Google Chrome has today become one of the most widely used and trusted browsers on the platform. Overall, it is one of the most brilliant browsers, but all good things have some flaws in it. In general, Browsers has a pretty restricted system to the users when it comes to controlling its functioning.
While it is mainly designed in this fashion to make the process hassle-free for the user, it can also make it difficult to carry out the troubleshooting process. This is exactly what makes the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error tricky to take care of.
Such errors can cause the user a lot of irritation and frustration because of how hard it is to figure out the cause of the problem. It’s not like it’s always impossible to find the error, if you’re lucky you can find it easily. But more often than not, it doesn’t happen that way.
The error “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” basically means that the access to the website you are trying to get to has been closed. And since it is almost impossible to find the cause of it directly through the browser, it does not really help in making the task of solving the error any easier.
Sometimes, the cause of the error may not even be Chrome but an altogether external issue. The details due to which the connection interruption happened is not revealed. Therefore, to make your life a little easier, we bring you this article with all the common methods that can help you fix the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” conflict.
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What Does ‘ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED’ Mean?
When the Chrome user is faced with an error “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED”, it is basically because the browser is unable to transfer the required data in order to connect to the website. This means that there is an interruption in your Internet connection. It could also be possible that access to a particular website is blocked by the internet service provider. It could also be just a problem with your internet service. The reasons could be one of many.
How to Fix The ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED Error
Since the page that displays the error on your screen does not show any more than the name of the error itself, it is difficult to figure out what is the exact cause of the error. Hence, it is difficult to state one obvious fool-proof solution when the reason can be one of many.
Nonetheless, there are various solutions that have deemed effective in the past for a number of users all across the world. Some of the most widely used and trusted methods are given below. Follow the steps carefully and see which one works for you.
Solution 1: Check Internet Connection and Restart Router If Necessary
This should be the first step you take before you head on to other complex settings of the browser to fix the issue of the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error. To do this, simply head to your Network and Internet settings. Here you will be able to see the network you are connected to and the status of the connection as well. If you can read the “Internet Access” sign, it means that your network connection is fine and there is nothing wrong with it.
Next, check to ensure that all the cables involved to your device are connected properly. You should also restart your router by pressing the restart button or unplugging it from the power connection for a couple of seconds.
Solution 2: Reset Network Settings
It may be possible that the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error is the result of connection issues. Resetting configurations to the network settings to default can solve the problem. This process needs the user to initiate command prompt as an administrator.
Step 1: Go to the Start menu and type “cmd” in the search bar. You will be provided with the cmd application in your search results.
Step 2: Right click on this option, which will give you a list of more options. From these, click on the “Run as administrator” option.
Step 3: Next, we need to reset the configurations of the TCP/IP. This can be done with the use of a simple Netshell command: netsh int ip reset
Step 4: Reset Winsock (Windows Sockets), which is an interface through which all the connections accessing the internet protocol run. It is also responsible for making the entries of all connections, both the established and failed ones in Winsock catalogue.
Step 5: Use the command prompt with the Netshell command: netsh winsock resetLastly, Restart your computer system and continue browsing the internet.
Solution 3: Disable Proxy Server and VPN Connections
Proxy servers and VPNs make it possible for the users to keep their anonymity while browsing the internet. These are wisely popular among users across the world and can deem to be very helpful at times. Although, these involve a lot of data transfer, during which it is possible to trigger some complications. If you are faced with this error during the usage of one of them, try to temporarily deactivate it.
Step 1: If you have been using a VPN, do not using it for a while. If you use the proxy server, deactivate it by going to the “Internet settings” via the control panel.
Step 2: Head to the “Connections” region. Here, search for the list of configured VPN. If a VPN connection exists, delete it by clicking on the “Remove” button.
Step 3: To alter the proxy settings, go to the “LAN settings”. Uncheck the “Use proxy server for LAN” which you will be able to find under “Proxy server”. This will deactivate it.
Solution 4: Clear DNS Cache
DNS server name resolution is a mechanism that converts the domain addresses into their numerical counterparts. Therefore, for every visit to a certain website, DNS server and the browser create DNS cache. If these become outdated or incompatible, it can sometimes bring up the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error.
To get rid of this, you need to do a process called DNS flush. This will entirely vacate the cache. Use the command: ipconfig /flushdns
Similarly, to clear the browser DNS cache, enter: “chrome://net-internals/#dns” in the address bar. The hidden menu “Net Internals” will open up. Click on the option that says “Clear host cache”.
Solution 5: Obtain Or Change DNS Servers Manually
Sometimes, if the server is malfunctioning or is completely down, it causes disruptions in the connection. Relocating to alternate server might possibly get rid of the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED”. Follow the steps mentioned below.
Step 1: Open the Network and Sharing Center or Press the Windows key +R. type in the term “ncpa.cpl”. This panel will redirect you to the network connection map.
Step 2: Right-click on the connection that is presently giving you internet access and click on “Properties”. Hunt for and open the “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)” to gain access to configuration settings tab.
Step 3: Try to locate the “Use following DNS server addresses” option. Now click on it, doing this you will be able to choose your server addresses.
Solution 6: Deactivate Firewall And Anti-virus Software If Necessary
Sometimes, firewalls, anti-virus software and real-time scanners can be a cause for the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error. Granted that they are very important and do a good job in keeping your network and system safe, incorrect configurations etc. can create such problems. You should see that these soft-wares are up-to-date. If it is, disable the firewall or anti-virus software for the time being. Make sure to re-enable them once your work is finished.
Solution 7: Malware Check With The Chrome Cleanup Tool
No matter how great your computer security program is, 100% safety from malware is rarely achievable. This means that there is always the slightest possibility that a malicious software has entered your systems and is hindering your system from running smoothly. Which means, it is a good suspect for the cause of the error. To deal with this situation, head towards the browser settings where the solution for detecting and removing malware is already present and is provided by Chrome itself.
Step 1: First, head towards settings by clicking the “Settings” tab.
Step 2: Next, tap on “Advanced” to get access to the advanced options. Go to the “Reset and clean up” option and then click the “Clean up Computer” button.
Step 3: Here, you will have the required clean-up related tools. Select “Search”. If the said clean-up tool detects a malware, Chrome will notify you. Then, you should ensure that you get rid of it immediately.
Solution 8: Deactivate Extensions and Delete Them If Necessary
The browser sometimes comes with a few additions, which are found in the Chrome store. These extensions can deem to come in handy many a times. They serve as building blocks to the better functioning of the Google browser. However, no matter their usage importance, they can at times create issues such as the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error. This happens mainly when the said extensions are no longer compatible or out dated.
To find out if an existing extension to your browser is causing the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error, deactivate it temporarily. For this, just head to the address bar and type in the URL given below.
“chrome://extensions”.
You will know that the extension/s have been the cause for the error if the web page you were trying to access opens soon after disabling the extensions. Once you find this out, go ahead and enable the extensions one by one until you find out precisely which extension was creating the problem. Then, once you spot the extension, you can discard it by clicking on the “remove” option.
Solution 9: Update Chrome
In order to make sure that your browser is updated to the latest version, all you have to do is enter the given URL in the address bar: chrome://settings/help
Chrome run checks on the browser to see if the latest version is installed. This can have two possible results displayed. In the first case, a message that says “Google Chrome is up to date” will appear. If not, it will spontaneously initiate an update. This will help avoid you getting disconnected in the future.
Solution 10: Reinstall Chrome
This is the last option you can resort to, if none of the above methods work out for you. You will have to uninstall the Chrome browser and reinstall it again. You should be aware that all your settings will be lost and set back to default.
Step 1: Open Control Panel. This is where you will be able to uninstall the original Chrome.
Step 2: Click on the option which says “Uninstall a program” or “Programs and Features”. You will now be provided with a list of the programs that are presently set up in your system.
Step 3: In the list of all the programs installed in your computer, search for “Google Chrome”. The list will probably be sorted alphabetically, so that will make it easy for you to spot Chrome.
Step 4: Select “Google Chrome” and select the “Uninstall option”. There will be an Uninstall button above the list of programs.
Step 5: Now spot the “Also delete your browsing data” box and check mark the box. This option is to delete your entire data before you can re-install Chrome all over again.
Step 6: Once the deletion is complete, it’s time to re install Chrome on your computer. For this, open a different browser and search for the Chrome website.
Step 7: When you reach the page, hover over to the “Download” option that highlights somewhere north of the page. Then click on the option that says “For Personal Computer”. You will be redirected to the Chrome download page.
Step 8: Select “Download Chrome”. It will now download the correct version for your Windows.
Step 9: Next, click “Accept and Install” to initiate the process of downloading. Finally, your Windows is likely to ask you to “Run”. Allow it to run so your computer can download the required installation files from Google.
Conclusion
Here’s hoping these methods listed above are of some help to you to solve the “ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED” error and make sure Chrome works smoothly on your computer. Make sure you follow the instructions and see which of the solutions solve the problem for you.
