Chrome shows "ERR_CONNECTION_RESET" / This site can't be reached

What you see: Chrome loads partway, then cuts the connection: "This site can't be reached… ERR_CONNECTION_RESET". Something ended the connection mid-handshake — the site, your network, or (most often) a local stack that's quietly corrupted. The plan below isolates which, in three minutes.

Step 1 — Rule out the site itself

Try the site on another device or a down-detector service. If it fails everywhere, the problem is on the site's side — nothing on your machine will fix it. Come back in an hour.

Step 2 — Restart the router, then test another network

Unplug the router for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and retry. If the error persists, connect your PC to a phone hotspot: if pages load there, your router or ISP is resetting connections — the rest of this guide won't apply until that's fixed.

Step 3 — Delete browsing data (Chrome's own fix)

Corrupted cache and cookies are Chrome's first documented suspect:

1. Click the Chrome menu ⋮ > Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data. (Current wording is "Delete" — the old "Clear browsing data" dialog was renamed.)
2. Time range: Last 4 weeks is enough; keep Cookies checked — you'll stay logged out of sites you visit, which is the point.
3. Shortcut: type delete browsing data in the address bar.

Step 4 — Test Incognito, then extensions

Open the page in an Incognito window (Ctrl+Shift+N). Loads fine? An extension — typically a VPN, proxy, or privacy blocker — is resetting the connection. Go to chrome://extensions, disable them one by one, and reload the page after each.

Step 5 — Check firewall and antivirus

A firewall or antivirus "web shield" can kill connections it doesn't like. Allow Chrome through Windows Firewall (add an exception rather than disabling the firewall), or temporarily pause the antivirus web shield to test. Never leave protection off permanently.

Step 6 — Reset the Windows network stack

The heavy hammer, and the one that fixes stubborn cases. Open Command Prompt as administrator (Start > type "cmd" > right-click > Run as administrator), run these three lines, then restart:

netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
ipconfig /flushdns

Still broken?

If every browser on this PC fails on every network, the Winsock stack may be damaged beyond reset: use Chrome Settings > Reset settings, reinstall Chrome, and if it persists contact your ISP — some reset errors are ISP-level interference, not your PC at all.

Related fixes

• Wi-Fi connected but no internet
• Windows Update stuck at 0% or halfway