DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN is Chrome's way of saying it couldn't translate the website's name into an IP address — the DNS lookup returned "no such domain" (NXDOMAIN). Before panicking, note that this is one of the most common and fixable browser errors.

First: double-check the URL

A simple typo is the most common cause. Make sure you've spelled the domain correctly and haven't accidentally added an extra character.

Flush your DNS cache

Your computer stores DNS results locally. If a cached result is wrong or stale, you'll keep getting this error even after the problem is resolved elsewhere.

Windows: open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

ipconfig /flushdns

Mac: open Terminal and run:

sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

Try loading the site again after flushing.

Change your DNS server

If your ISP's DNS server is struggling, switching to a public one often resolves NXDOMAIN errors immediately.

  1. On Windows: open Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.
  2. Right-click your active connection and choose Properties.
  3. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
  4. Choose Use the following DNS server addresses and enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

On Mac: go to System Settings > Network, select your connection, click Details, go to the DNS tab, and add 8.8.8.8.

Restart your router

Your router also caches DNS results. A full power cycle (unplug 30 seconds, plug back in) clears the router's cache.

Check your VPN

If you use a VPN, try disconnecting it and loading the site. VPNs route DNS queries differently and sometimes cause NXDOMAIN errors for sites that are perfectly accessible without them.

When the site genuinely doesn't exist

Sometimes NXDOMAIN means exactly what it says — the domain has expired, been deleted, or was mistyped. Search for the site rather than typing the URL directly, or try a cached version via Google's cache.

Need more help? Ask us.