CheckWebsiteNow

Address lookup (DNS) errors

DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN

The address book of the internet says this website name does not exist.

Quick answer

Chrome checked whether your DNS service works, and it does. So the problem is the name itself: DNS reports that it does not exist. This is often a typo, an expired domain or a missing record.

When to wait: Only if you just changed DNS records; otherwise the name needs fixing.

If you are visiting the website

  1. Check the spelling and the ending NXDOMAIN (non-existent domain) is the DNS answer for a name that has no entry. Check every letter, the ending (.com, .net, .de) and whether the address needs www in front.
  2. Search for the site instead Search for the company or service name and use the link from the results. Sites sometimes move to a new domain and the old one stops existing.
  3. Try another device or browser Open the same address on your phone or in a different browser. This shows whether the problem is your device or the website.
  4. Clear remembered lookups If the domain was only just created or fixed, your device may still remember the old 'does not exist' answer. Clearing the DNS cache makes it ask again.
    Windows
    Open Command Prompt and run: ipconfig /flushdns. Then in Chrome open chrome://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache (Edge: edge://net-internals/#dns).
    macOS
    In Terminal run: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder. Then in Chrome open chrome://net-internals/#dns and click Clear host cache.
    Android
    Turn Airplane mode on and off again, or restart the phone. Then reload the page.
    iPhone and iPad (iOS)
    Turn Airplane Mode on and off in Control Center, or restart the iPhone. Then reload the page.
  5. Cross-check with a public resolver Very rarely, a network's own DNS service wrongly says a name does not exist. A public resolver gives a second opinion. Write down your current DNS settings first so you can undo the change.
    Windows
    Quick test without changing settings: open Command Prompt and run nslookup example.com 1.1.1.1 with the real address. 'Non-existent domain' there means the name really is missing.
    macOS
    System Settings > Network > your connection > Details > DNS. Add 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 with the + button, click OK and reload.
    Android
    Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS > Private DNS provider hostname, enter one.one.one.one or dns.google and tap Save.
    iPhone and iPad (iOS)
    Settings > Wi-Fi > (i) next to your network > Configure DNS > Manual > Add Server, enter 1.1.1.1 and tap Save.

If you run the website

  1. Check the domain at your registrar Confirm it is registered, renewed and uses the right nameservers. An expired domain stops resolving until it is renewed.
  2. Ask the world's resolvers directly Run dig @1.1.1.1 shop.example.com and dig @8.8.8.8 shop.example.com with the exact name visitors use. If the header shows status: NXDOMAIN, the name is missing from the zone the internet sees.
  3. Check the delegation Run dig example.com NS +short and compare it with the nameservers at your DNS host. Records added at a DNS host that the registrar does not point to are invisible.
  4. Add the missing record Create the A, AAAA or CNAME record for the exact name visitors use, including www and every subdomain you link to.
  5. Expect a short delay after fixing Resolvers also remember 'does not exist' answers for a while (negative caching, timed by the zone's SOA record). Some visitors may see the error briefly after you add the record.

What NXDOMAIN tells you

Chrome ran a second test (a DNS probe) to check that your DNS service answers normally. It does, so your connection is not the problem. The service gave a definite answer: the name you typed has no entry.

What this error is not

It is not a blocked website and not a crashed server. The browser never reached any server, so reloading again and again will not help. Only a corrected address, or a fix by the domain owner, makes the page appear.

For developers: what happens technically

NXDOMAIN is DNS response code 3 (name error). It applies to the exact name queried, so example.com can work while www.example.com returns NXDOMAIN. Check each hostname you link to, including redirect targets.

Common questions

Has the website been shut down?

Maybe, but not always. The domain may have expired, moved to a new name, or be missing a record for the part you typed. Search for the company name to find its current site.

Why does the main site work but a subdomain shows NXDOMAIN?

Each name, like shop.example.com, needs its own DNS record. If only the main name has one, the subdomain does not exist as far as DNS is concerned.

I just registered my domain. Why do I still get NXDOMAIN?

Your registrar must point the domain to nameservers, and those nameservers need records for the name. Resolvers may also remember the earlier 'does not exist' answer for a short time. Clear your own DNS cache and check again with dig against a public resolver.

Can changing my DNS server fix NXDOMAIN?

Only if your network's DNS service gives a wrong answer, which is uncommon. If public resolvers like 1.1.1.1 also say the name does not exist, the fix lies with the domain owner.

Likely causes

  • Common A typo in the address. (Your side)
  • Common The domain expired or was never set up. (Website side)
  • Sometimes The subdomain (for example shop.) has no DNS record. (Website side)

Is the website down? Check it now

One measurement point. Results explain what we saw, not a worldwide verdict.

Sources

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