Fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Windows

TL;DR

Run these two commands in an elevated Command Prompt, then reload the page:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns

If that doesn't fix it, switch your DNS to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8) — see steps below.

What's happening

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN means the DNS lookup returned NXDOMAIN — "non-existent domain". Your machine queried a DNS server for the IP address of a hostname. The server replied: this domain doesn't exist. Or worse — your machine never reached a DNS server at all.

The most common culprits on Windows:

• Stale or corrupted DNS cache
• DNS server set to an unreachable or slow address (often your router)
• A custom entry in the hosts file blocking or redirecting the domain
• TCP/IP stack misconfiguration after a Windows update or VPN install
• Network adapter in a broken state

Fix 1 — Flush the DNS cache (start here)

Open Command Prompt as Administrator (Win + X → Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)) and run:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /registerdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

You should see "Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache". Reload the failing URL in your browser.

Fix 2 — Switch to a public DNS server

Router DNS can go unresponsive, get overloaded, or silently block domains. Switching to Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google (8.8.8.8) bypasses the router entirely and resolves most cases on the spot.

Via Settings (GUI)

• Open Settings → Network & Internet → Advanced network settings
• Click your active adapter → View additional properties
• Click Edit next to DNS server assignment
• Switch to Manual, enable IPv4
• Set Preferred DNS: 1.1.1.1, Alternate DNS: 1.0.0.1 (Cloudflare) or use 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 (Google)
• Save and reload

Via Command Prompt

First find your adapter name:

netsh interface show interface

Then apply the new DNS (replace "Wi-Fi" with your adapter name):

netsh interface ipv4 set dns name="Wi-Fi" static 1.1.1.1 primary
netsh interface ipv4 add dns name="Wi-Fi" 1.0.0.1 index=2

Flush the cache again after changing DNS:

ipconfig /flushdns

Fix 3 — Reset the TCP/IP and Winsock stack

VPN software, broken Windows updates, or malware can corrupt low-level network settings. A full stack reset clears those corrupted entries at the source:

netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Restart your computer after running these commands. The changes require a reboot to take effect.

Fix 4 — Check the hosts file

The hosts file can silently redirect or block domains before DNS is even consulted. Open it in Notepad (run as Administrator):

notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Look for any line containing the domain you're trying to reach. If you find an entry like:

0.0.0.0 example.com

Comment it out by adding # at the start, save, and retry. Malware and ad-blockers both commonly inject entries here.

Fix 5 — Disable and re-enable the network adapter

Sometimes the adapter gets stuck in a state where DNS queries time out even though the internet connection appears active.

• Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager)
• Expand Network adapters
• Right-click your active adapter → Disable device
• Wait 5 seconds, then right-click again → Enable device

Or via Command Prompt (replace adapter name as needed):

netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" disable
netsh interface set interface "Wi-Fi" enable

Fix 6 — Check if it's only affecting one domain

Quick test — can you reach other sites?

ping 8.8.8.8
nslookup google.com
nslookup google.com 1.1.1.1

• If ping 8.8.8.8 works but nslookup fails → DNS server is the problem (Fix 1 or 2)
• If ping 8.8.8.8 fails → broader connectivity issue, check your router or ISP
• If nslookup domain.com 1.1.1.1 works but your browser doesn't → clear browser DNS cache too

Clear Chrome's internal DNS cache

Chrome has its own DNS cache, completely separate from Windows. Go to:

chrome://net-internals/#dns

Click Clear host cache. Then go to the Sockets tab and click Flush socket pools.

Verification

Done? Run a quick check to confirm DNS resolution is working:

nslookup github.com
nslookup google.com

You should see an Address: line with a valid IP. If you changed DNS servers, verify the right one is active:

ipconfig /all

Find your adapter in the output and confirm DNS Servers shows 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8.

Tips

On a corporate VPN or a dev environment with custom DNS zones? The problem might be subnet- or routing-related rather than pure DNS. The Subnet Calculator on ToolCraft lets you quickly verify CIDR ranges and check whether a host IP falls within the expected network. It runs entirely in the browser — no data uploaded, no account needed. Handy when you're already on a restricted or firewalled network.

Still broken?

• Try a different browser to rule out browser-specific DNS caching
• Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus DNS filtering
• If you're using a VPN, disconnect it — some VPNs override DNS settings and don't restore them properly on disconnect
• Run sfc /scannow in an elevated prompt to repair corrupted Windows system files that might affect networking