How to Fix ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Error in Chrome

If Chrome shows the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error while opening a website, it usually means that your browser cannot find the IP address associated with the domain name. In simple words, the domain name is not being resolved correctly through DNS.

This problem can happen because of incorrect DNS records, wrong nameservers, DNS cache, network issues, VPN or proxy settings, expired domains, or problems with your hosting or VPS configuration.

In this guide, we will explain how to fix ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED in Chrome and troubleshoot the most common DNS and domain-related problems.

What Does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Mean?

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED means that Chrome could not resolve the website's domain name to an IP address.

For example, when you enter:

example.com

your computer needs to find the server IP address behind that domain. DNS (Domain Name System) performs this lookup.

If DNS cannot find the correct information, Chrome may display:

This site can't be reached

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

This is primarily a DNS resolution problem, although the root cause can be on your device, network, domain, DNS provider, hosting server, or VPS.

Common Causes of ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

Some common reasons include:

• Incorrect DNS records

• Wrong nameservers

• DNS cache problems

• Domain recently registered or DNS changed

• Expired domain

• Incorrect A or AAAA record

• Missing CNAME record

• Incorrect subdomain configuration

• VPN or proxy interference

• Internet or router DNS problems

• Incorrect hosts file entries

• DNS server outage

• DNSSEC configuration problems

• Incorrect VPS or hosting DNS configuration

Let's troubleshoot these issues step by step.

1. Check the Website URL

First, make sure the domain name is typed correctly.

For example:

example.com

is different from:

exmaple.com

A simple spelling mistake can cause Chrome to display ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.

Try opening the website again after carefully checking the domain name.

2. Check Your Internet Connection

Make sure your internet connection is working properly.

Try opening a few other websites such as Google or another website you regularly use.

If other websites also fail to load, the problem may be related to your internet connection or DNS server.

You can also restart your Wi-Fi router and reconnect your device.

3. Try Incognito Mode

Chrome extensions can sometimes interfere with website requests.

Open Chrome Incognito Mode and visit the website again.

If the website works in Incognito Mode, temporarily disable your Chrome extensions and test again.

You can also clear Chrome's browsing and DNS-related cache.

4. Disable VPN or Proxy

A VPN or proxy can sometimes use a different DNS resolver.

If you are connected to a VPN, disconnect it and try opening the website again.

On your computer, also check whether a proxy server is configured.

After disabling the VPN or proxy, restart Chrome and test the domain.

5. Clear Chrome DNS Cache

Chrome maintains its own DNS cache.

To clear it, open this page in Chrome:

chrome://net-internals/#dns

Click:

Clear host cache

Then close and reopen Chrome.

Try accessing the website again.

6. Flush DNS Cache on Windows

Windows also stores DNS information locally.

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 the website again.

You can also renew the network configuration:

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

7. Flush DNS Cache on macOS

On macOS, DNS cache commands can vary depending on the macOS version.

A commonly used command is:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Enter your Mac password if requested.

Then reopen Chrome and test the website.

8. Flush DNS Cache on Linux

On Ubuntu and many Linux systems using systemd-resolved, you can run:

sudo resolvectl flush-caches

You can check DNS resolver information with:

resolvectl status

If your system uses another DNS service, the appropriate cache-clearing command may be different.

9. Change Your DNS Server

Your ISP's DNS server may sometimes have temporary problems.

You can test the website using a public DNS resolver.

Common options include:

• Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

• Cloudflare DNS: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

After changing DNS, reconnect your network and test the website again.

If the domain starts working, your previous DNS resolver may have been the problem.

10. Check DNS Using nslookup

You can check whether a domain is resolving correctly using nslookup.

On Windows, macOS, or Linux, run:

nslookup example.com

A working domain should return an IP address.

You can also specify a DNS server:

nslookup example.com 8.8.8.8

If one DNS server resolves the domain while another does not, the issue may be related to DNS propagation or a particular DNS resolver.

11. Use dig to Check DNS

Linux and macOS users can also use dig:

dig example.com

To check the A record:

dig example.com A

To check nameservers:

dig example.com NS

For a specific DNS resolver:

dig @8.8.8.8 example.com

These commands can help identify whether the domain is actually resolving.

12. Check the A Record

The A record connects a domain name to an IPv4 address.

For example:

example.com → YOUR_VPS_IP

If the A record is missing or points to the wrong IP address, your website may not work correctly.

Check your DNS provider's DNS management panel and make sure the domain points to the correct server IP.

13. Check the AAAA Record

An AAAA record points a domain to an IPv6 address.

If you have an incorrect AAAA record but your server does not properly support IPv6, visitors may experience connection problems.

If you don't use IPv6, make sure there isn't an incorrect AAAA record causing DNS or connection issues.

14. Check the CNAME Record

CNAME records are commonly used for subdomains.

For example:

www.example.com → example.com

If your www subdomain is not configured correctly, the main domain may work while the www version fails.

Check both:

example.com
www.example.com

They may require different DNS records.

15. Check Your Nameservers

Nameservers tell the internet which DNS provider is responsible for your domain.

For example, a domain might use nameservers provided by your hosting company or DNS provider.

If you recently changed nameservers, make sure they are entered correctly at your domain registrar.

Incorrect nameservers can cause the domain to stop resolving completely.

You can check nameservers using:

dig example.com NS

16. Check If the Domain Has Expired

An expired domain may stop resolving normally.

Log in to your domain registrar and check:

• Domain expiration date

• Domain status

• Nameservers

• DNS settings

• Domain lock/status

If the domain has expired, renew it and allow DNS services to become active again.

17. Check DNS Propagation

If you recently changed:

• Nameservers

• A records

• CNAME records

• MX records

• DNS provider

the changes may not appear everywhere immediately.

DNS changes can take time to propagate through different DNS resolvers.

If your domain works on one network but not another, DNS propagation may be responsible.

18. Check the Hosts File

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

On Linux and macOS, check:

/etc/hosts

On Windows, the hosts file is located at:

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

Look for entries related to your domain.

For example:

127.0.0.1 example.com

Such an entry could prevent your computer from reaching the real server.

Only remove or modify entries if you know they are incorrect.

19. Check DNSSEC Configuration

DNSSEC adds security to DNS, but an incorrect DNSSEC configuration can cause domain resolution problems.

If you recently changed DNS providers or nameservers, verify that the domain's DNSSEC configuration matches the current DNS provider.

An incorrect DS record at the registrar can cause DNS validation failures.

20. Check Your Hosting or VPS DNS Configuration

If the problem affects your own website, check your hosting or VPS configuration.

Make sure:

• The domain points to the correct server IP

• DNS records are correct

• Nameservers are correct

• Nginx or Apache is configured for the domain

• The server is online

• Ports 80 and 443 are open

• Firewall rules are correct

For an Nginx server, verify the configuration with:

sudo nginx -t

If the DNS resolves correctly but the website still doesn't open, the problem may no longer be DNS.

At that point, investigate Nginx, Apache, firewall, ports, SSL, or the application running on the server.

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED vs Other Chrome Errors

Different Chrome errors usually point toward different problems.

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

Usually indicates a DNS resolution problem.

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

Usually means the DNS lookup returned that the domain does not exist or could not be found.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

The domain may resolve, but the server does not respond within the expected time.

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

The server can be reached, but the connection is being actively refused, often because a service is not listening on the required port.

ERR_CONNECTION_RESET

The connection was established or attempted but was unexpectedly reset.

Understanding the exact error can make troubleshooting much faster.

Quick Fix Checklist

If you are getting ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED, try these steps:

1. Check the domain spelling.

2. Test another website.

3. Restart your router.

4. Disable VPN or proxy.

5. Try Chrome Incognito Mode.

6. Clear Chrome DNS cache.

7. Flush your operating system DNS cache.

8. Change DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.

9. Run nslookup domain.com.

10. Check the domain's A record.

11. Check AAAA and CNAME records.

12. Verify nameservers.

13. Check domain expiration.

14. Wait for DNS propagation after recent changes.

15. Check the hosts file.

16. Verify DNSSEC if enabled.

17. Check your hosting or VPS DNS configuration.

How to Prevent ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

You can reduce DNS-related problems by following good DNS management practices.

• Keep your domain registration active.

• Use reliable DNS providers.

• Keep nameservers configured correctly.

• Avoid unnecessary DNS record changes.

• Regularly check A, AAAA and CNAME records.

• Keep your VPS IP information updated.

• Monitor important domains and subdomains.

• Avoid incorrect DNSSEC configurations.

• Keep hosting and server configurations synchronized with DNS.

Conclusion

The ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome usually means that the domain name cannot be translated into the correct server IP address.

The fastest way to troubleshoot it is to check your internet connection, clear DNS caches, test another DNS resolver, and verify the domain's A record and nameservers.

If the issue is affecting your own website, also check your domain registration, DNS provider, VPS configuration, and web server settings.

Once DNS correctly resolves your domain to the right server, Chrome should be able to connect to the website normally.