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ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED: How to Fix It

Chrome couldn't resolve the website's name to an IP address. Usually a DNS problem on your device or network, sometimes a broken domain.

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

The browser couldn't find an IP address for the site's name. DNS either failed to answer or answered that the name doesn't exist, so no connection was attempted.

Quick checks

  • Check the spelling of the address.
  • Try the site on another device or on mobile data.
  • Try a different website. If none load, check your internet connection first.
  • Ask a public resolver with `dig +short name @1.1.1.1` to see if it resolves publicly.

Fixes on Mac

  1. Flush the DNS cache

    1. In Terminal, run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
    2. In Chrome, open chrome://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache.

  2. Use a public DNS server

    1. System Settings › Network › Wi-Fi › Details › DNS.
    2. Add 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 with +, remove others, click OK.

  3. Turn off Chrome's secure DNS temporarily

    1. Open chrome://settings/security.
    2. Turn off Use secure DNS, reload the page, and turn it back on once the site works.

  4. Disable VPNs, proxies and blockers

    1. Disconnect VPNs and pause content blockers.
    2. Check System Settings › Network › Wi-Fi › Details › Proxies and turn off any you didn't set up.

Fixes on Windows

  1. Flush DNS and renew the IP address

    1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
    2. Run ipconfig /flushdns, ipconfig /release, ipconfig /renew.

  2. Restart the DNS Client and change DNS

    1. Restart the PC to restart the DNS Client service.
    2. In Settings › Network & internet › your connection › Hardware properties › DNS server assignment › Edit, set 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8.

Other devices

  1. Phones and tablets

    1. Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to see which network fails.
    2. Restart the router if only your home Wi-Fi is affected.
    3. On Android, set Private DNS to Off or one.one.one.one; on iPhone, configure DNS manually in the Wi-Fi network's settings.

Still not working?

If the name doesn't resolve anywhere, the domain has a problem: it may have expired or lost its DNS records. Check it with whois and dig in Terminal.

If it only fails on your network, restart the router, then check its DNS settings and any filtering (parental controls, Pi-hole, a company DNS filter). Setting a public DNS server on the router fixes it for every device at once.

See what’s happening

LightAtom's connections view shows the domain behind each connection; a name that never resolves won't appear.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED and DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN?

Both mean the name didn't resolve. NXDOMAIN appears when Chrome's follow-up probe confirms the name doesn't exist; ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED is the general failure, which also covers DNS servers that didn't answer at all.

Why does this happen on only one network?

That network's DNS server, usually the router or the ISP's resolver, is failing or blocking the name. Using a public DNS server on your Mac or router usually fixes it.

What does “server IP address could not be found” mean?

It's the headline Chrome shows above ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED: the browser couldn't get an IP address for the server's name from DNS.

Can an ad blocker cause ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED?

DNS-level blockers such as Pi-hole, NextDNS or AdGuard DNS can, by answering that a blocked name doesn't exist. Browser extensions usually cause ERR_BLOCKED_BY_CLIENT instead.

Related errors and tools

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LightAtom team

The people who build LightAtom, a network monitor for macOS.