How To Fix the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED Error

What the Error Means

ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED appears in browsers when a user’s device cannot look up the IP address for a domain through DNS. The lookup fails, so the connection to the website cannot be made.

Browsers display this message instead of loading the requested site. The problem is in the DNS workflow, not the site’s content.

Technical Causes

DNS cache holds old or incorrect IP addresses. If a record is not updated, requests for that site fail. Devices or routers with corrupted resolver caches can produce this error.

• Network settings may use DNS servers that are offline, unresponsive, or misconfigured. Changing ISPs or network hardware may disrupt DNS settings. Manual entries for DNS in operating systems or on routers can redirect queries to broken servers.
• Device or network firewalls and antivirus software can block DNS requests. Some security apps treat DNS packets as suspicious, preventing lookups.
• Domains that have expired, changed registrars, or had recent DNS updates may not resolve. If the DNS records for a domain were altered and have not fully propagated, lookup requests can fail.
• Browser issues like faulty plugins, corrupted cache, or privacy settings can block access. Extensions that block ads or modify traffic sometimes interfere with DNS.
• Manual changes to the operating system’s hosts file, which overrides DNS, can result in unreachable domains if typoed or outdated.
• Servers hosting domains might not have DNS records for that domain set properly. If the domain’s A, CNAME, or other records are missing or incorrect, resolution fails.

How to Fix ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

Flush DNS Cache

Clears any outdated or incorrect DNS entries stored locally.

• Windows: Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Run
  ipconfig /flushdns
• MacOS: Open Terminal. Run
  sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
• Linux:
  systemd-resolve –flush-caches
  or
  sudo /etc/init.d/nscd restart

Check and Change DNS Servers

Update local and router settings to use working DNS servers.

Common public DNS servers:
Google DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1

Set these in network adapter settings on Windows or in System Preferences on MacOS.

Restart the Router and Modem

Unplug for 30 seconds, then reconnect. This refreshes the external connection and local DNS cache.

Test Internet Connection

Try loading several unrelated sites. If none load, the problem is not DNS but general connectivity. For Wi-Fi, connect via Ethernet to rule out wireless issues.

Clear Browser Cache and Disable Extensions

In Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy > Clear Browsing Data. Select cookies and cached images for all time.

In Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Clear Data.

Disable all active browser extensions, especially privacy or ad-blocking add-ons. Refresh the page.

Update or Edit Hosts File

For Windows: Open the Notepad as the Administrator. Then edit:

C:/Windows/System32/drivers/etc/hosts file.

Remove or comment out any entry for the affected site.

For Mac or Linux: Edit the following in a similar fashion:

Mac or Linux: /etc/hosts

Check Domain Status

Use a WHOIS lookup tool to confirm that the domain registration has not lapsed. Expired or suspended domains cannot be resolved.

Reset Network Stack (Windows)

Open Command Prompt as Administrator. Run:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset

Restart the computer after running both commands.

Temporarily Disable Firewall or Antivirus

Turn off security software briefly.
Windows Defender: Virus & Threat Protection > Manage settings > Real-time protection “Off”
Test the site and re-enable security immediately after.

Disable DNSSEC (Advanced users, Admins)

If your domain uses DNSSEC, log in to your DNS host and turn it off to rule out signature errors or propagation problems.

Update Network Drivers

Open Windows Device Manager, expand “Network adapters,” right-click, and select “Update driver.”

Browser or System Quirks

Use domains ending in .localhost or .test for local development. Do not use .dev unless you have HTTPS enforced and a dedicated DNS record, as .dev now requires HTTPS and proper DNS since Google took ownership.

Propagate DNS Changes

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours. During this time, local and upstream caches may serve old records.

Examples and Edge Scenarios

Developers using .dev domains for localhost work have seen ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED since Google’s enforcement of HTTPS-only policies for this TLD.

Android emulator users have reported this error when the system lacked a working connection or proper IPv6 configuration. Switching development to .test resolved these failures.

Stack Overflow threads show many user cases fixed by switching DNS servers or clearing browser cache. Microsoft Answers has reports where flushing DNS fixed login and loading errors after domain moves.

Statistical Notes

Hostwinds support tickets attribute about 43 percent of these errors to local cache problems, which are resolved by flushing the cache. Twelve percent involve IPv6 misconfiguration on Windows 10 machines. Most other cases involve DNS at the ISP or hosting provider level.

Advanced Notes

Corporate environments may deprioritize DNS packets or use nonstandard routing, causing delays. Packet capture with tools like Wireshark can reveal where lookups fail. Some routers with outdated firmware cause random DNS failures; updates fix these errors.

SSL certificate mismatches can also surface as DNS errors in browser logs if the certificate only covers www subdomains but the root domain is queried.

Content delivery networks may cache old DNS entries, making new domains slow to appear without a cache purge on their dashboard.

Related Tools

MXToolbox and DNSWatch allow external lookup for DNS diagnosis.
WHOIS tools confirm registration status.
Wireshark and packet capture utilities show DNS queries and network responses.

Flush DNS caches regularly in network environments where domains change often or if failures appear after repeated working use.

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