You type a URL into Chrome, hit Enter, and instead of the page you get a white screen with the error DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. It is one of the most common DNS errors on the internet — and one of the most fixable. This guide covers every working solution for Windows, Mac, and Android in order of likelihood, so you can stop the problem in under five minutes.
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means Chrome cannot find the website's IP address because the DNS lookup failed. The domain may not exist, your DNS server may be misconfigured, or your hosts file may be blocking it. Fix: flush DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns), change to Google DNS (8.8.8.8), release/renew IP (ipconfig /release then ipconfig /renew), or disable your VPN.
What Is DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN?
Every time you visit a website, your browser performs a DNS lookup — it asks a DNS (Domain Name System) server to translate the human-readable domain name (like google.com) into the numerical IP address that computers actually use to route traffic. When that lookup returns no result, the DNS server responds with the code NXDOMAIN, which stands for Non-Existent Domain.
Chrome catches this response and displays it as DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. The error itself is informative: Chrome completed the DNS probe and the result was NXDOMAIN — the domain record was not found. The question is why, and the answer determines the fix.
Common Causes
- Stale DNS cache — your computer is remembering an old, outdated IP address for a domain that has since moved.
- Wrong DNS server settings — your ISP's DNS server is slow, broken, or temporarily unreachable.
- The domain has expired — the website owner did not renew their domain registration; it no longer has DNS records.
- Your hosts file is blocking it — a line in your local hosts file maps the domain to a non-existent address.
- VPN or proxy conflict — your VPN is routing DNS queries incorrectly or has dropped without releasing DNS settings.
- Typo in the URL — the simplest cause: you typed a domain that does not exist.
- Chrome's own DNS cache — Chrome maintains its own separate DNS cache that can hold stale records even after you flush the OS cache.
Fix 1 — Flush Your DNS Cache HIGH
Your operating system stores DNS results locally to speed up future visits. If that cached record becomes outdated — because the site changed its IP address, or because a bad lookup was saved — every visit will fail until the cache is cleared. This is the first and most effective fix.
Flush DNS Cache on Windows
Press Win + R, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator. Then run:
You should see the confirmation message: "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache." Relaunch Chrome and try the site again.
Flush DNS Cache on Mac
Open Terminal (Applications > Utilities > Terminal) and run the appropriate command for your macOS version:
Enter your Mac password when prompted. No confirmation message appears — that is normal. Close Terminal and test Chrome.
Flush Chrome's Internal DNS Cache
Chrome has its own separate DNS cache that is independent of the OS cache. Even after flushing the OS, Chrome may still serve the old record. Clear it by navigating to Chrome's internal DNS page:
Fix 2 — Change DNS Server to Google or Cloudflare HIGH
Your ISP assigns you a default DNS server automatically. These servers vary in reliability and speed, and they can go down without notice. Switching to a public DNS server — Google's 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 — is one of the most reliable long-term fixes for recurring DNS errors. These servers have 99.99% uptime and resolve domains faster than most ISP DNS servers.
Windows — Change DNS via Network Settings
Open Network Adapter Settings
Press Win + R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter. Right-click your active network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and select Properties.
Set DNS to Google or Cloudflare
Double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Select Use the following DNS server addresses. Enter your preferred DNS values, then click OK.
| DNS Provider | Primary DNS | Secondary DNS | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Public DNS | 8.8.8.8 |
8.8.4.4 |
Reliability, uptime |
| Cloudflare | 1.1.1.1 |
1.0.0.1 |
Speed, privacy |
| OpenDNS | 208.67.222.222 |
208.67.220.220 |
Content filtering |
| Quad9 | 9.9.9.9 |
149.112.112.112 |
Security, malware blocking |
Mac — Change DNS via System Settings
Go to System Settings > Network. Click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), then click Details. Select the DNS tab. Click the + button and add 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Click OK and then Apply.
Windows — Change DNS via Command Line (Faster)
Fix 3 — Release and Renew Your IP Address HIGH
Your computer obtains its IP address and DNS server settings from your router via DHCP. If that lease becomes stale or corrupted — particularly after a network interruption, router restart, or VPN disconnect — your machine may hold onto outdated DNS configuration. Releasing and renewing forces your computer to re-request a clean network configuration from the router.
Release and Renew IP on Windows
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run both commands in sequence:
Wait 5–10 seconds between each command. After /renew completes, you should see your new IP address displayed. Relaunch Chrome and test.
ipconfig /release will temporarily disconnect you from the internet. This is expected — the /renew command immediately requests a new connection. Do not close the Command Prompt window between the two commands.
Fix 4 — Restart the DNS Client Service MEDIUM
Windows runs a background service called the DNS Client (also known as dnscache) that handles DNS resolution and caching. If this service hangs or crashes, all DNS lookups fail, resulting in the NXDOMAIN error across all websites. Restarting it takes 10 seconds.
Restart DNS Client via Services Panel
Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter. Scroll down to find DNS Client. Right-click it and select Restart. If Restart is greyed out, select Stop and then Start.
Restart DNS Client via Command Line
Run Command Prompt as administrator and enter:
Fix 5 — Check and Edit Your Hosts File MEDIUM
The hosts file is a plain text file on your computer that maps domain names to IP addresses directly, bypassing DNS entirely. Security software, parental control tools, ad blockers, and malware all commonly modify the hosts file. An incorrect or malicious entry can make Chrome show NXDOMAIN for a specific domain even when that domain is perfectly healthy.
Open the Hosts File on Windows
Press Win + R, type notepad, right-click Notepad and choose Run as administrator. In Notepad go to File > Open and navigate to:
Change the file type filter from Text Documents to All Files to see the hosts file. Open it and look for any lines that reference the problematic domain. A blocking entry looks like this:
If you find an entry for the domain that is giving you the NXDOMAIN error, delete that line. Save the file (Ctrl + S) and flush your DNS cache. Relaunch Chrome.
Edit Hosts File on Mac
Open Terminal and run: sudo nano /etc/hosts. Enter your password. Use the arrow keys to find any suspicious entries. Delete the line with Ctrl + K. Save with Ctrl + O, press Enter, then exit with Ctrl + X. Flush DNS: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder.
Fix 6 — Disable VPN or Proxy MEDIUM
VPNs and proxy servers redirect your internet traffic — including DNS queries — through their own servers. When a VPN connection drops unexpectedly (a very common occurrence), it can leave your DNS routing in a broken intermediate state: Chrome tries to send DNS queries through the VPN tunnel, but the tunnel is gone. The result is a failed DNS lookup and the NXDOMAIN error.
Disconnect Your VPN Completely
Do not just pause it — fully disconnect and then close the VPN application. On Windows, also check Settings > Network & Internet > VPN and remove any VPN connection listed there. On Mac, check System Settings > Network for VPN entries.
Remove Proxy Settings in Windows
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. Make sure Use a proxy server is toggled off. In Chrome, go to chrome://settings/system and click Open your computer's proxy settings to verify.
Remove Proxy Settings via Command Line (Windows)
Run Command Prompt as administrator and enter:
After disabling the VPN and clearing proxy settings, flush DNS and relaunch Chrome. If sites now load, the VPN was causing the NXDOMAIN error. Reconnect the VPN and check if it persists — if so, contact your VPN provider or switch to one with built-in DNS leak protection.
Fix 7 — Reset the TCP/IP Stack LOW (Advanced)
The TCP/IP stack is the core networking component of Windows. Corruption in the Winsock catalog or the TCP/IP registry entries can cause all network operations — including DNS — to fail. This is a more thorough fix, typically needed only when simpler methods have not worked.
Reset TCP/IP and Winsock (Windows)
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands in order. A restart is required after this sequence.
netsh winsock reset. Do not skip it. Without the restart, the Winsock catalog reset does not take effect and network behavior may be unpredictable. Run all the commands, then restart Windows before testing Chrome.
Fix 8 — Reset Chrome Flags LOW
Chrome's experimental flags at chrome://flags include settings that affect how Chrome handles DNS and network connections. If you or someone else has enabled an experimental flag related to DNS-over-HTTPS, async DNS resolver, or network service, it can interfere with normal DNS resolution and produce NXDOMAIN errors on sites that should load fine.
Reset All Chrome Flags to Default
In Chrome's address bar, navigate to chrome://flags. At the top of the page, click the Reset all button. Chrome will ask you to relaunch — click Relaunch. This resets every experimental flag to its default state without affecting your bookmarks, history, or settings.
Also Check Chrome's Secure DNS Setting
Go to chrome://settings/security and scroll to Advanced. Find Use secure DNS. If this is enabled with a custom provider that is down or misconfigured, it can cause NXDOMAIN errors. Try toggling it off and test, or switch the provider to Google (https://dns.google/dns-query).
Quick Summary — All 8 Fixes at a Glance
| Fix | Windows | Mac | Android | Priority | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Flush DNS cache | Yes | Yes | Partial | HIGH | 1 min |
| 2. Switch to Google/Cloudflare DNS | Yes | Yes | Yes | HIGH | 3 min |
| 3. Release & renew IP | Yes | N/A | N/A | HIGH | 1 min |
| 4. Restart DNS Client service | Yes | N/A | N/A | MEDIUM | 1 min |
| 5. Check hosts file | Yes | Yes | N/A | MEDIUM | 3 min |
| 6. Disable VPN or proxy | Yes | Yes | Yes | MEDIUM | 2 min |
| 7. Reset TCP/IP stack | Yes | N/A | N/A | LOW | 5 min + restart |
| 8. Reset Chrome flags | Yes | Yes | N/A | LOW | 1 min |
How to Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Android
Android does not have a command-line DNS flush tool like Windows or Mac. Instead, the quickest fix is to change your DNS server through your Wi-Fi settings, or use Android's Private DNS feature.
Use Android Private DNS (Recommended)
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced > Private DNS. Select Private DNS provider hostname and enter dns.google (for Google DNS) or one.one.one.one (for Cloudflare). Tap Save. This applies a secure, encrypted DNS server across all connections on the device.
Change DNS via Wi-Fi Settings
Go to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Long-press your current network. Tap Modify network and switch IP settings from DHCP to Static. Scroll down and set DNS 1 to 8.8.8.8 and DNS 2 to 8.8.4.4. Save.
Clear Chrome Cache on Android
Go to Settings > Apps > Chrome > Storage > Clear Cache. This removes Chrome's local DNS cache and all cached page data. Relaunch Chrome and test the site.
Toggle Airplane Mode
A quick network reset: enable Airplane Mode for 10 seconds, then disable it. This forces the device to re-establish all network connections and re-request DNS settings from your router via DHCP. Simple, but surprisingly effective.
Network Issues Persisting After All These Fixes?
Some DNS and network problems go deeper — misconfigured router firmware, ISP-level blocks, corrupted network drivers, or malware that reinstalls itself. IT Cares diagnoses and resolves these remotely — starting at $59. We connect securely to your computer and fix the root cause, not just the symptoms.
Frequently Asked Questions
NXDOMAIN stands for Non-Existent Domain. It is the official DNS response code returned when a DNS server cannot find any record for the domain name you requested. Chrome translates this response into the user-facing error DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN. This can mean the domain does not exist, was recently deleted, has expired, or your DNS server is unable to resolve it due to a misconfiguration or network issue.
Not necessarily. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means the DNS resolution step failed, but your internet connection itself may be working fine. A quick test: try loading a different well-known website like google.com or youtube.com. If those load fine, the issue is specific to one domain or its DNS configuration. If all sites fail, your DNS settings are misconfigured — start with Fix 1 (flush DNS) and Fix 2 (switch to Google DNS 8.8.8.8).
When the error appears on just one website, the most common causes are: a typo in the domain name, the domain has expired and is no longer active, the domain's DNS records changed recently and your cached record is stale, or your hosts file has an entry blocking that specific domain. Try flushing your DNS cache first — this clears any stale record and forces a fresh lookup. If the error persists, check your hosts file for a blocking entry (see Fix 5 above).
On Android, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Advanced > Private DNS and enter dns.google as the hostname. This switches your device to Google's encrypted DNS on all networks. Alternatively, long-press your Wi-Fi network, tap Modify Network, change IP settings to Static, and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as DNS servers. Also clear Chrome's cache from Settings > Apps > Chrome > Storage, and try toggling Airplane Mode on and off to reset the network connection.
Yes, VPNs are a very common cause. When a VPN connection drops unexpectedly, it can leave your DNS settings in a broken state — routing DNS queries through a tunnel that no longer exists. The fix is to disconnect the VPN completely (not just pause it) and then flush your DNS cache. If sites load after disconnecting the VPN, reconnect it. If the error returns, your VPN client has a DNS leak or configuration problem. Try switching to a different VPN server within the same app, or contact your VPN provider for DNS configuration help.
Comments
The Chrome internal DNS cache tip (chrome://net-internals/#dns) was the key for me. I had flushed the OS DNS cache three times and still got the error. One click on "Clear host cache" in Chrome's own settings and it was fixed instantly. My IT guy had no idea Chrome had its own separate cache. Bookmarked this.
Switching to Google DNS (8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4) fixed this permanently for me. My ISP's DNS server was just unreliable — I was getting the NXDOMAIN error a few times a week on random sites. Since switching I have not seen it once. Should have done this years ago.
In my case it was the hosts file. I had installed a pi-hole style ad blocker a while back that had added a ton of entries to my hosts file, and one of them was blocking a domain I needed for work. The hosts file section in this guide pointed me straight at it. Deleted the entry, flushed DNS, problem gone. The NXDOMAIN difference vs ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED explanation was also super helpful — I kept Googling the wrong error.
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