ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

What’s actually happening

The page never connects because Chrome couldn't turn the hostname into an IP. It's broader than a clean NXDOMAIN — you'll see this when the resolver times out, returns nothing usable, or never answers, not only when the name truly doesn't exist. Common on Android. A neighboring site loading fine points at that one name or its DNS; everything failing points at the resolver or the link.

Common causes

• Typo'd or genuinely nonexistent hostname — no A/AAAA record to return
• The configured DNS server is unreachable or timing out (down resolver, blocked port 53, flaky upstream)
• Stale OS or browser DNS cache holding a dead or wrong answer after a record changed
• A VPN or proxy hijacking resolution and failing to answer for the name
• Local hosts-file entry or security tool pointing the name at a dead IP / blackhole

How to fix it

1. Rule out the typo and the recordRe-read the URL, then resolve it independently: nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1 (or dig example.com @1.1.1.1). If a public resolver returns an IP but the browser fails, it's local cache/resolver. If even 1.1.1.1 says NXDOMAIN, the record genuinely isn't there.
2. Flush the cachesBrowser: visit chrome://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache. OS: Windows ipconfig /flushdns; macOS sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. This clears a stale answer left over after a DNS change.
3. Switch to a known-good resolverSet DNS to 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 on the adapter (or the router). If that fixes it, your previous resolver — often an ISP or VPN-injected one — was the failure point.
4. Toggle the VPN / proxyDisconnect any VPN or disable proxy settings and retry. VPN clients commonly push their own DNS and leave it broken on disconnect; turning it off (or restarting it) restores normal resolution.
5. Check the hosts file and DNS-filtering toolsInspect /etc/hosts (or C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts) for a stale line pinning the name to a dead IP, and pause Pi-hole/AdGuard/content filters that may be blackholing it.