This Site Can't Be Reached – What It Means and How to Fix It

'This site can't be reached' in Chrome means a connection couldn't be established. Here's how to identify the specific cause and fix it quickly.

Does this happen on one site or many?

One specific website

That site is down, or your DNS can't resolve it.

Next step: Check downdetector.com for reports. Try pinging the domain in Command Prompt: ping sitename.com. If it times out for everyone, the site is down.

Multiple or all websites

Your internet connection or DNS has failed.

Next step: Restart your router. Then open Command Prompt and run: ipconfig /flushdns — followed by: ipconfig /renew — to reset your network connection.

Only in Chrome — other browsers work fine

Chrome's network stack or cache is corrupted.

Next step: Open an Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N) and test. If it works, clear Chrome's cache: Settings → Privacy and security → Clear browsing data.

Frequently asked questions

Is 'This site can't be reached' the same as the site being down?
Not always. It appears whenever Chrome can't connect — the site could be down, or the problem could be your local DNS, your router, a firewall, or your internet connection. Test on a different device or network to distinguish site-down from local-problem.
Can a VPN cause 'This site can't be reached'?
Yes, frequently. VPNs route your traffic through different servers and can block certain sites or slow DNS enough to trigger this error. Disconnect your VPN and test — if the site loads, your VPN's routing or DNS settings are the cause.
How do I know if the problem is just me or everyone?
Visit downdetector.com or isitdownrightnow.com and search for the site. If others are reporting it down, wait for the site to recover. If only you're affected, the issue is local to your device or network.
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