Fix 'This Site Can't Be Reached' Error in Chrome on Windows

Quick Fix (30 seconds)

Start here. Most of the time this is all you need.

1. Restart your modem and router. Unplug both, wait 30 seconds, plug the modem back in, wait for it to fully boot (lights stabilize), then plug in the router. Once the internet light is solid, try the site again.
2. Check the URL. Seriously, I've seen this error because someone typed htps://example.com instead of https://. Look for typos and make sure you're using the full domain with www if needed.
3. Try a different browser or device. If Edge or your phone loads the page fine, the problem is Chrome-specific. If nothing loads, the issue is your network or the site itself.

If the site still won't load, move to the next section.

Moderate Fix (5 minutes)

These steps clear out the junk that often causes ERR_CONNECTION_RESET.

1. Clear Chrome's cache and cookies

1. Open Chrome. Click the three dots in the top-right corner.
2. Go to More tools > Clear browsing data.
3. In the pop-up, set the time range to All time.
4. Check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files.
5. Click Clear data.

After clearing, restart Chrome and try the site. Expect to be logged out of most sites – that's normal.

2. Flush DNS and renew your IP address

This clears out corrupted DNS entries that can trigger connection resets.

1. Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.
2. In the Command Prompt, run these commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh int ip reset
netsh winsock reset

3. When you run ipconfig /renew, you might see it hang for a few seconds – that's fine. After the last command, close the prompt and restart your PC.

After reboot, try loading the page. If it works, you're done. If not, proceed to the advanced section.

Advanced Fix (15+ minutes)

If you've gotten this far, the basic fixes didn't cut it. Let's dig into Chrome's settings and your system files.

1. Disable Chrome's built-in DNS and QUIC settings

Chrome's experimental features sometimes break connections.

1. In Chrome's address bar, type chrome://flags and press Enter.
2. Press Ctrl + F and search for DNS over HTTPS. Set it to Disabled.
3. Search for Experimental QUIC protocol. Set it to Disabled.
4. Click Relaunch at the bottom of the page.

If the error persists, try step 2.

2. Reset Chrome entirely

This reverts Chrome to its default settings, killing any rogue extensions or corrupt settings.

1. Go to Settings (three dots > Settings).
2. Scroll to the bottom and click Advanced.
3. Under Reset and clean up, click Restore settings to their original defaults.
4. Click Reset settings.

This will disable extensions, clear site permissions, and remove shortcuts. Your bookmarks and history stay. After reset, restart Chrome and test.

3. Check Windows hosts file and proxy settings

A misconfigured hosts file or proxy can cause this error.

1. Open Notepad as administrator (right-click Notepad > Run as administrator).
2. Go to File > Open, paste C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts in the file name box, and click Open.
3. Look for any lines that aren't commented out (starting with #) that mention the site you're trying to reach. If you see something weird, that's the problem. Temporarily delete those lines or comment them out with a # at the start.
4. Save the file and close.

For proxy settings: Go to Windows Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy. Make sure Use a proxy server is off unless you're in a corporate network. If it's on and you don't need it, turn it off.

4. Run a full malware scan

Malware can intercept your traffic and reset connections.

Use Windows Defender (built-in) or a reputable tool like Malwarebytes. Run a full scan, not the quick one. It takes 15-20 minutes but it's worth it.

When the issue is not on your end

Sometimes the website itself is down. Check downforeveryoneorjustme.com – if it says the site is down, that's the answer. Wait a few hours and try again.

If you're on a corporate or school network, the firewall might be blocking the site. Talk to your IT admin before going through all these steps.

The real fix depends on what's causing the reset. When I train technicians, I always tell them: start simple, check the network, then check the browser. You'll solve 90% of ERR_CONNECTION_RESET cases with the first two sections.