To fix certain websites not opening in Chrome, correct the address, reload without cached content, then check extensions and clear the affected site's data. Blocked cookies, site permissions, DNS settings, and website security errors can also stop individual sites from working.
The short version
- Start small: Correct the address and reload before changing settings.
- Compare browsers: Open the same address in another desktop browser to help identify whether the failure is specific to Chrome.
- Check the session: A site that works in Incognito points toward normal-session cookies or extensions.
- Match the error: Follow the relevant clock, DNS, or certificate fix when Chrome shows an error.
| Check or fix | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Correct the address | One website fails to open |
| Reload without cached content | A desktop page still fails after reloading |
| Compare another browser | You need to narrow down the cause |
| Restart Chrome | Desktop Chrome keeps failing to load pages |
| Update desktop Chrome | Check for an available browser update |
| Update through Google Play | You use Chrome on Android |
| Update through the App Store | You use Chrome on iPhone or iPad |
| Try Incognito | Check whether the normal session is involved |
| Disable extensions | An extension may be interfering |
| Delete one site's desktop data | Only that site's normal session fails |
| Delete one site's Android cookies | You want to target the affected site |
| Clear desktop cache and cookies | Broader browsing data needs clearing |
| Clear Android cache and cookies | The targeted cookie deletion did not help |
| Clear iPhone or iPad browsing data | You need to remove selected browsing data |
| Review site permissions | Page components or local web apps fail |
| Allow JavaScript | Script-dependent content fails |
| Temporarily allow third-party cookies | An embedded sign-in or cross-site feature breaks |
| Add a cookie exception | A specific site needs third-party cookies |
| Compare another network | A site fails on an Apple device |
| Complete public Wi-Fi sign-in | Chrome displays a network connection prompt |
| Restart the modem and router | The failure appears related to your connection |
| Review Chrome Secure DNS | A custom provider causes lookup failures |
| Review Android Private DNS | A custom system DNS hostname causes failures |
| Correct the device clock | Chrome shows a clock or certificate date error |
| Escalate certificate or server errors | An administrator or website owner must repair the cause |
| Try a fresh profile | A desktop profile may be involved |
| Reset Chrome settings | Earlier Chrome fixes have failed |
Check the address and reload the page
Check the website address for spelling errors, correct them, then select Reload this page. Open other websites to establish whether the problem affects only that address or extends beyond it.
On desktop Chrome, reload without using cached content by pressing Ctrl + Shift + R on Windows or Linux, or Command + Shift + R on Mac. Open the same address in another installed browser if it still fails. When it works there, continue with Chrome-specific fixes; when it fails there too, move to the connection and error checks below.
Restart Chrome and check for updates
On Windows, open More > Exit, then reopen Chrome. On Mac, choose Chrome > Quit Google Chrome, then reopen it. On a Chromebook, close the Chrome window and reopen Chrome from Launcher.
To check for Chrome updates on Windows or Mac, open More > Help > About Google Chrome. Let Chrome check for updates, then select Relaunch when offered. On Linux, update through your package manager; on a Chromebook, update ChromeOS.
On Android, open Play Store, tap your profile icon, then select Manage apps & device. Under Updates available, find Chrome and tap Update. On iPhone or iPad, open App Store > Profile, find Chrome under Available Updates, and tap Update; enter your Apple ID password if requested.
Check Incognito and browser extensions
On desktop Chrome, select More > New Incognito window and visit the affected website. If it opens, investigate cookies in your regular session and installed extensions. Failure in Incognito is inconclusive because third-party cookies are blocked there by default. If supervision or an organizational policy restricts Incognito, continue with the extension checks available to you.
Open More > Extensions > Manage extensions, then turn extensions off and reload the website. Include blockers and browser VPN extensions in this check. Restore extensions individually, reloading each time to identify any extension causing the failure.
Clear data for the affected website
Deleting the affected site's stored data removes that data, and deleting its cookies can sign you out of the website. On desktop Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies > See all site data and permissions. Search for the domain, select its Delete icon, then select Delete and retry the site.
Deleting a site's cookies on Android removes those cookies and can sign you out of that website. Visit the affected site, then open More > Site controls > Cookies. Beside the stored data, tap Delete, then try the page again.
Broader deletion removes the selected cached files and cookies, and cookie deletion can sign you out of websites. On desktop Chrome, open More > Delete browsing data, choose All time, and check Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data. Leave unrelated categories unselected, select Delete data, then reload the affected page.
On Android, clearing these categories removes cached files and cookies and can sign you out of websites. Open More > Delete browsing data > More options and choose the time range. Check Cookies and site data and Cached images and files, then tap Delete data.
On iPhone or iPad, deleting browsing data removes the categories you select. Open More > Delete Browsing Data, set Time Range, then open Browsing Data and select the unwanted data categories. Tap Confirm, then tap Delete Browsing Data and retry the website.
Review permissions and blocked cookies
When a desktop page opens but its forms, videos, or other components fail, check the relevant permission. Beside the address, select View site information > Site settings. Review the setting related to the failure, such as Images, JavaScript, or Local network access for a local web app.
For pages that depend on scripts, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Javascript. Select Sites can use Javascript, then reload the affected page.
For a broken embedded sign-in or another cross-site feature on desktop, select Third-party cookies blocked in the address bar. Turn on Third-party cookies, then close the dialog to reload the page. This exception lasts 90 days in regular browsing or until the Incognito session ends.
You can also add a desktop exception through More > Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies. Under Sites allowed to use third-party cookies, select Add, enter the address, and select Add again. On Android, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Third-party cookies > + Add site exception.
Check the network connection
When the same address fails in another desktop browser, investigate the website or network. On a Mac, iPhone, or iPad, test another network to help narrow down the failure. If Chrome displays Connect to network on public Wi-Fi, select Connect and complete the network's sign-in.
For a consumer modem and router connection, disconnect power from the modem and router and wait about one minute. Reconnect the modem and wait for it to initialize, then reconnect the separate router. Retry the website once the connection is back.
Check custom DNS settings
If you use a custom Secure DNS provider and encounter lookup failures, change the provider or turn the feature off for a test. On desktop Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Security > Advanced > Use secure DNS.
On Android Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Use secure DNS. On a Chromebook, use Manage secure DNS in ChromeOS settings. Managed or supervised devices may restrict these controls; if yours does, continue with the other applicable checks.
Android also has a system Private DNS setting. If a custom hostname is causing failures, open the device's Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS, select Automatic, and tap Save. Manufacturer menus differ, so search Settings for Private DNS when that path differs on your device.
Follow the specific security error
For NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID or a clock warning, open your device's date and time settings and correct the date and time. Retry the affected page after correcting the clock on your computer or mobile device.
For a managed HTTPS proxy certificate error, contact your administrator. For ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH or another server-security failure, contact the website owner to repair the server configuration. Resetting Chrome cannot repair that kind of server problem.
Reset Chrome settings as a last step
On Windows, macOS, or Linux, you can use a fresh profile as a diagnostic comparison because Chrome profiles keep settings separate. Select Profile > Add Chrome profile, create the profile, and try the affected address before restoring extensions and account settings. A difference between profiles suggests checking the original profile's settings and extensions.
Resetting desktop Chrome resets extensions, site settings, and other affected settings, while bookmarks and saved passwords remain. Open More > Settings > Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults, then select Reset settings. Retry the website afterward; if the same address also fails in another browser, return to the website or network checks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should you do if Chrome marks an extension as corrupted?
Open More > Extensions > Manage extensions and select Repair on the corrupted extension. Select Repair extension to complete the repair.
Why does a website open but its separate login window never appear?
Chrome may have blocked the pop-up containing the login or other content. Select Pop-up blocked in the desktop address bar, then open the listed link. For a persistent exception, select Always allow pop-ups and redirects from [site], with your website shown in place of the placeholder, then select Done.
Can blocked on-device storage stop a website from working?
Yes, blocking local storage or first-party cookies can break sites. On desktop Chrome, open More > Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > Additional content settings > On-device site data. Select Allow sites to save data on your device.
Will installing Flash make an old website work in Chrome?
Installing Flash cannot restore its support in current Chrome. Ask the website owner for an HTML-based replacement.