_IP
        ↓
Nginx
        ↓
Website

If DNS still points to your old server, visitors may not reach the new VPS.

Check the domain with:

dig +short example.com

Then compare the result with your VPS public IP.

21. Check Nginx After DNS Is Fixed

DNS and Nginx are separate parts of the website connection.

If:

dig +short example.com

returns the correct VPS IP, but the website still does not open, check Nginx.

Run:

sudo systemctl status nginx

Then:

sudo nginx -t

If the configuration is valid:

sudo systemctl reload nginx

Remember that fixing DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN only makes the domain resolve. The web server still needs to be running and correctly configured.

22. Check DNS Propagation

After changing an A record, CNAME, or nameservers, different DNS resolvers may temporarily have different information.

You can compare results using:

dig @1.1.1.1 example.com

and:

dig @8.8.8.8 example.com

You can also test your domain from different networks.

If the new record is working in some locations but not others, the issue may be related to DNS caching or propagation.

23. Check DNSSEC If Enabled

If DNSSEC is enabled incorrectly, DNS resolution can fail.

If you recently changed DNS providers, migrated a domain, or changed nameservers, check whether the DNSSEC configuration still matches the current DNS provider.

Incorrect DNSSEC configuration can cause DNS validation failures.

If you do not use DNSSEC, avoid changing DNSSEC settings unnecessarily.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN vs ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

These errors happen at different stages of connecting to a website.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

The domain could not be resolved.

Common causes:

• Missing DNS record

• Incorrect nameservers

• Domain expired

• DNS configuration problem

• DNS resolver issue

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

The domain may resolve successfully, but the browser cannot establish a connection to the server in time.

Common causes:

• Firewall

• Server offline

• Network problem

• Closed port

• Server overload

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

The server was reached, but the connection was actively refused.

Common causes:

• Nginx stopped

• Apache stopped

• Application not running

• Port not accepting connections

• Firewall rule

Understanding the difference helps you troubleshoot the correct part of the website infrastructure.

Quick DNS Troubleshooting Commands

Here are some useful commands for checking DNS:

Check A record

dig A example.com

Get only the IP

dig +short example.com

Check nameservers

dig NS example.com

Query Google DNS

dig @8.8.8.8 example.com

Query Cloudflare DNS

dig @1.1.1.1 example.com

Use nslookup

nslookup example.com

Check DNS using a specific resolver

nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

These commands are especially useful for website owners, developers, and VPS administrators.

Quick Fix Checklist

If you are getting DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN, follow these steps:

☐ Check the domain name for spelling mistakes
☐ Check whether the domain is active
☐ Check domain expiration
☐ Restart your router
☐ Flush DNS cache
☐ Restart Chrome
☐ Clear Chrome host cache
☐ Change DNS server
☐ Check A record
☐ Check CNAME record
☐ Check www record
☐ Check subdomain records
☐ Check nameservers
☐ Check DNS propagation
☐ Disable VPN or proxy
☐ Check hosts file
☐ Test from another network
☐ Run nslookup
☐ Run dig
☐ Check hosting DNS
☐ Verify VPS IP
☐ Check Nginx after DNS is fixed
☐ Check DNSSEC if configured

How to Prevent DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Website owners can reduce DNS-related problems by following these practices:

• Keep domain registration active.

• Use reliable DNS providers.

• Keep nameservers configured correctly.

• Maintain accurate A and CNAME records.

• Avoid unnecessary DNS changes.

• Keep important DNS records documented.

• Check DNS after moving to a new hosting provider.

• Monitor important domains and subdomains.

• Verify DNS before changing VPS servers.

• Review DNSSEC configuration when changing DNS providers.

Before migrating a website, always verify that the new server IP and DNS configuration are correct.

Final Thoughts

The DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error is primarily a DNS resolution problem. It means your browser could not obtain a valid DNS result for the domain or hostname you requested.

If you are a regular Chrome user, start with simple solutions such as checking the domain name, restarting your router, flushing DNS cache, changing DNS servers, and testing from another network.

If you manage a website, focus on your A records, CNAME records, nameservers, domain status, DNS provider, and VPS configuration.

Commands such as dig and nslookup make it much easier to determine whether the domain is resolving correctly.

Once DNS is working, you can move on to checking Nginx, Apache, firewall rules, ports, and the actual web server.

By identifying whether the issue is with the domain, DNS records, nameservers, local DNS cache, hosting, or VPS, you can fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN without making unnecessary server changes.