Fix DNS Server Not Responding Error in Windows

You're sitting there, trying to load a website in Chrome or Firefox, and instead of the page you get a message like "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET" or "Your DNS server might be unavailable." On Windows 10 or 11, the network icon in the system tray might show a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark. Hovering over it says "No internet access," but other devices in the house—like your phone or tablet—are browsing just fine. That's a dead giveaway the problem is specific to your PC, not your router or modem.

The root cause is almost always the DNS client on your machine. DNS (Domain Name System) is like the phonebook of the internet. When you type a website address, your computer asks a DNS server for the IP address. If that request fails—either because the DNS server address is wrong, the DNS client service is stuck, or the cache has corrupted data—you get the error. In my years on the help desk, nine times out of ten, the fix is a simple cache flush or a service restart. Don't bother reinstalling your network drivers or calling your ISP yet.

Before You Start

Check your router—are other devices online? If not, the problem's at the router level. Power cycle your router and modem: unplug both, wait 30 seconds, plug the modem back in first, then the router. Wait for the lights to settle. If that doesn't fix it, come back here. Also, run a quick check: click the network icon, pick Network & Internet settings, then Change adapter options. Right-click your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet), choose Properties, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4). Make sure both "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically" are selected. If they aren't, that's likely your issue—set them to auto and click OK.

Fix 1: Flush the DNS Cache

Corrupted cache entries are the number one cause of this error on Windows. Here's the fix.

Press Windows Key + R on your keyboard. The Run dialog opens.
Type cmd and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter. This opens Command Prompt as Administrator. You'll see a User Account Control prompt—click Yes.
In the black command window, type ipconfig /flushdns and press Enter. You should see the message: "Windows IP Configuration. Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache."
Now type ipconfig /registerdns and press Enter. Wait a few seconds—it'll refresh your DNS registration.
Type ipconfig /renew and press Enter. This renews your IP address. It might take 10-15 seconds to complete. You'll see a list of network adapters with new IPs.
Finally, type netsh winsock reset and press Enter. You'll get a message to restart your computer. Don't restart yet—do the next step first.
Type netsh int ip reset and press Enter. Again, it will ask for a restart. Now reboot your computer.

After the restart, try loading a website. If that didn't work, move on to Fix 2.

Fix 2: Restart the DNS Client Service

The DNS Client service can hang or crash. Manually restarting it often brings things back.

Press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
In the list of services, scroll down to DNS Client. Right-click it and select Stop. Wait 10 seconds.
Right-click it again and choose Start. The status column should show "Running."
Close the Services window. Test your browser.

Fix 3: Switch to a Public DNS Server

Sometimes your ISP's DNS server is the problem—it's slow, overloaded, or blocking certain sites. This fix works on Windows 10 and 11.

Open Control Panel (search for it in the Start menu).
Click Network and Sharing Center.
On the left, click Change adapter settings.
Right-click your active network connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet) and choose Properties.
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
Choose Use the following DNS server addresses.
Enter these values:
- Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
- Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
Click OK, then Close.
Now flush the DNS cache again using the steps from Fix 1 (just the ipconfig /flushdns part is enough this time).
Try the website.

Google's DNS is reliable and fast. If you prefer another option, Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 also work great. I've used both for years.

Fix 4: Check Your Antivirus or VPN

Some security software includes a "secure DNS" feature that can mess with your settings. If you have a third-party antivirus like Norton, McAfee, or Bitdefender, temporarily disable its web protection or network firewall. Same goes for VPN clients—disconnect the VPN and disable the VPN adapter in Network Connections. Then test the browser. If the error goes away, you know the culprit. You can either configure that software to allow DNS requests or uninstall it if you don't need it.

If It Still Fails

You've tried all four fixes and the error's still there. Here's what to check next:

Run the Windows Network Troubleshooter. Right-click the network icon in the system tray and select Troubleshoot problems. It'll scan and may auto-fix something. It's worth a shot, even if you hate wizards.
Check for malware. Some malware replaces system DNS settings to redirect traffic. Run a full scan with Windows Defender or Malwarebytes.
Update your network adapter driver. Open Device Manager (right-click Start > Device Manager). Expand Network adapters. Right-click your adapter and choose Update driver > Search automatically for drivers. Reboot after.
Try a different browser. If Chrome says the DNS is unavailable, try Firefox or Edge. If they work, the problem might be browser-specific—clear your browser cache and reset its network settings.
Boot into Safe Mode with Networking. Restart your PC, hold Shift while clicking Restart, then go to Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart. Press 5 for Safe Mode with Networking. If the error goes away in Safe Mode, something in your startup programs (like a firewall or third-party service) is blocking DNS.

In rare cases, the network adapter itself is faulty. If you've done all this and you're still stuck, try a USB Wi-Fi adapter—they're cheap and rule out hardware failure. Good luck.