How to Fix “This Site Can’t be Reached” Error in Google Chrome

When browsing through the endless supply of internet websites, you may come across the common error message “This site can’t be reached”. Let us look into this error’s possible causes and the recommended fixes for Google Chrome users. 

If there is a problem with the internet connection or the website in question is under maintenance or taking too long to respond, this error will pop up on the Google Chrome browser.

At the site of an error, most of us will close the webpage and try it again later. This stems from the lack of knowledge about the meaning behind the error. By the end of this post, you should be confident to handle this common issue.

To fix the “This site can’t be reached” error in Google Chrome, you need to reset or repair an issue with your DNS configuration. 

The reason behind Google Chrome “site can’t be reached” error

The biggest reason behind this error is the failure in a DNS lookup. Websites are accessed via their domain name or the URL address through the DNS network.

When searching for a URL address and you hit enter on the Chrome browser, it accesses the website through its Internal Protocol (IP) address.

A DNS network system is the translating element of the connection and it turns a domain name into an IP address.

When the DNS system is not working or if the DNS address is misconfigured, a DNS lookup failure occurs and the error is displayed a “this site can’t be reached”.

Other reasons behind the error are such as; outdated wireless adapters, outdated Chrome browser, cookie corruption, wireless network needing repair, invalid DNS cache, and antivirus software blocking the site.

How to fix the “this site can’t be reached” error in Google Chrome

The suggestions provided here are for Windows computers or PC users. There are different recommendations for resolving the issue on Android and Mac platforms.

Clear Browser Cache 

This is the easiest method to fix the error on the Chrome browser. Clearing the Browser cache will help determine if the issue is occurring as a result of corrupted cookie files.

At times, Chrome displays cached error pages, and the solution to this is only achieved by clearing the browser history.

To do this; click the three dots situated at the top right-hand corner of the browser and select “more tools” from the list and then click on clear history.

For those who appreciate shortcuts, you may also open up your Chrome browser and tap on the CTRL+SHIFT+DEL keys altogether.

A settings window will pop up and from here, you should select “All-time” under the time range drop-down menu. Proceed to select any unchecked boxes and then click on the clear data button.

Once the deletion is done, try reloading the website again and check for errors.

Reset Google Chrome 

If clearing your cached data doesn’t solve the issue, it could be that it is caused by browsing extensions or settings. To clear the errors, reset your browser to stop the error from recurring.

To reset your Chrome browser, open it up, and choose settings from the menu option (three-dots). Scroll down the list and select Advanced.

In the “Advanced” menu, scroll until you get to the “reset and clean-up” section. Choose to restore settings to the original default and click on reset.

Summary table: Fix “This site cannot be reached” error on Chrome browser 

Issue	Cause	Fix
Chrome Browser error “this site can’t be reached”	Misconfigured DNS DNS client not working Invalid DNS	Reset DNS Restart DNS Flush DNS data
	Cookie Corruption	Clear cached data
	Wireless Network errors	Run Windows Network Troubleshooter
	Slow connection	Clear Browser cache

Change DNS servers

It could help to change the DNS server you use to access the internet. When the connection is slow, it is always advisable to use an alternative.

Find your network icon and right-click on it to select “open network and sharing center”. Click on the “properties of the internet network” to open up details on your network.

Proceed on to find the IP properties section and here you can choose either the Google DNS or the Open DNS. It is advised that you go with the Google provided addresses.

So, where it states “Use the following DNS server address” select the radio button and input 8.8.8.8 as the primary server.

Also, enter 8.8.4.4 as the secondary server box and press OK to apply the changes. Then try loading the website again to check if the error is cleared.

Flush out the DNS cache 

DNS cache can turn invalid and when this happens, the error “site can’t be reached” is shown. To fix it, the old DNS cache must be flushed out and updated to the correct IP address.

In the search or start menu, type in cmd and press enter. In the command prompt window that pops up, type in the following command; ipconfig/flushdns

Once the process is successfully done, a message pops up on the screen to confirm this. Then you may restart the computer to see if the error is gone.

Reset IP address 

Type in cmd in start menu and right-click on it to run system as administrator. Type in these commands; ipconfig/release -> ipconfig/all -> ipconfig/flushdns -> ipconfig/renew ->netsh int ip set dns ->netshwinsock reset

Once finished, restart your computer.

Conclusion

Apart from the solutions discussed above, others such as reinstalling network drivers, restarting the router, updating wireless drivers, and reinstalling Google Chrome are some more alternative fixes to try.

Either way, the resolutions for error “this site can’t be reached” on the Chrome browser abound. Try one after the other as advised until the error is resolved.

FAQ

Why is Chrome showing “This site cannot be reached”?

It very well could be that there is no connection to the internet of there is a misconfigured network. An unresponsive DNS server or firewall could also prevent the Chrome browser from accessing the network.

How can I fix an unresponsive DNS server on Google Chrome?

This can be done by starting your computer in Safe Mode or by disabling your antivirus and firewall temporarily. Alternatively, you may disable secondary connections, peer to peer features, and even restart your router.