How to Fix “ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR” on Google Chrome?

A number of Google Chrome users are experiencing a very strange error i.e. ERR_SPDY_PROTOCOL_ERROR stating that This webpage is not available. It is a browser-specific error as it only affects Google Chrome users and often is displayed with err_quic_protocol_error as well. So, Chrome users can’t access certain websites affected by this error. It is also happening to the users after updating to Windows 10.

This error can be caused due to a protocol that Chrome uses. So, fixing the SPDY sockets can help to resolve this issue. This error can also be related to network and it is most likely to be associated with Google Chrome’s data server.

The solutions to fix this problem are in abundance but I will mention only those that work. So, follow the below methods to get this issue resolved.

Flush SPDY Sockets

This is one of the most working methods of all. In this method, the SPDY sockets are flushed to get Chrome back to work. Follow the steps below.

1. Open the Google Chrome browser and paste the following URL inside the address bar followed the Enter

2. Now, navigate to the top right corner of the browser. You would see a tiny arrow facing down. Click on the arrow to open the drop-down and select Flush sockets from the list. Now, check the browser to see if it is fixed or not.

Flush DNS and Renew IP Address

If the above method doesn’t solve your issue, then you might be required to Flush the primary DNS and renew the IP address using a command prompt.

1. Open Command Prompt (Admin) by right-clicking on the Start menu icon and selecting it from the list.
2. Inside the command prompt, type the following lines of code and hit Enter key after typing each line.
   Note: Press Enter key after typing each line of code.

   ipconfig /flushdns
   ipconfig /registerdns
   ipconfig /release
   ipconfig /renew

    

Clear Chrome’s Caches and Cookies

This error can also be resolved by clearing junk inside your Chrome.

Open your Chrome browser and press Shift + Ctrl + Del keys on the keyboard and click over the Clear browsing data button at the bottom of the menu appearing on top.

Note: Also, try to use the incognito mode and check to see if that fixes this issue.

Disable Avast HTTPS Scanning

After analyzing some user reports we have concluded that Avast and Chrome don’t play well with each other and Avast’s web shield prevents certain functions of Chrome from functioning properly. Therefore, in this step, we will be disabling the HTTPS Scanning Feature on Avast’s web shield. For that:

1. Launch Avast and click on the “Gear Icon”.
2. Select “Active Protection” from the list and then click on “Web Shield”.
3. Unselect the “Enable HTTPS scanning” and save your changes.

   

4. Check to see if the issue persists.

Note: Try disabling any web scanning software that claims to perform any sort of encryption on your network and check again. If you still see it, uninstall avast completely from your system and install Microsoft Essentials. Check to see if the issue is seen again.