The err_connection_timed_out error is very common among Chrome users. It is an error that occurs when a script on a website exceeds the maximum timeout value that had been set by the site’s owner. If the server does not come back with a response for 30-60 seconds, the connection will be refused and this message will appear. The script might still run in the background, but the client will not see the page load.
The heading of the error message screen will either say “This site can’t be reached” or “This webpage is not available”.
What causes the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Google Chrome?
There are a number of problems which can cause this error, for example:
- limited Internet connection
- invalid URL
- server delay or error
- incorrect settings
Unfortunately, the error message itself does not give you any info as to what is the cause, all you can do is try different solutions and hope that one of them will work.
Proven methods to fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error
We will start with simpler, more obvious methods and move towards more complicated ones, so it is recommended to try them in this order.
Restart your router
Unplug your router’s power cord. Wait 30 seconds before you replug it. Check if the error has cleared.
Make sure your Chrome is up-to-date and the right version
An outdated browser can cause compatibility issues and errors like “err_connection_timed_out”. To check your Chrome version do the following:
- Click on the Menu button, then Help>About Google Chrome.
- This will automatically make Chrome check for updates. If there is an update to install, you will have to restart Chrome.
Check if this solved your problem. If it didn’t, you will need to take more steps to fix it.
Clear browsing data and cache
- Click on the Menu button, then select More tools> Clear browser data.
- From the drop-down menu, select All time.
- Check all 3 checkboxes, then click on Clear data.
If this did not clear the error, there is probably something wrong with the settings. Try the following options.
Check Firewall and antivirus settings
Firewall and antivirus software will protect you, but sometimes they fuss unnecessarily over content they find dangerous, and that can cause the “err_connection_timed_out” error that you see in the browser. If you trust the website, you can try disabling this protection temporarily. Here is how to do it in Windows 10:
- Type “firewall” in the search bar and click Open.
- Click Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
- Uncheck Block all incoming connections under Windows Defender Firewall.
- Click OK. Check if you can access the website now. If this is not the case, repeat the steps, but instead of unblocking connections, disable the firewall entirely.
If you are using a third party antivirus, disable that too, then check if you can now access the desired website. If this didn’t solve the problem, time to look at your computer’s settings.
Disable extensions
Chrome extensions are products of third parties, not of Google itself. This means that not all of them are reliable, and sometimes they can cause you issues such as the “err_connection_timed_out” error you are trying to solve.
- Click on the Menu button, then choose More tools>Extensions.
- Make sure all your extensions are up to date.
- Disable all of them, then check if the website loads. If it does, one of your extensions is to blame. Turn them on one by one to find the culprit, then remove that one.
If this didn’t solve your problem, the best you can do is to reinstall Chrome.
Disable proxy settings
Proxy servers help you protect your privacy by acting as an intermediary between your browser and other web servers. They allow you to go online while keeping your IP address secret, and filtering communication between servers.
However, the web server might reject the proxy server based on its IP address, leading to the err_connection_timed_out error. Even if the proxy is functioning correctly, faulty configurations or errors are possible. This is why it’s worth disabling the proxy temporarily.
Chrome has an easy way for you to do that.
- Click on Menu>Settings.
- Choose System under Advanced.
- Click Open proxy settings. This will take you to the settings of your computer.
- Toggle the Use a proxy server into Off.
Check if the error persists. If so, you will need to dig deeper into your computer’s settings.
Disable IPv6
IPv6 is a communication protocol on the internet. It is the most recent version currently available, and it is intended to replace IPv4 one day. The two protocols, however, are not interoperable, therefore it can cause issues with connections.
This is how you can disable IPv6 to check if this is the culprit:
- Click the Start button, then in the search bar, type “ncpa.cpl” and click Run as administrator.
- You will have to confirm your choice.
- The Network Connections window appears. Right-click on the connection you are using, then choose Properties.
- Uncheck the box next to Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).
- Click OK.
- Restart your computer to apply the change.
Try if you can access the site now. If it still doesn’t work, there are still a number of options you can try.
Flush DNS
This method resets the IP address configurations of your computer. It is possible that the website you are trying to reach has changed. By clearing the stored data from your operating system you might be able to fix this error.
- Type „cmd” in the search bar at the bottom of the screen. This brings up the Command Prompt, where you can give direct commands to your computer.
- Click „Run as administrator”.
- The command line shows up. Type „ipconfig /flushdns” and hit Enter. This flushes the DNS and should then give you the message „Successfully flushed DNS Resolver Cache”.
- Then type „ipconfig /release” and hit Enter. This causes the DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server to take away the IP address assigned to your computer. We will get it back in the next step.
- Now type „ipconfig /renew” and hit Enter. This makes the DHCP server assign your computer a new IP address (quite possibly the same as the old one).
You can close the command prompt now. Try if the error has cleared. If this is not the case, you might have to change your DNS server, as it may have gone offline.
Change the DNS server
Your Internet provider probably assigned a DNS server to you automatically. However, this server may be temporarily down, or it may be overloaded which leads to the err_connection_timed_out error. In this case, switching to a more robust server will help fix your issue.
Here’s how you can change your DNS server:
- Click Start>Settings>Network & Internet.
- Select the type of connection you have (if you are not sure, check the Status menu).
- Click „Change adapter options”.
- You might see several connections. Right-click the one you are using, then choose Properties.
- Choose the Internet Protocol Version you have (IPv4 or IPv6). After you made your choice, click Properties.
- Change the radio button selection to „Use the following DNS server addresses” then insert the address of your chosen DNS server and press OK.
Some good and free DNS options include Google (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4), OpenDNS (208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220) and Cloudflare (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1). If you have been using one of these and you still got this error, try reverting to your internet provider’s default server, as sometimes that might fix the issue.
You have changed your DNS server. Try accessing the desired website now. If it still doesn’t load, you can change some Chrome settings.
Modify Windows hosts file
Every computer has a local hosts file, which stores the DNS entries mapped to specific IP addresses. This file may be edited incorrectly, preventing you from accessing the site you want to visit.
This method will only work if the error is related to a single website. You are advised to check if this is the case by trying to access a different website from Chrome. If you have this problem with only one site, take the following steps:
- First you need to make sure you are running your text editor as an admin. Click the Start button, then put Notepad in the search bar. Click Run as administrator.
- You will have to confirm your choice.
- Click File, then choose Open.
- Find the following location on your computer: C:\\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. Click on the hosts file and choose Open.
- Check that the website you are trying to access is not listed in the file. If it is, go ahead and delete it, then save the file.
Run in compatibility mode
The website you are trying to reach might have run into compatibility issues. To clear this error, take the following steps:
- On your Desktop, find the Chrome icon, right-click it, then choose Troubleshoot compatibility.
- In the window that pops up, choose Troubleshoot program.
- Check the option The program earlier versions of Windows but won’t install or run now, then click Next.
- Choose one of the Windows versions.
- Click on Test the program, which will open Chrome in compatibility version. Check if it works, then click Next in the troubleshooting window.
- If it works, click Yes, save these settings for this program. If the site still doesn’t load, you can go back and try with other Windows versions.
Try a VPN
Virtual Private Network (VPN) software allows you to connect to the Internet through a server in a different geographical region. If the website you were trying to visit is hosted in a different country, this might solve the issue.
Conclusion
The methods above should have helped you fix the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT error in Chrome. We hope this article has been helpful. Let us know in the comments what worked for you!