ERR_CONNECTION_FAILED, what it means and how to fix it

This is Chrome's fallback diagnosis: the connection attempt failed, but not in a way that matches a more specific error. Because the message itself tells you so little, the fix is a short elimination process that separates a dead site from a dead network from a dead setting on your own machine.

The fix, in order

  1. Try the site on your phone with Wi-Fi off. This single test splits the problem in half. Loads on mobile data: your network or machine. Fails there too: the site or its hosting.
  2. Reload after a minute, then restart the browser. Transient failures and wedged browser network state both clear this way more often than they should.
  3. Restart your router and modem. If several sites fail with assorted connection errors, the router is the shared component and a power cycle is the fastest test.
  4. Turn off VPN and check for a manual proxy. Windows: Settings → Network & internet → Proxy. A proxy or VPN that is down turns every connection into a failure with no useful detail.
  5. Check your firewall and antivirus. Temporarily pause the web protection component and retest. If the site loads, add an exception or update the product; do not leave protection off.
  6. Flush DNS and try a different resolver. Run ipconfig /flushdns on Windows. A resolver returning a dead address produces connection failures that look like server problems.

If it still happens

If the error follows one site across every network and device for more than a day, the service itself is down or has moved, and there is nothing to fix locally. If it follows one computer across networks, scan that machine for malware and check for rogue proxy settings left by adware.

Common questions

Why is ERR_CONNECTION_FAILED so vague? It is the bucket Chrome uses when the failure does not match a named case like refused, reset, or timed out. The operating system reported a failed connection without a classifiable reason, so Chrome reports exactly that and no more.

Is ERR_CONNECTION_FAILED a problem with my computer or the website? Either, which is why the phone test matters. If the site fails on an unrelated network too, it is the website. If it only fails on your machine or network, the cause is local: router, VPN, proxy, firewall, or DNS.

Related errors

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED · ERR_CONNECTION_RESET · ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT