How to Fix ‘ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED’ Error on Google Chrome

Fix: 'ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED' Error on Google Chrome

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED means that the domain name cannot be resolved. Your DNS (Domain Name System) is responsible for resolving domains, and every domain on the internet has a name server, which makes it possible for the DNS’s to resolve Domain Names. This error on Google Chrome means the same as above but with a better understanding of the issue, you will be able to diagnose and fix it.

Generally, you will see this error when you cannot open a website. The error technically means that the name cannot be resolved. There are various reasons for this error to pop up; and in general, the error may be a result of a misconfiguration on your computer or router OR it could be an issue with the website you’re trying to visit which may be down.

There are two possible scenarios, it can be an issue from the website’s DNS or it can be an issue from your Network. Check to see which one is applicable to you and follow the steps accordingly.

If this is happening on your own website

When you set up your website, you get hosting with it or you buy it from a different hosting provider. When you get the hosting, you are given name servers, that should be updated with the Domain Register. For example, appuals.com is registered with GoDaddy and hosted with CloudFlare, Cloudflare, gave us their nameservers, which we’ve updated at GoDaddy. Here’s an example image of another site, that is registered with GoDaddy but has BlueHost as their hosting provider.

GoDaddy Server names

If the hosting was with GoDaddy, then I may not have had to update the nameservers. Because usually, GoDaddy does it by themselves. So what you need to ensure is that your name servers are properly updated, and you are using the nameservers given to you by your hosting provider. If you’re not sure about this, you can check the settings by going to intodns.com/your-domain-name.com. If just your site isn’t working, and all other sites are you can see what the nslookup reports from Command Prompt in Method 1.

Check if the website is working

If you can’t able to access a website it’s not clear If the issue is from your client or from the website itself. You will have to check if the website is responding to your computer correctly, to check if the servers are working fine you will have to follow these steps:-

  1. Hold the Windows Key and Press X. Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Type “nslookup” along with the URL of the website you are trying to access.
    Checking Website

If it doesn’t return a Valid IP Address, or if tells that the domain doesn’t exist, or any other error then it’s most likely an issue with the website. If you are the owner of the website you must check with your host in order to resolve this issue. However, if you aren’t the owner of the website and visiting the website we suggest you wait and try again later to check if the issue is resolved. If you were getting the Valid IP Address and the website is working fine you can follow the methods below.

Change your DNS Server

We can try to resolve your issue by using a Public DNS such as Google’s DNS or Cloudfare’s DNS, using a Public DNS will narrow down the problem, make sure to follow these steps:

  1. Press and hold the Windows Key and Press I. This shortcut should open Windows Settings app.
  2. Once Windows Settings are opened Navigate to “Network & Internet”
  3. Press the option named “Change Adaptor Settings”.
    Internet Settings
  4. Now right-click on your Network Adaptor and press go to “Properties”
  5. Double-click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)”
    Changing IPv4 DNS
  6. Select option “Use the following DNS server addresses”
  7. Now Simply put “8.8.8.8” in the preferred DNS server and “8.8.4.4” in the alternate DNS server.
    Changing the DNS server
  8. Hold the Windows Key and Press X. Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin)

Type the following command to refresh DNS Servers on your Computer:-

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /registerdns

Check if the issue persists. If it still persists we can try resetting the DNS Cache on our Google Chrome, follow the methods below.

Change your DNS (MacOS)

If you have a MAC then you can try this method to change the DNS, follow these steps:

  1. On a Mac OS X Click, the Apple icon from the top left, and choose System Preferences.
  2. Click the Network icon.
  3. Now make sure your active adapter (ethernet or wireless) is selected then click Advanced.
  4. Go to the DNS Tab.
  5. In the IPv4/IPv6 Section press the ‘+’ button.
  6. Add the following DNS’s into it and remove others if there were any.
8.8.8.8
8.8.4.4
Changing your DNS on a MAC

Clear Chrome’s Host Cache

Clearing the DNS Host cache of your Google Chrome client can help you with this issue as well. Your Google Chrome client holds a record of DNS entries to save looking them up every time which reduces the loading time of the website but sometimes bad cache can give you errors such as ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED and ERR_CONNECTION_RESET. You can easily clear your Google Chrome’s cache, follow the steps below:

  1. Open your Google Chrome.
  2. In the URL Section put this URL and press Enter.
    chrome://net-internals/#dns
  3. This should open Google Chrome‘s Host resolver cache page. Now Simply click “Clear Host Cache”
    Clearing Host cache
  4. Restart your Google Chrome and check to see if you can access the website again.

Disable the “Preload Pages” option

This is almost identical to Chrome’s host cache option. However, the method above only clears the cache and it doesn’t prevent websites to store them again. This option will prevent Websites to keep their DNS cache so the next time you will visit a website it will load a little bit slower but it should show any errors. Follow these steps below to disable the “Preload Pages” option.

  1. Open your Google Chrome.
  2. In the URL Section put this URL and press Enter.
    chrome://settings/cookies
  3. Find the option named “Preload pages for faster browsing and searching”.
    Disabling Pre-load Pages Option
  4. Make sure it’s unchecked.
  5. Now restart your Chrome and check to see if the issue persists.

Reset your Network Configuration

In this method, We will reset all of our Network Settings to remove every incorrect network settings possibly because of Third-party programs, and to clear any corrupted DNS data or cache, you will have to reset your network settings and get a new IP address assigned from your router. This method will ensure that you have default Network settings set on your PC. This method will narrow down the problem or potentially fix it. To reset your Network Settings properly, Follow these steps below:

  1. Hold the Windows Key and Press X. Choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Type the following commands one by one to reset your Network Settings.
    netsh winsock reset
    netsh int ip reset
    ipconfig /release
    ipconfig /renew
    netsh interface ipv4 reset
    netsh interface ipv6 reset 
    ipconfig /flushdns
  3. Restart your computer.

Check to see if the issue persists.

Other Workarounds

Unfortunately, if none of the methods above worked for you, you will have to try using another browser. If the website is working fine on another browser we highly suggest you try uninstalling and reinstalling Google Chrome. If the website isn’t working on your other browser as well then we really suggest you try contacting your ISP and explain this problem to him. Additionally, you can try using a VPN we personally suggest you try out CyberGhost from (here). If using a VPN works for you and you can access the website just fine, your IP address might be blocked.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kevin Arrows


Kevin Arrows is a highly experienced and knowledgeable technology specialist with over a decade of industry experience. He holds a Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) certification and has a deep passion for staying up-to-date on the latest tech developments. Kevin has written extensively on a wide range of tech-related topics, showcasing his expertise and knowledge in areas such as software development, cybersecurity, and cloud computing. His contributions to the tech field have been widely recognized and respected by his peers, and he is highly regarded for his ability to explain complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner.