DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN: what it means and how to fix it

Common causes

1. 1

   The name is misspelled, or the domain is not registered or has expired.

2. 2

   The domain has no A, AAAA or CNAME record for the exact name you typed. A common case is a missing record for www.

3. 3

   The name servers at the registrar do not match the DNS host, or a recent change has not reached every resolver yet.

4. 4

   Your computer, router or provider holds an old failed answer in its DNS cache.

5. 5

   A VPN, proxy, security program or a line in the hosts file changes how names are resolved.

If you are visiting the site: how to fix it

1. 1

   Check the spelling of the address, and try another site to see if the problem is only this one.

2. 2

   Try another network, for example a phone hotspot. If the site loads there, the problem is in your network or your DNS settings.

3. 3

   Clear the DNS cache. On Windows run ipconfig /flushdns in a Command Prompt. On macOS run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. In Chrome you can also open chrome://net-internals/#dns and choose Clear host cache.

4. 4

   Change your DNS servers to a public resolver such as 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8, then reload the page.

5. 5

   Turn off a VPN or proxy for a moment, then restart your router.

If you run the site: what to check

1. 1

   Check that the domain is registered and not expired. A domain that has expired can stop resolving.

2. 2

   Check that the name servers at your registrar are the ones of your DNS host.

3. 3

   Check that the exact name has a record. Add an A or AAAA record, or a CNAME, for both example.com and www.example.com if you use both.

4. 4

   After a change, wait for the old TTL to pass. A resolver can also keep a “no such domain” answer for the time set in the SOA record, so a name you just created can stay missing for a while.

5. 5

   Compare Cloudflare, Google and Quad9. If only some of them fail, the change is still spreading.

Check it with free tools

• DNS lookupSee the records of the name on three public resolvers.
• DNS propagation checkerSee if the resolvers agree after a change.
• Domain expiry checkerSee if the domain has expired.
• WHOIS lookupSee the registrar, the dates and the name servers.

Frequently asked questions

What does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN mean?

The DNS server answered NXDOMAIN, which means that the domain name does not exist as far as it knows. The browser cannot find an IP address for the site, so it cannot connect.

Is DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN a problem with my computer or with the website?

It can be either. If other sites load and this one does not, and the site also fails on another network, the problem is with the site or its DNS. If the site loads on another network, the problem is in your network, your DNS cache or your DNS settings.

How do I fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Windows or Mac?

Clear the DNS cache (ipconfig /flushdns on Windows, dscacheutil -flushcache on macOS), switch to a public DNS server such as 1.1.1.1, turn off any VPN, and restart the router. If the site still fails, the fault is on the site’s side.

Why does a new website show NXDOMAIN?

The DNS record may not exist yet, or the name servers at the registrar may not be set. A resolver that already looked up the name can also keep the “no such domain” answer for a while. Check the record with a DNS lookup, then wait for the cached answer to expire.

Know about it before your visitors do

Uptrack checks a DNS record on a schedule and alerts you when it changes or stops resolving, so you learn about a broken record before your visitors report it.