DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means your browser asked the internet's phone book for a website's address and got back "no such name found." NXDOMAIN is short for "non-existent domain." It does not necessarily mean the site is gone. Nine times out of ten it is a small local hiccup you can fix in a couple of minutes. Here is how, ordered from most likely to least, with the fixes for regular visitors first and site owners after.
What the error actually means
Every website has a domain name (like example.com) and a numeric address (an IP) behind it. DNS is the system that translates the name into the number. When you see this error, that translation failed and the DNS system reported that the name does not exist.
That failure can come from three places: your own device or network, your DNS resolver, or the domain's own settings. Work through them in that order and you will land on the cause fast.
If you are just trying to visit a site (visitor fixes)
Fix 1: Double-check the address you typed
Sounds obvious, but it is the number one cause. A typo, an extra letter, or a made-up ending (.con instead of .com) produces exactly this error, because that name really does not exist. Retype the address carefully. Try it from a Google search result instead of typing it, to rule out a slip.
Fix 2: Flush your DNS cache
Your computer remembers DNS answers for a while, and sometimes it caches a bad one. Clearing that cache forces a fresh lookup. This fixes the error more often than anything else.
Windows: open Command Prompt and run:
ipconfig /flushdns
Mac: open Terminal and run:
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache
sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
Then close the browser completely and reopen it.
Fix 3: Restart your browser's own cache
Chrome keeps its own internal DNS cache. In the address bar go to:
chrome://net-internals/#dns
Click "Clear host cache," then try the site again.
Fix 4: Switch to a public DNS resolver
If your internet provider's DNS is having a bad day, changing to a reliable public resolver often fixes it instantly. Set your DNS servers to one of these:
- Cloudflare:
1.1.1.1and1.0.0.1 - Google:
8.8.8.8and8.8.4.4
Windows: Settings, Network and Internet, your connection, Edit DNS settings, switch to Manual, enter the addresses above. Mac: System Settings, Network, Details, DNS, add the addresses.
Fix 5: Restart your router and try another device
Reboot your router (unplug 30 seconds, plug back in). Then test the same site on your phone using cellular data, not wifi. If it loads on cellular but not on your home network, the problem is your network, not the website. If it fails everywhere, the problem is the domain itself, which moves us to the owner fixes below.
If it is your own website (site owner fixes)
If you own the domain that is throwing NXDOMAIN, the name genuinely is not resolving, and it is almost always one of these four.
1. The domain expired
The most common and most painful. If a domain lapses, it stops resolving and every visitor gets NXDOMAIN. Log into your registrar and check the expiration date and status. Renew it immediately if it lapsed. It can take a little time to come back after renewal.
2. The nameservers are wrong or missing
Nameservers tell the world which DNS provider is in charge of your domain. If they are blank, pointed at the wrong provider, or were changed during a migration, lookups fail. Check that your domain's nameservers at the registrar match the DNS provider you actually use.
3. There is no A record (or it points nowhere)
The A record is the line that maps your domain to your server's IP address. If it is missing, deleted, or pointing at a dead server, the name will not resolve to a working site. Log into your DNS provider and confirm there is an A record for your domain pointing at the correct IP.
4. You just made a change and it is still propagating
DNS changes are not instant. When you update nameservers or records, the change spreads across the internet over minutes to a couple of hours (sometimes longer, governed by the record's TTL). During that window some people see the site and some get NXDOMAIN. If you just made a change, give it time and recheck.
How to check what is really going on
You can look up a domain's DNS yourself in one command.
Windows:
nslookup yourdomain.com
Mac:
dig yourdomain.com
If it returns an IP address, DNS is working and your problem is local (use the visitor fixes). If it returns "NXDOMAIN" or "can't find," the domain itself is not resolving, and it is one of the four owner issues above.
Quick recap
- Visitor? Check the spelling, flush your DNS cache, clear Chrome's DNS, switch to 1.1.1.1, restart your router. One of those fixes it almost every time.
- Site owner? Check for an expired domain, wrong nameservers, a missing A record, or a recent change still propagating.
If you want to skip the command line, run the free Valla DNS domain check and it will tell you in seconds whether your domain resolves, what its nameservers and A record say, and where the breakdown is, so you know exactly which fix you need instead of guessing.