ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND is different from most Chrome connection errors. It usually means Chrome tried to open a file on your own computer, through a bookmark, shortcut, download link, or file:/// address, and that file is missing from the expected location.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Google Chrome and Chromium browsers on Windows or Mac when Chrome says This site cannot be reached with ERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND, especially after clicking a downloaded file, desktop shortcut, or bookmark.
Find out what Chrome is trying to open
The address bar tells you whether this is a local file issue or a normal web link.
- Look at the full address in Chrome.
- If it starts with file:///, Chrome is trying to open a local file, not a website.
- If it starts with http:// or https://, check for a mistyped or outdated website address.
- Reload once with Ctrl+R on Windows or Cmd+R on Mac in case the error was temporary.
Fix a broken local file link
A bookmark or shortcut may point to a file that was moved, renamed, or deleted.
- Copy the path after file:/// from the address bar.
- On Windows, open File Explorer, paste the path without file:/// into the address bar, and press Enter.
- On Mac, open Finder, press Cmd+Shift+G, paste the path, and click Go.
- If the file moved, move it back or edit the Chrome bookmark to point to its new location.
- If the file was renamed or deleted, remove the old bookmark or shortcut and create a new one from the current file.
Fix it when opening a downloaded or attached file
Use this when the error appears after clicking something from Downloads, email, or an app shortcut.
- Open Downloads directly with Ctrl+J in Chrome, or Cmd+Shift+J on Mac, and open the file from there.
- For program shortcuts, inspect the target path in Properties on Windows or Get Info on Mac.
- Repair or reinstall the program if an update removed the file the shortcut points to.
- If a PDF, download manager, or file-handling extension generated the link, disable that extension from chrome://extensions and try again.
More control
Check file permissions
If the file exists but Chrome still cannot read it, inspect file permissions. On Windows, use Properties > Security. On Mac, use Get Info > Sharing & Permissions and make sure your account has read access.
Reconnect missing drives
If the path points to a network drive, external drive, or USB stick, reconnect and mount that drive. Chrome will show this error if the drive is unavailable even though the file normally exists.
Do not sync local file bookmarks across computers
A file bookmark created on one computer usually points to a path that does not exist on another. Recreate local file bookmarks separately on each machine.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Fix connection errors (2025)
- Chromium Project – Net error list documentation (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Fix file and folder problems in File Explorer (2025)