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How to fix DNS problems (DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN and more)

Updated 31 October 2026

DNS (the Domain Name System) is the internet’s address book. When you type a website’s name, your device asks a DNS server to look up the numeric address (the IP address) of the computer that hosts it. If that lookup fails, your browser has nowhere to go — even if the website itself is working perfectly.

Common DNS error messages

• DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN (Chrome) — the name couldn’t be found. Often a typo, an expired domain, or a problem with your DNS server.
• “Server IP address could not be found” — the same problem in plainer words.
• “DNS server isn’t responding” (Windows) — your device can’t reach the DNS server at all.
• “Hmm. We’re having trouble finding that site” (Firefox) — the lookup failed.

Step 1: Check whether it’s just you

Run a check on Website Down Now. If our locations can reach the site, the domain exists and the problem is your DNS. If every location says the site couldn’t be reached, the domain may not exist, may be misspelt, or may have expired.

Step 2: Restart your router

Most home networks use your router as their DNS server. Switching it off for 30 seconds and back on fixes a lot of DNS errors.

Step 3: Clear your device’s DNS cache

Your device remembers recent lookups. If it remembered a wrong or out-of-date answer, clearing it forces a fresh lookup.

• Windows: open Command Prompt, type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter.
• Mac: open Terminal, type sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder, press Enter and type your Mac password when asked.
• Chrome: go to chrome://net-internals/#dns and press Clear host cache.
• Phones: switching flight mode on and off, or restarting the phone, clears the cache.

Step 4: Try a public DNS service

If your broadband provider’s DNS is having problems, you can use a free public one instead. Two widely used options are:

• Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
• Google: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

You can change this in your device’s network settings (look for “DNS” under your Wi-Fi connection’s details) or, to cover your whole home, in your router’s settings. Make a note of the original setting first so you can switch back.

Step 5: Turn off VPNs and security filters

VPNs, parental controls and some antivirus tools handle DNS themselves and can block or break lookups. Switch them off briefly to test.

If you run the website

If you’ve recently moved your site or changed its DNS records, other people may still be getting the old answer for a while. How long depends on the “TTL” setting on each record — often minutes or hours, occasionally up to a day or two. Also check that your domain registration hasn’t expired: an expired domain stops working everywhere at once.