If Chrome opens but pages spin forever, time out, or load with missing images, the problem is usually somewhere between Chrome and the internet. It may be your connection, DNS cache, a proxy or VPN, a security tool, an extension, or one broken website.
Does this affect you?
Use this for Google Chrome on Windows or Mac when Chrome itself launches normally but websites fail to load, load only partly, or load much more slowly than expected.
Check your connection and try a different site
First decide whether the problem is Chrome, one website, or the whole internet connection.
- Open a different website, such as google.com, if that is not the failing site.
- Try the same site in another browser or on your phone.
- If every site fails everywhere, restart your router by unplugging it for about one minute, then plugging it back in.
- If other apps and browsers also have no connection, contact your internet provider.
- If only one website fails, check it from another network or a status site because the website itself may be down.
Clear cache, disable extensions, and try Incognito
A bad cache or traffic-filtering extension can stop pages from loading correctly.
- Open an Incognito window with Ctrl+Shift+N on Windows or Cmd+Shift+N on Mac.
- Try the failing page there. Incognito usually runs without extensions.
- If the page works, open chrome://extensions and disable ad blockers, VPN extensions, privacy tools, and download helpers one at a time.
- Clear browsing data with Ctrl+Shift+Delete or Cmd+Shift+Delete.
- Choose All time, select Cached images and files and Cookies and other site data, then clear the data.
Flush DNS and clear Chrome network cache
DNS turns a website name into the server address Chrome contacts. Stale DNS data can make only some sites fail.
On Windows, press Windows+R, type cmd, press Enter, then run ipconfig /flushdns. On Mac, open Terminal and run sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder, then enter your Mac password if asked. In Chrome, open chrome://net-internals/#dns and choose Clear host cache, then restart Chrome.
More control
Check proxy and VPN settings
A broken VPN or proxy can route Chrome through a bad server. On Windows, open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy and make sure no manual proxy is enabled unless you intentionally use one. Disconnect VPN apps temporarily and test again.
Turn off graphics acceleration for rendering glitches
If pages seem blank or visually broken rather than truly disconnected, open chrome://settings/system, turn off Use graphics acceleration when available, relaunch Chrome, and test again.
Test security software
Antivirus and firewall tools can block specific sites or scan traffic in a way Chrome cannot handle. Disable third-party protection briefly only for testing, then turn it back on and create an exception if it was the cause.
Try another DNS provider
If your provider DNS is unreliable, switch to a known public DNS such as 8.8.8.8 in your Windows or Mac network settings and test the page again.
Sources
- Google Chrome Help – Fix a webpage that is not loading (2025)
- Google Chrome Help – Fix connection errors (2025)
- Microsoft Support – Fix network connection issues in Windows (2025)