How to Fix: DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Chrome

I tried accessing a website via Google Chrome, but the connection wasn’t established. Instead, I received the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error message. Upon further inspecting it, I discovered the issue was with the DNS and IP address lookup.

The domain Name Server’s role is to translate the website name into a numerical IP Address. For the end-users, typing an IP such as 192.168.0.1 instead of www.example.com would always be a tough job. However, the web still wants the numeric address for each website rather than their plain-text format.

So when you type in a URL, the request goes to the DNS, which then looks up the associated URL’s IP Address in its record and sends it back to the server. The server will then take this request forward, establishing the desired connection.

But if there is any issue in the entire process, the browser will throw up a DNS-related error, one among which is the NXDOMAIN.

A short form for the non-existent domain appears when the DNS cannot find the associated IP Address corresponding to a particular URL in its record book.

So how could a user fix this underlying issue? Well, this is where this guide shall help you out.

Re-check the URL

If you have entered an incorrect URL, then the DNS couldn’t get hold of its associated IP Address and would display the error. Therefore, reverify that there’s no typing error.

Release and Renew Your IP Address

Issues with the IP Address could also be the reason behind this DNS error. In this regard, you could release your current IP Address, delete all the cache left behind, and then ask for a new IP Address from DHCP to be assigned to your system.

Here are the steps to get a new IP Address in Windows PC:

1. Head over to the Start menu,
2. Search for cmd, and launch it as an Administrator.
   
3. Execute the following three commands, one after the other:

   ipconfig/release
   ipconfig/flushdns
   ipconfig/renew

The first command will release the currently assigned IP; the second one will flush the DNS Cache of that address; the third and final command will replace it with a new IP Address.

Once all three commands are executed, restart your PC and see if it gives favorable results.

Reset Winsock

Windows Socket is a term given to the data stored on your PC to establish a successful connection between an app/software and the network.

Sometimes, you might have encountered issues when the WiFi is running well, but a particular device can still not access the internet. In such cases, the issue is usually with the Winsock; the best bet is resetting it. Follow these steps:

1. Launch Command Prompt as an Administrator.
2. Type in the below command in the prompt window:

   netsh winsock reset

   

3. Hit on Enter keyboard button.

There isn’t any major issue with resetting Winsock, but make sure you don’t make it a habit of fixing network issues via this tweak. If this need arises regularly, there might be some other (major) issues with your PC’s Network Adapter that need troubleshooting.

Change DNS Servers

Your Internet Service Providers assign the DNS servers that you are currently using. However, they aren’t fixed, and you could also redirect them to other servers.

In this regard, Google DNS and Cloudflare DNS are usually the two preferred choices, out of which we would be going ahead with the former one.

Here are the steps to Change DNS Server Address:

1. Launch the Control Panel from the Start menu.
2. Open the Network and Sharing Center.
3. Click on Change Adapter Settings from the left menu bar.
   
4. Right-click on the network you are currently connected to, and select Properties.
   
5. Scroll and select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TPC/IPv4), and click the Properties button.
   
6. Select Use the following DNS server addresses radio button.
7. Enter follow Google DNS addresses:
   Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
   Alternative DNS Server: 8.8.4.4
   
8. Hit on OK to save the changes.

Now try accessing the website and check whether the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN issue has been rectified.

If you instead prefer to go for Cloudflare DNS, then replace the Preferred and Alternate DNS with 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, respectively.

Check the Host File

A Host file maps a connection between the web address and its IP Address. However, it could also block a specific website from being accessed.

This is usually done by assigning it a loopback IP address (such as 127.0.0.1). So you should check the host file and verify that the concerned site is not blacked out. Here are steps to follow:

1. Launch the File Explorer, and head over to the below location:

   C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

2. You should find a host file and open it using the Notepad app.
   
3. Scroll to the end, and check if there is a mention of your site and the localhost address – 127.0.0.1.
   
4. Delete any blocking entries, and save the file with Ctrl + S keypress.

Try accessing the site; the issue should have been fixed after unblocking the URL.

Disable Chrome Flags

Chrome Flags are experimental and are used to test beta features before their final release. These flags encompass a broad domain; some are directed exclusively toward the network.

So if you have enabled any such network-related flag, try reverting them to their original state from the chrome://flags page. Most probably the Default status.

Bottom Line

So this was all from this guide on how to fix the DNS error in Chrome.

In my case, flushing the DNS did the trick. There had been a lot of temporary data related to my current IP address accrued over time. So deleting them and then letting the DHCP assign a new IP address worked out.

Let us know which spelled success for you in fixing the DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN error.

Lastly, if you've any thoughts or feedback on How to Fix: DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN in Chrome, then feel free to drop in below comment box. You can also report the outdated information.