ERR_NETWORK_ACCESS_DENIED Browser Origin: On your device Last updated 15 Oct 2026

Chrome: This site can’t be reached — ERR_NETWORK_ACCESS_DENIED (blocked by firewall or antivirus)

Something on your computer — usually the Windows firewall or antivirus — denied Chrome network access.

Exact message you may see Network access denied
Explore the map of this error Full error map →
Seen on: Chrome Windows

Meaning

The browser itself has no permission to use the network, or a rule blocks it for this destination. It often appears after a security-software update, a Windows reset, or when Chrome was added to a block list.

Common causes

  • Windows Defender Firewall or third-party firewall blocking chrome.exe
  • Antivirus web protection rule
  • Group policy or parental-control rule
  • Chrome profile or installation corrupted
  • Proxy/VPN software blocking the process

⚡ Quick fix

  1. Allow Chrome through the firewall (Allow an app through Windows Defender Firewall)
  2. Temporarily disable antivirus web protection to test
  3. Reinstall Chrome if only that browser is affected

Detailed fix by platform

Windows

  1. Control Panel → Windows Defender Firewall → Allow an app → tick Chrome for private and public
  2. netsh advfirewall show allprofiles to check profiles

Chrome

  1. Test with Edge or Firefox; if they work the block is specific to Chrome's permissions

How to diagnose

  1. Browser — Do other browsers work?
  2. Software — Firewall/antivirus rules for chrome.exe?
  3. Policy — Managed device?

🔧 Still not fixed?

Many errors look alike. If the steps above didn’t solve it, one of these is probably what you’re facing:

Where this error sits

Origin: On your device. Errors that are often confused with or caused by this one (click to open):

captive portal — Browser: This network requires you to sign in — captive portal (hotel, airport, café Wi-Fi) blocking HTTPS sites (Browser)captive portalDNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET — Chrome: No internet — DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET (DNS probe finished, no internet) (Browser)DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO…DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN — Chrome: This site can’t be reached — server IP address could not be found. DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN (Browser)DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NX…ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE — Chrome: This site can’t be reached — The webpage at https://… might be temporarily down. ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHABLE (Browser)ERR_ADDRESS_UNREACHAB…ERR_CONNECTION_ABORTED — Chrome: The connection was aborted — ERR_CONNECTION_ABORTED (software on your computer caused it) (Browser)ERR_CONNECTION_ABORTEDERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED — Chrome: This site can’t be reached — example.com unexpectedly closed the connection. ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED (Browser)ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSEDERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED — Chrome: Unable to connect to the proxy server. ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_FAILED (Browser)ERR_PROXY_CONNECTION_…ERR_NETWO…

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