How to fix “DNS_probe_finished_bad_config” in Chrome 👉

There are a number of issues that could prevent you from loading webpages in Google Chrome, from a broken internet connection to a domain name server (DNS) outage. It can also be caused by a form submit error (err_cache_miss) or, if the problem is not yours, a slow or broken web server that stops responding. But do you know how to fix “DNS_probe_finished_bad_config”?

However, an unfortunate bug in Chrome that could stop the pages from loading is the “dns_probe_finished_bad_config” error. This has several causes, but it usually points to a problem with your domain nameserver configuration. If you want to know how to fix dns_probe_finished_bad_config error, here is what to do.

What is a dns_probe_finished_bad_config error in Google Chrome?

You usually get a “dns_probe_finished_bad_config” error message in Google Chrome when your device’s DNS server can’t resolve the address of a website you’ve tried to visit. In many cases, this is due to some undetected issue with the DNS settings on your device.

This could be due to a DNS server that is offline or no longer responding, or due to misconfigured network settings on your device. For example, if the wrong DNS server configuration is added, Chrome will not be able to load websites, resulting in a dns_probe_finished_bad_config (or similar) error.

This message is device independent and could appear in Chrome on any supported device (including Windows or Mac). Unfortunately, there is no single identifiable cause for this message, but there are some common troubleshooting steps you can take to resolve the issue that should work for most users.

How to fix dns_probe_finished_bad_config error in Google Chrome

There are several ways to fix “dns_probe_finished_bad_config” in Google Chrome. These include:

• Restart your device to clean up your current network connection.
• Reset your Internet connection, including forcefully restarting your network router or modem.
• Use Windows PowerShell or Mac Terminal to reset network settings.
• Switch to a public DNS server.
• Disable any third party ad blocking or web censorship tools or extensions.
• Temporarily disable any third-party antivirus or firewall software.

While these steps are not guaranteed to fix the issue, they should resolve the issue for most users. If you continue to have problems, you may need to troubleshoot your Internet connection further.

Reboot your device and network connection

Before considering changing any settings on your device, a simple solution for many users is to consider a reset (especially for PC or Mac users). Rebooting your device will force it to shut down and re-establish the current connection to your local network which, in some cases, can help fix a broken DNS configuration.

You should also consider restarting your network connection by restarting your network router or Internet modem. You may be able to do this through a web interface or by power cycling your router or modem off and on.

However, if you continue to face DNS issues, you will need to continue with the steps below.

Reset network settings on Windows or Mac

While the dns_probe_finished_bad_config error can occur on any device, Windows and Mac users can reset their network settings to try to resolve it. This involves resetting the TCP/IP stack, having your device erase any current settings, freeing your existing IP address, and establishing a new connection.

on Windows

1. If you’re using Windows, you can do this using Windows PowerShell. Right-click on the Start menu and select the option Windows PowerShell (Admin) to start.

2. in the window of PowerShell type the following commands in sequence to reset your network settings:

• netsh int ip reset
• restart ipv4 netsh interface
• netsh interface ipv6 reset
• netsh advfirewall reset
• netsh winsock reboot
• ipconfig / release
• ipconfig /renew
• ipconfig /flushdns

3. Once you have executed the above commands, restart your PC.

on Mac

1. To quickly reset network settings on Mac, you’ll need to open a new Windows Terminal . You can start it by selecting launch pad > Other > Terminal .

2. In the window Terminal scribe cd /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/ and select Enter to move directories. Once moved, write rm -fferences.plist NetworkInterfaces.plist com.apple.airport.preferences.plist com.apple.wifi.message-tracer.plist to remove your network configuration files, then select Enter to confirm.

3. Scribe sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder; sudo dscacheutil -flushcache to flush your DNS cache, then restart your Mac to confirm the changes. You will need to reconnect to your Wi-Fi network (if you are connected wirelessly) after the reboot.

Switch to alternate DNS servers

Domain name service failures are often traced back to a faulty DNS server. DNS servers provided by an Internet Service Provider, for example, are sometimes unreliable and can experience outages, resulting in a dns_probe_finished_bad_config (or similar) error.

To fix this problem, you can change your DNS provider to an alternative provided by public organizations like Google.

on Windows

1. To do this on Windows, right-click the Start menu and select Setting .

2. On the menu Setting select Network and Internet > Condition > Properties .

3. In your connection settings menu, select the option Edit .

4. Select Manual in the dropdown, then select the slider IPv4 . in the paintings preferred DNS Y alternative type the IP addresses for the appropriate replacement DNS servers (such as 8.8.8.8 Y 8.8.4.4 for Google’s public DNS servers), and then select Save to confirm.

5. Restart your PC to make sure the DNS server change is applied correctly.

on Mac

1. To do this on a Mac, select the apple menu icon > preferences of system in the menu bar.

2. On the menu preferences of system select Net choose your Internet connection from the side menu, and then select Advanced .

3. In the menu, select the tab . In the section DNS servers select the plus icon then type the IP address of a public DNS server (for example, 8.8.8.8 for Google). Repeat the process to add a secondary DNS server (for example, 8.8.4.4 for Google). Select To accept to save, then select Apply .

4. With the DNS servers changed, restart your Mac.

Disable third party tools

Various third-party tools or browser extensions could also impact your network connectivity, resulting in dns_probe_finished_bad_config error. This includes ad blockers, web censorship tools, antivirus software, and firewalls.

Due to the nature of how these tools and extensions work, it’s possible that they could interfere with certain websites loading in Chrome. If you suspect this to be the case, you will need to disable or remove them completely.

If they are installed on your PC or Mac, it should be a simple process to remove the software using the Windows Settings menu or via the Finder app. If the tool is installed in Chrome, you should be able to remove the extension directly by selecting the three dot menu icon > More tools > extensions in Chrome.

Troubleshoot Google Chrome

The above steps should help you fix “DNS_probe_finished_bad_config” in Google Chrome. However, if you are still having issues, you may need to switch to another browser to further investigate the issue or consider resetting Google Chrome to default settings.

There are other steps you can take if Chrome stops responding or crashes regularly, including reinstalling or switching to the Chrome Canary trial, though this may prove unstable. However, if you want to further optimize Chrome, you may want to enable certain Chrome configuration flags to help you do so.

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