ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
Networking
Medium severity
Chrome — ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
The browser couldn’t resolve the domain name to an IP — a DNS server problem, a bad hosts file entry, or the domain really doesn’t exist.
Last reviewed 2026-08-29 by the Tech Issue Guide team.
Symptoms
- “This site can’t be reached — ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED.”
- Some domains resolve, others do not.
- It affects every browser and app, not just Chrome.
What causes ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
- Your configured DNS server is slow, down, or blocking the domain.
- A stale or malicious entry in the hosts file.
- Router DNS cache corruption.
- The domain genuinely has no DNS record (typo or expired domain).
How to fix it — 3 steps
- Flush the DNS cache and switch your adapter’s DNS to a public resolver such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 (command below flushes; set DNS in adapter settings).
- Open the hosts file (Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts; macOS/Linux: /etc/hosts) and remove any unexpected line for the domain.
- Restart the router to clear its DNS cache, and test name resolution with nslookup.
Terminal / CLI command
ipconfig /flushdns && nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1If nslookup against 1.1.1.1 resolves but your normal lookups fail, the problem is your configured DNS server.
How to confirm the fix: nslookup returns an address and the site loads in the browser.
Prevent it from coming back
Use a reliable public DNS resolver, and keep the hosts file empty of ad-hoc entries you no longer need.
Frequently asked questions
nslookup works but Chrome still fails — why?
Chrome keeps its own DNS cache. Clear it at chrome://net-internals/#dns, then reload. Also disable “Secure DNS” temporarily to test.