Internet & Network / Internet Connection
How to Fix Some Websites That Won't Load on Windows
Quick answer
If only some websites fail, the internet path is probably up. Compare a phone and a second browser. If every device fails on that hostname, the site is likely down, check [DNS Lookup](/tools/dns-lookup) rather than resetting Windows. If only this PC fails, flush DNS, try a private window, then disable extensions. This is not [Wi-Fi connected but no internet](/guides/wifi-connected-but-no-internet), where almost everything fails.
Quick diagnosis
If several of these match what you see, you are in the right guide.
- Most of the web works; one or a handful of sites time out or never paint
- A site loads on the phone but not on the PC, or the reverse
- HTTPS warnings or a blank page on specific hostnames
- The site works in Edge but not Chrome, or only with extensions off
Possible causes
- The site or its CDN is having a problem
- A browser extension, cache, or cookie for that site
- DNS for that name is stale or filtered on this PC
- A hosts-file or security tool blocking the name
- IPv6 or MTU issues that hit some destinations more than others
What you need
- A second browser
- A phone on the same network
What this problem usually means
A total outage and a picky failure look similar only if you tested one site. Always test two or three unrelated sites (for example a search engine, a news site, and a bank) before you reset the network stack.
A partial failure is often local to the browser profile, a DNS answer, a filter, or that one website. It is usually not evidence that your router, Wi-Fi card, or Ethernet port is dying.
Before you start
- Write down the exact hostname and the error (timeout, DNS, certificate, HTTP 403).
- Note whether it fails in every browser. Browser-only failures are not Windows network resets.
Quick fixes
1. Second browser and a private window
Open the same URL in Edge if you use Chrome (or the reverse), then in a private/InPrivate window. If private works, cookies or an extension on the normal profile are the likely cause, not the router.
2. Phone on the same Wi-Fi
- Turn off mobile data on the phone so it really uses the same Wi-Fi.
- Open the exact same URL, not just the same company's homepage.
- Try one unrelated site that you know works.
If the phone also fails only on that URL, wait or check the site's status. Resetting Windows will not restore someone else's servers. If the phone works, keep troubleshooting this PC.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
Flush DNS for a stale name
One hostname can stick in the cache after the site moves. Flush DNS, then close the browser completely and try again. If many names fail after that, you have a broader DNS problem, DNS server not responding or change DNS as a test.
Extensions and filters
Disable extensions, especially blockers and "HTTPS everywhere" clones you do not remember installing. If the site returns only with them off, add an exception or remove the extension. For a scareware toolbar, see fake Windows security warnings and Chrome crashing if the browser is unstable too.
Hosts file, look, do not invent blocks
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts can map a name to a dead address. Open it in Notepad as administrator only to read. Legitimate entries are few. Extra lines pointing popular sites to 127.0.0.1 are usually leftover malware or a bad "blocker" list. Remove only lines you understand; do not delete the file.
A suspicious line looks like 127.0.0.1 example.com or 0.0.0.0 example.com for a real site you are trying to visit. Lines beginning with # are comments. If you are unsure, copy the file to the desktop before editing so you can compare changes.
Use DNS Lookup as a comparison, not a magic fix
The DNS Lookup tool can show whether public DNS records exist for a domain. If the tool finds records but this PC still cannot load the site, the problem is likely local DNS, browser, hosts file, VPN, or filtering. If the tool also finds nothing for a domain that should exist, the domain itself may have a DNS issue.
IPv6 and VPN edge cases
IPv6 or MTU problems can affect a few destinations, especially with VPNs, PPPoE, or unusual ISP equipment. Do not copy random MTU values from forums. Disconnect the VPN once, restart the browser, and retest. If that fixes it, repair the VPN settings instead of changing Windows network values globally.
Certificate and HTTPS errors
A certificate warning on one site can be a real intercept (broken date/time on the PC, or a proxy). Check Settings → Time & language if the clock is years off, certificates fail when the date is wrong. Do not click through warnings on banking sites. If the clock is correct and only one site fails, the site's certificate may actually be expired.
Where does the site fail?
Choose an answer. The next question appears below, no account or download required.
The site, its DNS, or the path from your ISP to that site is the likely cause. Use DNS Lookup. Do not reset Windows yet.
Profile, cache, or extensions. Try private mode. Chrome-specific instability is Chrome crashing or Chrome slow if the whole browser is sick.
Flush DNS, check hosts, then consider a DNS change on this PC only. Network reset is later, after those.
How to know the problem is fixed
The problem hostname loads in a normal (not only private) window after a browser restart. A different site you already knew worked still works, you did not "fix" it by breaking everything else.
If the problem continues
If many sites fail, you left this article's scope. Go to no internet. If Chrome itself will not start, that is Chrome won't open.
When this may be hardware failure
A few websites failing is almost never a bad Ethernet port. Hardware enters the story if the NIC errors in Event Viewer or every protocol fails, which would not look like "only this shop's site."
Common mistakes to avoid
- Resetting the network stack because one shop's website is down.
- Installing a VPN "just to test" from an ad and leaving it there.
- Disabling Windows Security to "see if the site loads."
Frequently asked questions
Why does ping work when the browser fails?
Ping uses ICMP and may hit a different front end than HTTPS. A site can block ping and still work, or allow ping while the web server is down. Trust the browser error more than ping for "will the page load."
Could MTU cause only some sites to fail?
Sometimes, especially on PPPoE or odd VPNs, large packets fail to some networks. That is uncommon on a default home Ethernet/Wi-Fi setup. Do not change MTU from a random forum value as a first step.
Should I edit the hosts file?
Only when you find a clear line blocking the exact site, such as a real hostname mapped to 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0. Do not delete the hosts file, and do not add random entries to force a site to load.
Written by Practical PC editorial team. We write practical Windows and PC troubleshooting guides for home users, students, and office workers. Guides are researched from official documentation and widely observed support patterns, then reviewed for safety and plain language. We do not invent lab tests, certifications, or first-hand repair experience we do not have.