What Is ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT (and ERR_TIMED_OUT) and How Do You Fix It?

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT is an error showing that the browser tried to connect to a website but received no response from the server within a certain time. Chrome then displays the “This site can’t be reached” page with the message “… took too long to respond” below it. In this guide we explain what the error means, why it happens and how to fix it step by step, both as a visitor and as a site owner.

What Does ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Mean?

When you open a site, the browser first translates the domain name into an IP address and then sends a connection request to the server at that IP address (usually on port 443 or 80). If the server does not answer this request within a reasonable time, the browser stops waiting and shows ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT. In other words, the request was lost somewhere or silently blocked; the server did not even say “no”.

This error is different from other connection errors that look similar:

Error	What is happening?
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT	No response came from the server and the wait time ran out
ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED	The server was reached but refused the connection (closed port or service not running)
ERR_CONNECTION_RESET	The connection was established but cut off midway
ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED	The domain name could not be translated into an IP address (DNS problem)
504 Gateway Timeout	The server was reached but the application behind it did not respond in time

For the case where the connection is cut off midway, see our article on the ERR_CONNECTION_RESET error.

How Is It Different from ERR_TIMED_OUT?

ERR_TIMED_OUT is also a timeout error, but it can also appear when the connection has been established and the server then takes too long to send its response. Chrome shows one of the two codes depending on the stage at which it was waiting; the causes and fixes are largely the same, so the steps below apply to both errors.

Causes of the ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT Error

• Internet connection or router problem: If the connection is down or very slow, requests do not arrive in time.
• Firewall or antivirus block: Security software on the computer or the network can drop the request without answering.
• Wrong proxy or VPN setting: A browser trying to go out through a proxy server that does not work gets no response.
• Old or wrong DNS record: If the domain resolves to an old IP address, the browser waits for a server that is no longer there. This is common right after a site has been moved.
• Server down or overloaded: If the server is not running, or cannot accept new connections because its resources are exhausted, requests time out.
• Port or IP block on the server side: The server’s firewall may have closed ports 80/443 or blocked the visitor’s IP address.

How to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT as a Visitor

First find out whether the problem affects only you or everyone: try opening the site on your phone using mobile data. If the site opens on mobile data, the problem is most likely on your network or device; apply the steps below in order.

1. Check Your Internet Connection and Router

See whether other sites open. If they do not, turn the router off, wait 30 seconds and turn it back on.

2. Clear the Browser Cache and Cookies

In Chrome, clear browsing data with Ctrl + Shift + Delete and try opening the site in an incognito window. If it opens in incognito, an extension may be causing the problem; try turning extensions off one by one.

3. Flush the DNS Cache and Renew Your IP Address

On Windows, open Command Prompt as administrator and run these commands in order:

ipconfig /flushdns
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
netsh winsock reset

Restart the computer after the last command.

4. Change Your DNS Server

If your internet provider’s DNS server is slow or faulty, try switching to a public DNS such as Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1). If DNS is the problem, our article on DNS server not responding may also help.

5. Check Proxy and VPN Settings

On Windows, if a manual proxy is set under Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy, turn it off. If you use a VPN, turn it off and try again.

6. Temporarily Turn Off the Firewall and Antivirus

Turn your security software off for a short time and try opening the site. If the site opens, allow it in the software’s settings and turn protection back on.

7. Check the hosts File

On Windows, if the C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts file contains an old IP address for the site’s domain, the browser goes to the wrong server. If there is such a line, delete it or put a # at its start.

How to Fix ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT as a Site Owner

If your site does not open from other networks and devices either, the problem is most likely on the server side:

1. Verify the DNS record: Make sure the domain’s A record points to your server’s current IP address. If an old record remains after a migration, fix it; the change may take some time to propagate.
2. Check that the server is running: ping the server and try connecting over SSH or remote desktop. If you cannot connect, the server may be down or its network connection may be cut.
3. Check the web server service: Verify that Apache, Nginx or LiteSpeed is running and listening on ports 80/443.
4. Review firewall rules: Make sure ports 80 and 443 are open in the server firewall (iptables, firewalld, CSF or a cloud security group). You can test whether the ports are reachable from outside with the methods in our article on how to check open ports.
5. Check blocked IPs: Tools such as Fail2ban or CSF can automatically block IPs that send many requests. If visitors complain, check whether their IP address is on the block list.
6. Monitor resource usage: If CPU, RAM or the number of connections is at its limit, the server cannot handle new requests. Review heavy plugins, slow queries and bot traffic; if traffic has grown permanently, upgrade resources.

If you often hit resource limits on shared hosting, a VDS server, which gives you full control over CPU, RAM and firewall settings, may be a better fit.

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT on Android and iPhone

If you see this error on a phone, switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, turn airplane mode on and off, and clear the browser app’s cache. If you use a private DNS or VPN app on the phone, turn it off temporarily and try again.

Conclusion

ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT shows that the browser could not get a response from the server in time. If the problem affects only you, flushing the DNS cache, changing the DNS server and checking the proxy, VPN or security software is usually enough. If the site does not open for anyone, check the DNS record, whether the server and web service are running, and the firewall rules.