ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED
Network ErrorWhat Does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Mean?
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED is a DNS (Domain Name System) error that occurs when your browser cannot translate a domain name (like example.com) into an IP address. Before your browser can connect to any website, it must first resolve the domain name to a numerical IP address through DNS. When this resolution fails, the browser displays ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED because it literally does not know which server to connect to.
DNS is often compared to a phone book for the internet. When you type a website address, your computer queries DNS servers to find the corresponding IP address. If no DNS server can provide an answer for the domain you entered, the resolution fails. This can happen at multiple levels: your local DNS cache, your router's DNS, your ISP's DNS server, or the authoritative DNS servers for the domain.
This error is distinct from connection errors because the failure occurs before any connection attempt is made. Your browser never even tries to contact the web server because it cannot determine the server's IP address. The error can be caused by problems on your end (like DNS misconfiguration) or on the domain owner's end (like expired domain registration or missing DNS records).
Common Causes
The most common cause is a typo in the URL. Misspelling a domain name means DNS cannot find a matching record because the domain you typed does not exist. Even small mistakes like "gooogle.com" instead of "google.com" will trigger this error. Always double-check the URL for accuracy before investigating further.
DNS server issues are another frequent cause. Your configured DNS server may be down, unreachable, overloaded, or returning incorrect results. If your ISP's DNS server is experiencing problems, all domain resolutions may fail. Similarly, if your DNS settings are misconfigured (pointing to a non-functional DNS server), no domains will resolve. Corrupted local DNS cache can also cause previously-working domains to stop resolving.
Domain-specific issues can trigger this error for individual websites. The domain may have expired and been removed from DNS, the domain owner may have misconfigured their DNS records, the domain's nameservers may be down, or DNS propagation for a recently changed domain may not have completed yet. In some cases, DNS-based content filtering or censorship may block certain domains entirely.
Step-by-Step Fix
Start by verifying the URL is spelled correctly. Even a single character mistake will cause this error. Try searching for the website name in a search engine to find the correct URL. If the URL is correct, try accessing the site from a different device or network to determine if the issue is specific to your setup.
Flush your DNS cache to remove any corrupted entries. On Windows, open Command Prompt and run "ipconfig /flushdns". On macOS, run "sudo dscacheutil -flushcache && sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder". On Linux, run "sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches". After flushing, try accessing the site again.
If flushing the cache does not help, try changing your DNS server. Go to your network adapter settings and set your DNS servers to Google DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) or Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1). You can also use our DNS Lookup tool to test whether the domain resolves correctly from external DNS servers. If the domain does not resolve anywhere, the problem is with the domain's DNS configuration, and you should contact the website owner.
Related Network Errors
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED mean?
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED means your browser could not convert the website's domain name into an IP address through DNS. Without an IP address, the browser cannot connect to the server. This can be caused by DNS server problems, typos in the URL, expired domains, or network misconfigurations.
How do I fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN?
DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN is similar to ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED and indicates the domain does not exist in DNS. Fix it by checking the URL spelling, flushing your DNS cache, changing to a public DNS server like Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), restarting your router, and clearing your browser cache.
Why does ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED happen only on my computer?
If the site works on other devices but not yours, the issue is likely your local DNS cache, your DNS settings, your hosts file, or browser-specific problems. Flush your DNS cache, check your hosts file for any entries blocking the domain, try a different browser, and verify your DNS server settings.
Can my ISP block websites and cause ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED?
Yes, some ISPs use DNS-based blocking to restrict access to certain websites. When blocked, your ISP's DNS server returns no result for the domain. You can bypass this by switching to a third-party DNS provider like Google DNS or Cloudflare DNS, or by using a VPN to route your traffic through a different network.
How do I check if a domain's DNS is working?
Use our DNS Lookup tool to query the domain's DNS records from external servers. If the domain returns valid A or AAAA records, DNS is working correctly and the problem is on your end. If no records are found, the domain's DNS configuration may be broken or the domain may have expired.