On the Internet we can access a practically unlimited number of pages of all kinds. To access a website, you only need a browser and the domain name of the page , which represents its real numerical IP address and that, as such, you must enter in the browser's address bar. The automatic conversion of the domain, known as name resolution, is handled by the so-called DNS servers (Domain Name System or domain name system). If the domain resolution fails, an error will occur that will prevent access to the page. In these cases, the Google Chrome browser will display the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED message..
In the following sections, we explain the causes of domain name resolution failures . In addition, we propose the best solutions to solve the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome.
With the error message ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED, Chrome indicates that it could not find the IP address for the domain entered in the address bar. As this is essential to establish the connection with the web server of the corresponding side, the error is generated, whether you use Chrome on a desktop computer (Windows, macOS, Linux) or on a mobile device (Android, iOS). However, this is not a problem unique to Chrome: other browsers, such as Firefox or Safari, also have to face errors related to the resolution of domain names when trying to access web pages, although they show different messages from the browser of Google..
There can be various reasons why a domain cannot be correctly translated to its IP address. One of the most common causes is that the corresponding DNS server is unavailable (temporarily). In this case, if the browser's cache and the operating system's DNS cache do not contain any records for the website you want to access, then name resolution will not take place. The aforementioned address records in the cache can also cause the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error in Chrome - for example, if the browser wants to respond to a DNS query from the cache, but the IP address has changed since it was saved.
Other problems can be a router failure, improper Internet configuration, Chrome's prediction service to load pages more quickly, malicious software, or malfunctioning security applications..
Due to the wide variety of possible causes for an unresponsive DNS server , we cannot give a universal solution. However, if you want to solve the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error on your own, you will probably get it with one of the proposals that we make below.
Before you start changing Chrome and operating system settings, you should check the router connected to your device. Even if the Internet connection seems to be working without problems, it is possible that it is not the case. Therefore, restarting the network device may be the easiest and fastest solution to resolve the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error. When you do, leave it off for at least 30 seconds by unplugging the power cord. Then plug it back in and connect to the internet again.
If you temporarily disconnect the router from the mains, when you turn it back on it will take a while for it to reboot completely. Therefore, please wait until the light that indicates the status of the Internet / ADSL connection turns green before reopening the web page.
By default, Chrome stores data for all the web pages you visit. This cached information helps to load these pages faster and to automatically fill in addresses as they are typed. As practical as this feature is, it can also get in the way and cause errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED on Android, Windows, and other operating systems. Therefore, you can try deleting all previously saved browsing data to solve the problem. To do this, open the Chrome menu by clicking on the three-dot icon , select the option? More tools ? and then click? Clear browsing data ?:
Now, select the browser data you want to clear from Chrome's cache, making sure to mark the items? Browsing history ? Y ? Cookies and other site data ? Also, in the drop-down list of? Time interval ?, you must select? Since always ?. Otherwise, only the most recent browsing history will be considered. Once you have selected these options, click the button? Clear data ? to confirm:
The browser, the interface with which the user accesses web pages, is usually the only instance that is associated with cached web addresses. The most common operating systems, such as Windows, macOS or Linux, also have a web address book where the domain names of the pages that are visited over time are automatically registered. Like the browser cache, the so-called DNS cache can cause errors like ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED, when a stored address is corrupted or out of date . The solution in this case is to clear the cache, something that is also known as DNS flush.
In Windows 10, the DNS cache can be cleared with a simple command at the command prompt . To do this, open this application by clicking on the button of the same name that appears in the start menu. If you prefer, you can also find it with the search function. After the command prompt is open, enter the following command to clear the DNS cache:
ipconfig /flushdns
After a few seconds, if everything went well, you will get the message that the cache has been emptied .
For more information on DNS cache or instructions for clearing it on other operating systems , see our article on DNS flush.
If neither the browser nor DNS cache is the cause of the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED problem in Windows, it is also worth checking the Winsock interface (also known as Windows Sockets). This application is responsible for providing all the TCP / IP services to the programs that need them and, for this purpose, it creates an entry for all the connections that have been established on any occasion. Sometimes this information prevents us from accessing the web page, so resetting the Winsock file can fix the Chrome browser connection problem. Like flushing the DNS cache, this action can be performed from the command prompt, although in this case you must run the command line as an administrator. To do this, follow these steps:
After starting the Windows command prompt, enter the following command to reset the Winsock database :
netsh winsock reset
Confirm the command with the return key and reboot the system to complete the reset.
If the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED message appears in Chrome because the corresponding DNS server is not available, there won't be much you can do to fix it. In this case, the only option will be to change the DNS server, modifying the DNS address configuration for the IPv4 or IPv6 protocol . For example, Cloudflare's public DNS servers, available under IPv4 addresses 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1, as well as IPv6 addresses 2606: 4700: 4700 :: 1111 and 2606: 4700: 4700 :: 1001, are a good choice. .
On Windows, these DNS records, designed to provide a high level of security and speed, can be set as the default option as follows:
In the Digital Guide, we also explain how to change the DNS server on macOS, iOS, and Android, as well as earlier versions of Windows.
Google Chrome implemented its prediction service to further increase the loading speed in the long term. To achieve this, it automatically collects data on the links of the web pages that have been visited, in order to be able to open the associated pages more quickly in case one of these links is clicked. However, it is also possible that the prediction service causes failures such as the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error, so disabling this Chrome feature may solve the DNS problem.
To disable the prediction feature, first of all, open Chrome options by clicking on the three dots icon and select the item? Configuration ?. On the page that opens, scroll all the way down and click? Advanced settings ? In the section of? Privacy and security ?, look for the option of? Preload pages for faster browsing and searching ? and disable it, moving the cursor to the left:
Also installed security programs can cause Chrome ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error on Android, Windows and other systems. For example, antivirus software or firewalls can prevent access to certain web pages , causing the browser to respond with the error notice. To check if the security applications you use are the cause of this failure, you can temporarily interrupt them. If name resolution works without a problem once disabled, you have found the source of the problem. In this case, you can contact the manufacturer of the software or replace it with another application .
As with many other computer problems, the presence of malicious software on the system can be the cause of the ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED error. For example, malware can change DNS server settings, manipulate browsing history, or prevent name resolution in other ways. For this reason, if the strategies described above are unsuccessful, we recommend that you check your system for a possible malware infection . To do this, use the scanning feature in security software, or, if you prefer, the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT). Please note that this tool is only available on Windows and that it also requires administrator rights.