9 Ways to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_RESET in Google Chrome

The ERR_CONNECTION_RESET message is a common and frustrating error associated with Google Chrome. However, the cause and solutions for this error remain relatively unknown.

In this article, we’ll explain what the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error is and 8 fixes that should prevent the error from recurring in your browser. We’ll start with the simplest fixes and move down into the more time-consuming solutions, so start at the top and work your way down.

What Causes the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Error in Google Chrome?

If you receive the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error in Chrome, this message tells you that the site can’t be reached and to check your network connection, proxy, and firewall, or try running Windows Network Diagnostics to fix the issue.

The error simply means that your browser was unable to establish a working connection with the website that you tried to load. When this happens, the connection is “reset”, preventing data from reaching your browser.

This could be caused by several factors, most notably those which affect your internet connection. For example, you may have one of the following problems:

1. A problem with your virtual private network (VPN)
2. Your firewall or antivirus may be blocking your connection
3. Your proxy settings may be affecting your internet connection
4. Your Google Chrome browser is experiencing a glitch, most probably due to the browser cache

Here’s how you can fix the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

To double-check your internet connection and rule out an issue with your router or network adapter, try to load a website on a different browser on the same computer or a separate device. If the site loads on the same device, the issue likely lies with your browser.

Likewise, you can rule out an issue with your Wi-Fi connection by connecting your computer to the internet via an ethernet cable.

If the site doesn’t load on either device, the issue likely lies with your internet connection. Reboot your router to determine if the error is caused by a temporary glitch. Once the router reconnects to the internet, try to load a web page. If this doesn’t work, you might need to troubleshoot your internet connection further.

2. Clear the Chrome Browser Cache

Faulty Google Chrome cache files can cause glitches with your browser including preventing it from establishing a working connection with websites. Clearing these files can potentially fix your ERR_CONNECTION_RESET problem.

To clear the Chrome browser cache:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Click the three dots in the top-right corner, hover over More Tools and click Clear Browsing Data.

3. Click the Basic tab at the top of the window and tick Cached images and files.

4. Click Clear data and let the browser complete the process.

3. Disable Chrome Extensions

Several Chrome extensions are thought to cause issues with the browser’s functionality, including causing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error. To test whether this is the case, we recommend disabling all of your extensions. If the problem goes away, you can re-enable the extensions one by one to determine which one is at fault.

To disable your extensions:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Type “chrome://settings/” into the address bar and press the enter key.

3. Select Extensions from the left-hand menu.

4. Toggle off each extension.

4. Disable Your Proxy Server or VPN

A proxy server shouldn’t cause issues with your browser’s connection to the internet, but it is possible. Quickly turn off your proxy server as follows to double-check that it isn’t the thing causing the error:

1. Open the Start menu, search for “Control Panel”, and select it.

2. Select Network and Internet.

3. Click Internet Options.

4. Select the Connections tab and click LAN Settings at the bottom of the window.

5. Uncheck “Use a proxy server for your LAN” and tick “Automatically detect settings”.

6. Click OK and then Apply.

If you use a VPN, it may be causing an issue with your internet connection. To check whether this is the case, briefly disconnect your VPN connection and try to reload the webpage in Google Chrome.

Conversely, you may experience the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET Chrome error if your internet service provider (ISP) has blocked a website. To get around this, you can attempt to use a VPN service that encrypts your connection.

5. Reset the Winsock Catalog, Flush the DNS Cache, and Reset Network Settings

The Winsock catalog holds the entries for all connections established on Windows operating systems such as Windows 10. The system application ensures that connections can be made via TCP/IP, but sometimes the catalog gets in the way of a proper connection.

To delete the Winsock catalog entries:

1. Open the Start menu and search for “Command Prompt”.
2. Right-click Command Prompt and click Run as administrator. Click Yes to confirm.

3. Type the following command and press Enter:

netsh winsock reset

4. To reset the TCP/IP stack, type the following command and press Enter:

netsh int ip reset

5. To release your current IP address, type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /release

6. To renew your current IP address, type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /renew

7. To flush your DNS cache, type the following command and press Enter:

ipconfig /flushdns

8. Open Google Chrome and check whether it’s now working properly.

6. Check for Malware

Before moving on to the next step, you should rule out whether malware is causing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error. To do so, use your antivirus (such as Windows Defender) to scan your PC for malicious programs.

Google Chrome also offers a mechanism to detect unwanted programs on your computer. To use this:

1. Open Google Chrome.
2. Press the three dots at the top-right of the window and select the Settings option.
3. Select Reset and clean up.

4. Scroll down and select Clean up computer.

5. Select Find.

6. If Chrome detects any suspicious programs, click Remove on their entry.

7. Disable Antivirus

Occasionally, your antivirus program can recognize safe software as malicious threats to your system. This can result in knock-on effects for your web browser, including causing the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.

To check whether your antivirus software is causing the error, disable it temporarily and try loading a web page. To disable your antivirus, open your System tray, right-click your antivirus and disable it for a short period of time. This option will appear differently depending on which antivirus you use.

To turn off Windows Defender:

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Select Update & Security.

3. Select Windows Security from the left-hand menu.

4. Click Virus & threat protection.

5. Select Manage settings.

6. Toggle off “Real-time protection”.

With your antivirus programs disabled, try to load a web page in Google Chrome. If it loads, you may have to add Google Chrome as an exception in your antivirus programs.

8. Disable Your Firewall

Like your antivirus program, your firewall may categorize your Google Chrome connection requests as suspicious, preventing it from making a connection.

To disable your firewall on Windows 10 or 11:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Select Update & Security.

3. Select Windows Security.

4. Select Firewall & network protection.

5. Select Private network.

6. Toggle off Microsoft Defender Firewall. Repeat for Domain network and Public network.

7. Check whether Google Chrome can now load a web page. If so, add Google Chrome as an exception in your firewall by clicking Allow an app through firewall.

Note: Don’t forget to turn your firewall back on after testing this fix.

8. Reinstall Google Chrome

Compatibility and configuration issues can cause the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error in Google Chrome. If nothing else has worked, reinstalling the program may reset any problems and resolve the error.

To reinstall Google Chrome:

1. Press the Start key, type “Add or remove programs”, then select it from the list.

2. Search for “Google Chrome” and press Uninstall.

3. Head to the Google Chrome website and download and install the Google Chrome client.

Back to Browsing

Hopefully, the above methods have resolved the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error for you and you can get back to browsing. If you continue to experience the error after troubleshooting, we recommend that you give another browser a try, such as Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

source https://helpdeskgeek.com/help-desk/9-ways-to-fix-err_connection_reset-in-google-chrome/