What to Do About ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error in Chrome

ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED is one of the common problems experienced by Chrome users while browsing through any website. Because this is a connectivity problem, basically, this means the requested website has refused the request to establish a connection with your endpoint. But there are ways to fix this bug, which was somewhat irritating for Chrome users.

What Is ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error in Chrome?

A connection refusal error means that the browser cannot reach the server of a particular website. These may occur due to a few reasons: either network connectivity issues, configuration in the browser, or some server errors from the website that is hosting. Examples are ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED in Google Chrome.

What Causes ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error in Chrome?

Following are some of the causes:

The server of the website is off or experiencing some issues.
Some incorrect proxy settings are preventing continuation of the connection.
Browser cache and cookies interfere with the loading of the page.
The site is not allowing firewall or antivirus software to pass through it.
DNS settings or cache might be outdated or incorrect.
Faulty browser extensions are interfering with it.

If you are facing another error like Status_Access_Violation, this article will help you figure out what to do.

How to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED Error in Chrome

Check Whether the Website Is Down

If you experience any issues, first check to make sure that the problem isn’t at the website itself. Try checking with third-party tools like DownDetector or IsItDownRightNow if the site is down. If it is, then there’s nothing you can do but wait for it to get fixed.

Restart Your Router

Temporary network connectivity issues are usually fixed by restarting the router.

Switch off your router by disconnecting it from the power source.
Wait for 30 seconds and connect again.
Check the website when your router restarts.

Clear Your Browser’s Cache

Sometimes, files and cookies that have been cached in your browser can be the reason for poor connectivity.

Open Chrome and enter Settings > Privacy and Security > Clear Browsing Data.
Cookies and Other Site Data
Cached Images and Files.
Click Clear Data and reload the problematic website.

Edit Your Proxy Settings

Incorrect proxy settings may block your connection to the internet.

Press Win + R, then type in inetcpl.cpl and press Enter.
Proceed to the Connections tab, then click on LAN Settings.
Under Settings, clear the checkbox that says Use a Proxy Server for Your LAN. Make sure Automatically Detect Settings is checked.
Click OK and restart Chrome.

Disable Firewall and Antivirus Temporarily

Sometimes, your security software may be blocking a safe website.

Turn off your antivirus and firewall temporarily.
Check to see if the problem is resolved. If the error clears, revisit your antivirus and firewall settings to make sure the website is not blocked.
Remember to restore your security after testing.

Clear Your DNS Cache

If it sounds like an unfamiliar step to you-clear the DNS cache-don’t worry, it’s simple, and that’s often how such problems get sorted out. Your operating system and your browser both cache temporary DNS entries for faster page loads. That is, whenever the latter cached entries become obsolete or do not reflect the current state of a website, connection errors are achieved.

Here’s how to clear your DNS cache, depending on your operating system:

On Windows:

Press the Windows key to open the Start menu.
In the search box, type cmd and press Enter to open the Command Prompt.
Open the Command Prompt and execute the following commands one by one, writing and pressing Enter:
ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
You will notice, once done, that it has flushed the DNS resolver cache successfully.

On macOS:

Open the Finder toolbar and click Go > Utilities or press Shift + Command + U.
Open Terminal from the Utilities folder.
You must paste the following in Terminal and then press Enter: sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder && echo macOS DNS Cache Reset
At this prompt, enter your admin password, then wait for the process to complete itself.

Having cleared the DNS cache, try to access the website again. If the error persists, further DNS troubleshooting may be needed.

Edit Your DNS Address

Changing your DNS server to a public DNS, such as Google’s, can resolve connection issues.

Press Windows + R, type ncpa.cpl, and hit Enter.
Right-click your active network connection and choose Properties.
Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties.
Choose Use the Following DNS Server Addresses and enter the following:
- Preferred DNS server: 8.8.8.8
- Alternate DNS server: 8.8.4.4
Click OK and restart your computer.

Disable Your Chrome Browser Extensions

Faulty extensions can interfere with browsing. Open Chrome and go to Settings > Extensions. Flip the toggles off to disable all of the extensions. Restart Chrome and test the website. Once it does load, start reenabling your extensions one at a time to determine which one is the culprit.

Reinstall the Chrome Browser

If none of above methods work, consider reinstalling Chrome to resolve any potential browser issues.

Go to Settings > Apps > Installed Apps, and uninstall Chrome; or, on older versions of Windows: Settings > Programs and Features.
Go to the Chrome website and download the latest version.
Install Chrome and see if the problem has gone away.