Troubleshooting: Unable to Browse to a Website in Google Chrome

Verify the Website Address

• Carefully re‑type the website address (URL) in the address bar.
• Look for:
  • Spelling mistakes
  • Missing .com, .org, etc.
  • Extra characters or spaces
• Try copying and pasting the link again if it was provided to you.

✅ If the site loads after correcting the address, no further action is needed.

Check if Other Websites Work

• Try opening a few well‑known websites such as:
  • https://www.google.com
  • https://www.microsoft.com

Results:

• ✅ Other sites work → The issue may be specific to that website.
• ❌ No sites work → Continue to Step 3.

Check Your Internet Connection

• Confirm you are connected to the correct network (Wi‑Fi or wired).
• If using Wi‑Fi:
  • Check the Wi‑Fi icon in the system tray
  • Disconnect and reconnect to the network
• If possible, try switching networks (for example, from Wi‑Fi to wired or vice‑versa).

✅ Once reconnected, try the website again.

Refresh and Restart Chrome

1. Press Ctrl + F5 (forces a full refresh).
2. Close all Chrome windows.
3. Reopen Chrome and try the website again.

✅ If the site loads, the issue was likely a temporary browser problem.

Try Incognito Mode/Private Mode

This helps determine if extensions or cached data are causing the issue.

1. Open Chrome
2. Click the three dots (⋮) in the top‑right corner
3. Select New Incognito Window
4. Try browsing to the website

Results:

• ✅ Works in Incognito → An extension or cached data may be causing the problem.
• ❌ Still does not work → Continue to the next step.

Clear Chrome Cache (Quick Version)

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete
2. Set Time range to All time
3. Check:
   • ✅ Cached images and files
4. Click Clear data
5. Restart Chrome and try again

⚠️ This will not delete bookmarks or saved passwords.

Check for Error Messages

Take note of any message shown in Chrome, such as:

• “This site can’t be reached”
• “DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN”
• “ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT”

These messages are helpful for IT troubleshooting—include them in your ticket if the issue continues.

Try Another Browser (If Available)

If you have another browser installed (Edge, Safari):

• Open the same website there

Results:

• ✅ Works in another browser → Likely a Chrome‑specific issue
• ❌ Fails in all browsers → May be a network or website outage