DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN: fix 'this site can't be reached'

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means your browser asked DNS for the domain's address and got back “no such domain” (NXDOMAIN). There's no server to connect to, because as far as DNS knows, the name doesn't exist. Chrome also shows it as ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED; Firefox says Hmm. We're having trouble finding that site.

For visitors: is it you or the site?

• Check the spelling of the address. One wrong letter is the most common cause.
• Try another device or network. If it works there, the problem is your device's DNS.
• Flush your DNS cache and try again:

ipconfig /flushdns                          # Windows
sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder   # macOS
resolvectl flush-caches                     # Linux (systemd-resolved)

In Chrome you can also clear its own cache at chrome://net-internals/#dns. If it still fails, try a public resolver like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 in your network settings.

For site owners: why your domain doesn't resolve

The domain expired

When a registration lapses, the registrar removes or changes its name servers and the whole domain disappears: website, email, API, all of it. Check the expiry date first.

The record doesn't exist

The domain works, but the hostname doesn't: example.com resolves and www.example.com or app.example.comdoesn't, because nobody created that record. Add an A or CNAME record for the exact name.

Name servers changed

You moved DNS to a new provider (for example to Cloudflare) but didn't copy every record, or the domain's name servers point to a provider where the zone no longer exists.

The domain is on hold

A registry or registrar can suspend a domain (status clientHold or serverHold) over unpaid invoices, failed contact verification or abuse complaints. A held domain doesn't resolve at all.

Check from outside

dig example.com A           # status: NXDOMAIN means the name doesn't exist
dig example.com NS          # which name servers are in charge?
dig @1.1.1.1 www.example.com