How to Fix: ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT

Quick Fix

Try this first, it resolves the error in most cases:

1. Check that other websites load normally. If they do not, restart your router (unplug it for 30 seconds, then plug it back in).
2. If other sites load fine, the one problem site may just be down or overloaded, try it again in a few minutes, or open it in an Incognito/Private window to rule out extensions and cached data.
3. If it still fails, flush your DNS cache (Windows: open Command Prompt and run ‘ipconfig /flushdns’; Mac: open Terminal and run ‘sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder’) and reload the page.

Step-by-Step Guide

What ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Means

This error means your browser sent a request to a website’s server but never got a response back within the expected window. It happens when the target server takes too long to respond and exceeds the default timeout limit of 30 seconds, causing the browser to terminate the connection request and show this message. It means that a web page or resource you’re trying to reach took too long to respond, so the connection attempt was terminated due to a timeout. Different browsers phrase it differently: Microsoft Edge shows ‘Hmmm… can’t reach this page. Domain.com responded too slowly,’ and Safari shows ‘Safari Can’t Open the Page’ because the server hosting it is not responding.

Importantly, the ‘connection timed out’ error isn’t harmful, and it’s not a virus that can hurt your computer. It is purely a connectivity/networking issue, either on your side (device, network, browser) or on the website’s side (server overload, outage, misconfiguration).

Step 1: Confirm the Scope of the Problem

1. Try loading a few completely different, well-known websites. Browse other websites to check whether the same error appears on all sites. If other websites show the same issue, then there is a need to fix the browser or connection.
2. If only one site fails, check whether the site can be opened on another device. If the error appears there too, it is related to the server, and you just have to wait for the problem to be fixed. However, if the site opens on another device, most probably the cause of the error is on your side.
3. You can also test raw connectivity from Windows: open Command Prompt and run ‘ping google.com’. If you get ‘Request timed out,’ your internet connection itself is down; if ping succeeds but the site still won’t load, the problem is specific to that website or your browser.

Step 2: Basic Network Fixes (Do These First)

1. Check your internet connection. Check the internet connection first. It is important to keep in mind that the error can also be due to a very slow connection, not just a lack of one. Try to open different websites to be sure that your device is connected to the internet.
2. Restart your router. Unplug your router and wait for 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Your connection may be restored in a minute or two.
3. Check physical connections. Make sure the network cable and power supply of the router are firmly inserted into the connector.
4. If you’re on Wi-Fi, especially public Wi-Fi, unreliable connections in crowded public hotspots like coffee shops or airports could contribute to the error. Try switching to a different network (e.g., a mobile hotspot) to see if the site loads there, which would confirm an ISP-side issue.

Step 3: Browser-Side Fixes

1. Try Incognito/Private mode or a completely different browser first. This quickly rules out extensions and cached data as the cause.
2. Disable extensions. Go to Chrome > Menu > Extensions > Disable all extensions, try the site, then re-enable extensions one by one to find the culprit. Ad blockers and media downloader extensions are a common cause since they directly interfere with page content.
3. Clear cache and cookies. In Chrome, use Ctrl+Shift+Delete, select All time, choose Cookies, Cache, and Hosted app data, then Clear data.
4. Update your browser. Outdated browser versions can be incompatible, and obsolete software may cause the timeout error; updating ensures compatibility and includes bug fixes and performance improvements.

Step 4: DNS, Proxy, and VPN Fixes

1. Flush your DNS cache. On Windows, open Command Prompt as administrator and run ‘ipconfig /flushdns’. On Mac, use Terminal with the appropriate flush command for your macOS version. This removes any IP addresses or DNS records saved in the cache that could be preventing the connection, and fixes most connection problems.
2. Disable your proxy. On Windows: go to Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy, and find ‘Use a proxy server’ under Manual proxy setup and switch the toggle to Off. On Mac: go to Apple menu > System Settings > Network > Details > Proxies, make sure all boxes under ‘Select a proxy server to configure’ are unchecked, then click Apply.
3. If using a VPN, the error may occur because your ISP or firewall has blocked the VPN protocol you’re using — try changing the VPN protocol, or temporarily disable the VPN app entirely.
4. Check your hosts file (Windows path: C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts). The site you’re trying to reach may have been blocked using the hosts file; open it with Notepad (as administrator) and remove any suspicious entries pointing to the affected domain.

Step 5: Firewall / Antivirus and Network Adapter Checks

1. Temporarily disable your firewall or antivirus to test. On Windows 10, go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Firewall & network protection, select the active network, and turn off Windows Firewall. On Mac, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy, then on the Firewall tab press Turn Off Firewall. Remember to turn security software back on afterward and whitelist the site instead of leaving protection off.
2. Update your network adapter driver (Windows). Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Device Manager, right-click the networking device, select Update driver, then choose Search automatically for updated driver software. On macOS, regular software updates typically include network adapter driver updates.

Step 6: When It’s the Website’s Problem, Not Yours

1. If the site fails on every device and network you test, the server likely took too long to respond, which can be due to a slow connection, an overloaded server, or something blocking the connection on the server side.
2. If the server is overloaded, waiting 5-10 minutes often resolves it; if it persists for hours, the website likely has a serious problem on their end. In this case, there is nothing more you can do except wait or contact the site owner.
3. If you manage the affected website yourself (e.g., WordPress), the issue is often server-side: check for a misbehaving plugin or theme by renaming the plugins folder via FTP, increasing PHP max execution time, or checking for recent code changes, as a connection timed out error appears when your website is trying to do more than your server can manage according to WordPress support documentation.

Step 7: If Nothing Works

1. If the problem happens on every website, on every network, even after flushing DNS, disabling security software, and updating drivers, the issue may be deeper (corrupted network stack, ISP-level throttling or DNS problems). ISP throttling, network congestion during peak hours, or DNS issues on your ISP’s end can all cause timeouts — try a VPN to rule out ISP issues.
2. Contact your ISP and describe exactly which sites fail and what you’ve already tried.
3. If it is one specific site failing for everyone (check outage-tracking communities or the site’s own status page), this is a site-side outage; contacting the website’s own support is the appropriate next step, not further changes to your own device.