How to Fix the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE Chrome Error (Full Guide)

Browsing issues prevent you from navigating the web, accessing your favorite websites, playing with your friends, and uploading important documents for work. All web browsers experience problems sooner or later, showing various error codes on the screen to let you know the nature of the problem. Even Google Chrome fails to work sometimes.

What does ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE mean?

ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE is a web browser error that can appear in Chrome and Chromium-based web browsers, such as Microsoft Edge or Opera. It means that, after sending data packets to a remote server, your computer is not receiving anything back (no response).

This error can occur on any platform, including Windows 10, Mac, Android, and iOS. It can be caused by various issues, but the most common one is that the website you’re trying to reach doesn’t exist or is down for maintenance. You have to wait it out and try again later or check if there’s a typo in the domain address.

Here are other possible causes for ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE:

• The website you’re trying to reach doesn’t exist, has a typo, its domain expired, or is currently down for maintenance
• Incorrect device or Internet connection settings
• Outdated web browser, operating system, or drivers
• Incompatible drivers, applications, or system updates
• DNS servers are malfunctioning
• Browser or system cache is full
• Your computer is infected with malware
• You have tried to reach the website too many times and your IP address is blocked

How to fix ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE on any device

Check out the following solutions to fix Chrome browsing errors. Before getting started, we recommend creating a system restore point.

1. Access other websites

If you can’t access a specific website, it could mean that it doesn’t exist, has a typo, or is currently down for maintenance. It might be necessary to clear your browsing cache or change your IP address in case the remote server is rejecting your connection due to too many requests.

However, if you get the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE error even when attempting to access other websites, this indicates a bigger problem with your web browser, device settings, or Internet connection.

2. Try another browser

It could be your application’s fault, whether you’re running Chrome or another Chromium-based browser. To quickly test this theory, try to access the same website using a different application, such as Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.

If you happen to have another Chromium-powered browser on your computer or mobile, such as Microsoft Edge, Opera or Brave, try using it, too. There might be a problem with Chromium if you get the same browsing error across all these applications.

3. Use Chrome on another device

The ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE error might not be tied to the remote server or Chrome but to your device. Try to access websites using Chrome on another desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone and see what happens. If the pages load without issues, your device configuration could be incorrect, which is good news since this can be easily fixed.

4. Run the ping command

The ping command helps you take a closer look at how your device attempts to establish a connection with the website you keep trying to access. For instance, it can measure packet loss so that you can figure out whether the remote connection doesn’t get established at all or is too slow.

You can run ping from Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows, as well as from the Terminal app on Mac. However, if you prefer a graphical interface, then we suggest examining some third-party ping applications. On Android and iOS, there’s no other way except installing ping apps from Play Store and App Store, respectively.

How to use ping on Windows 10:

1. Click the Start button, search for Command Prompt, and open this app
2. To ping the Google homepage, run ping google.com and wait for statistics
3. Observe the % loss shown at Ping statistics

How to use ping on macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu and select Applications
2. Go to Utilities and click Terminal
3. Run ping google.com and wait until the test is over
4. At Server ping statistics, check out the packet loss

Now, let’s analyze the results:

• 0% packet loss is great. It means that your machine can successfully reach the remote server, so you shouldn’t be getting any errors when trying to access that website. Your web browser could have incorrect settings or might not be working properly
• 100% packet loss is the worst case scenario. It tells you that not a single bit of data can be transferred between your computer and the remote server. There’s something wrong with your device, Internet connection, or the website
• Anything between 0% and 100% packet loss means that the connection gets established but isn’t stable because your device and the remote machine can’t exchange all information. The website exists, but there’s something wrong with your computer settings or Internet connection

5. Restart Chrome

It’s sometimes as easy as restarting the Chrome application to fix browsing errors like ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE. To do it correctly, though, make sure to terminate its processes before relaunching Chrome.

How to properly restart Chrome on Windows:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and select Task Manager
2. In the Processes tab, select the Chrome process tree
3. Click End task
4. Exit Task Manager to launch Chrome
5. Check if you can access websites now

How to properly restart Chrome on macOS:

1. Switch to the Google Chrome window
2. Open the Apple menu and click Force Quit
3. Start Chrome and check for browsing errors

How to properly restart Chrome on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps
2. Select Chrome and tap Force stop
3. Start the Chrome app and check results

How to properly restart Chrome on iOS:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and hold in the middle
2. Swipe left or right to select Chrome
3. Swipe up to the app’s preview to close Chrome
4. Start Chrome
5. Try to access websites now

6. Restart your device

If restarting Chrome didn’t do the trick, you should restart the device. A better idea is to hard-reboot it, in order to properly shut down all processes and services as well as to clear the temporary cache.

How to hard-reboot your device:

1. Shut down your Windows PC or Mac the traditional way
2. Unplug the power cord. On laptops and notebooks, make sure to also remove the battery
3. Now, hold down the power button for 20-30 seconds. On tablets and smartphones, hold down the power and volume down buttons at the same time
4. Put the battery back in the laptop or tablet
5. Reconnect your device to the power source and switch in on
6. After your operating system boots, check if you still have browsing errors

7. Reboot your router

In addition to rebooting your computer, you should restart your router to give a jolt to your Internet connection. It’s particularly useful for networks with dynamic IP addresses since restarting the router will change your IP address to something else.

So, if you can’t access a particular website because it rejects all requests from your origin, then modifying your IP should do the trick.

Here’s how to properly reboot your router:

1. Pick up and flip over your router to look for a small power button
2. Press and hold it for 10-12 seconds. If you can’t find it, just unplug the router from the power source and wait for that amount of time
3. Wait until your Internet connection is restored throughout your household
4. Try to visit the website now

8. Connect to another network

There might be a problem with the network connectivity. Try connecting to a different network to see if you can access websites without any more issues. If you’re in a public place, search for another open Wi-Fi network. It’s also a good idea to switch from wireless or Ethernet mode to 3G/4G mobile data plan (or the other way around) if possible.

9. Check for system updates

Browsing errors like ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE could occur due to obsolete or missing system features. To fix this problem, you should download and install the latest system updates. Under normal circumstances, your OS automatically checks for updates and prompts you to set them up. However, if that doesn’t happen on your device, here’s what you need to do.

How to update Windows 10:

1. Click the Start button, type Check for updates, and press Enter
2. If Windows doesn’t start the auto-search, click Check for updates
3. Wait a bit. If it finds anything available and doesn’t begin the download and install, click Download
4. Restart your PC after the update and check for browsing issues

How to update macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu
2. Select Software Update
3. Your Mac will begin checking for updates and downloading them right away
4. If prompted, specify the username and password associated with your administrator account to confirm the installing
5. Restart the device after it finishes, and try to visit websites now

How to update Android:

1. Ensure that your Android’s battery is at least 50% charged
2. Go to Settings > System > Advanced
3. Tap System Update
4. Android will reboot itself to finalize the update
5. Open the Chrome app and try to visit websites now

How to update iPhone or iPad:

1. Check the battery of your iOS device or plug it into a power source
2. Visit Settings > General > Software Update
3. Tap Download and Install
4. If there isn’t enough free space available, you might be asked to temporarily remove apps. Agree by tapping Continue since iOS will reinstall your apps later
5. Tap Install and use your fingerprint or passcode to confirm your identity
6. Restart your iPhone or iPad to complete the update
7. Launch the Chrome app and inspect results

10. Update Chrome

An outdated web browser might not be able to connect to certain websites if it doesn’t pass security checkups, resulting in error code ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE. By default, Chrome searches for updates and installs them every time you launch the application.

If that doesn’t happen on your computer, you might be stuck with an old version. However, you should be able to swiftly resolve this matter by updating Chrome.

How to update Chrome on Windows and macOS:

1. In Chrome, open the More menu
2. Go to Help > About Google Chrome (or, enter chrome://settings/help in the address bar)
3. The tool should find and apply any updates, unless Chrome updates are disabled
4. Restart Chrome after the update
5. Check if you still have browsing errors

How to update Chrome on Android:

1. Open Play Store
2. Tap your Google account > My apps & Games
3. In the Updates section, find Chrome and tap Update
4. If the app’s not on that list, it means that no new updates are available
5. Launch the Chrome app and inspect results

How to update Chrome on iOS:

1. Open App Store
2. Locate Chrome and tap Update
3. If Open is displayed instead of Update, there are no new updates
4. Fire up the Chrome app and try to visit websites

11. Clear browsing data

You might be experiencing page navigation issues due to the web browser cache, which can be easily emptied. For example, if you keep trying to access a specific webpage but can’t get around the dreadful error, you can hard-refresh the web browser by pressing Ctrl + Shift + R, Ctrl + F5, or Shift + F5 on Windows, or Shift + Command + R on Mac.

When it comes to all website pages, you must manually empty the cache of your web browser.

How to clear Chrome cache on Windows and macOS:

1. In Chrome, open the More menu and select Settings
2. Jump to the Privacy and security section
3. Click Clear browsing data (or enter the chrome://settings/clearBrowserData address)
4. In the Basic area, set Time range to All time
5. Enable these settings:
   • Browsing history
   • Cookies and other site data
   • Cached images and files
6. Click Clear data
7. Restart Chrome

How to clear Chrome cache on Android and iOS:

1. In Chrome, open the More menu and select History
2. Click Clear browsing data
3. In the Basic section, enable these options:
   • Browsing history
   • Cookies and site data
   • Cached images and files
4. Click Clear data
5. Restart Chrome

12. Disable browser extensions

Proxy, DNS and VPN extensions for Chrome take over your Internet connection settings within the web browser. If the IP configuration is incorrect, this could end up harming your browsing session and preventing you from accessing websites, resulting in error code ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE.

It can be difficult to identify the damaging extensions, so it’s a good idea to disable all of them in Google Chrome. Here’s how:

1. Click the More button to open a menu
2. Go to More tools and select Extensions (or enter chrome://extensions in the address bar)
3. Click the slider button to deactivate an extension. Do this for all of them
4. Try to access websites now

13. Use incognito browsing mode

An alternative solution to clearing browsing cache and disabling browser extensions is by navigating Google Chrome in incognito mode. It’s a privacy-based browsing session that prevents Chrome from saving your browsing history, information entered in forms, together with cookies and other site data.

Furthermore, incognito doesn’t allow extensions by default. So, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of deactivating your favorite extensions, the workaround is entering incognito mode.

How to use Chrome incognito on Windows and macOS:

1. Launch a normal browsing session in Chrome
2. Open the More menu from the top-right corner
3. Select New incognito window
   • Alternatively, press Ctrl + Shift + N

How to use Chrome incognito on Android and iOS:

1. Open the Chrome app
2. Click the More menu from the upper-right corner
3. Choose New incognito tab
   • Else, press Command + Shift + N

14. Restore Chrome to default

If you can’t access any websites due to Chrome settings, the easiest way to fix this is by resetting the entire browser configuration to default.

How to reset Chrome on Windows and macOS:

1. Open the More menu and go to Settings
2. Select Advanced
3. Click Restore settings to their original defaults (or enter the chrome://settings/reset address)
4. To confirm, click Reset settings
5. Relaunch Chrome and inspect results

How to reset Chrome on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Apps
2. Find and select Chrome
3. Tap Storage > Manage storage
4. Tap Clear all data and OK to confirm
5. Restart the Chrome app and try to access websites

How to reset Chrome on iOS:

1. In Chrome, visit Settings > Privacy
2. Tap Clear Browsing Data
3. Select all options
4. Tap Clear Browsing Data
5. Restart and check Chrome

15. Reinstall Chrome

It might be necessary to reinstall the Google Chrome application on your computer or mobile, in order to get rid of error messages like ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE. Here’s how to make it happen.

How to reinstall Chrome on Windows 10:

1. Press Ctrl + Alt + Del and open Task Manager
2. Stay in the Processes tab
3. Find and select Chrome, then click End task
4. Exit Task Manager
5. Click the Start button, type Apps and Features, then press Enter
6. Locate and select Google Chrome
7. Click Uninstall and again to confirm
8. After the wizard completes, download Chrome from the official website
9. Set up the browser, open it, and try to access webpages now

How to reinstall Chrome on macOS:

1. Make the Google Chrome window active
2. Open the Apple menu and select Force Quit
3. Launch the Finder app
4. Locate Chrome and drag it to the Trash
5. Type your username and password
6. Click Empty Trash
7. Download Chrome from the official website
8. Install Chrome and try to browse the Internet

How to reinstall Chrome on Android:

1. Open Play Store
2. Find Chrome and tap Uninstall
3. Restart your device
4. Open Play Store again
5. Search for Chrome and install it
6. Launch the app and inspect results

How to reinstall Chrome on iOS:

1. Tap and hold the Chrome app
2. Tap Remove App and then Delete App
3. Tap Delete to confirm
4. Open App Store
5. Search for Chrome and tap the cloud symbol to install it
6. Fire up the app and try to visit websites

16. Use the Internet Connections troubleshooter

If there’s a problem with your Internet connection, you can use the dedicated troubleshooter integrated into Windows 10 to scan your PC and fix common connectivity problems. Here’s how:

1. Exit Google Chrome
2. Click the Start button, type Settings, and launch this app
3. Go to Update & Security
4. Select Troubleshoot on the left and click Additional troubleshooters
5. Pick Internet Connections and click Run the troubleshooter
6. Apply any fixes to complete the wizard steps
7. Launch Chrome and try to visit websites now

17. Reset your network connectivity

It’s possible to easily reset your network settings by entering a few lines of code using Command Prompt or PowerShell on Windows, as well as Terminal on macOS.

How to reset network settings on Windows 10:

1. Press Win key + R, type cmd, and hit Enter to open Command Prompt
2. Write these commands (press Enter after each line):

   • ipconfig /flushdns

   • ipconfig /registerdns

   • ipconfig /release

   • ipconfig /renew

   • netsh winsock reset

3. Quit Command Prompt
4. Start Chrome and check for errors

How to reset network settings on macOS:

1. Press Command + Spacebar, search for Terminal, and open this app
2. Type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press Return
3. Specify your username and password if asked
4. Launch Google Chrome and try to access a webpage

How to reset network settings on Android and iOS:

1. Open the Settings area of your device
2. Go to General > Reset
3. Tap Reset Network Settings
4. Open the Chrome app and try to use it

On Android and iOS, you can turn on Airplane mode, wait a few seconds, and then switch it off to reset your network settings. Or, open the Chrome app, go to the chrome://net-internals/#dns address, and click Clear host cache.

18. Visit a website by IP address

When you access a website, you normally enter its domain name in the address bar. The role of your DNS resolver is to figure out what remote server you’re trying to reach by translating the domain name into an IP address. However, if your DNS resolver isn’t doing its job properly, you could end up with page navigation errors such as ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE.

If you don’t want to go through the trouble of fixing or replacing your DNS resolver to access a website on the spot, just cut off the middleman by directly entering its IP in the address bar. Just keep in mind that this workaround requires for a website to exist and for you to learn its IP address. And the easiest way to do that is by using the ping command (or by trying a Google search).

How to find out a website’s IP address using ping (Google example):

1. On Windows
   • Click the Start button, search for Command Prompt, and press Enter
   • Run ping google.com
2. On macOS
   • Press Command + Spacebar, search for Terminal, and open this app
   • Type sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder and press Return

The website’s ping address is shown in square brackets, next to the domain name. However, if the ping statistics return 0% packet loss, you won’t discover the IP address because the website doesn’t exist.

In the following steps, launch Google Chrome and type the IP in the address bar to load the website.

19. Use Google Translate as a proxy

An alternative way to access a website that blocks all connection requests from your IP address is by using Google Translate as a proxy. The website will load the page for Google which, in turn, will relay the message back to you.

Here’s an example:

1. Visit Google Translate
2. In the translation box, type or paste the website’s URL
3. Select the language in which you want to translate the website. Or, set the same language on both sides
4. Click the button that opens a new tab
5. Explore the website in Google Translate

20. Change your DNS servers

If your DNS resolver doesn’t work properly, you can change your DNS server configuration into something else. For example, you can use Google Public DNS, OpenDNS or Cloudflare. These services provide free and secure DNS servers that protect your system from DNS hijackers and speed up your Internet connection.

How to use Google Public DNS on Windows 10:

1. Make sure to log in to Windows 10 with admin rights
2. Click the network icon in the systray and select Network & Internet settings
3. At Advanced network settings, click Change adapter options
4. Select your Internet connection, right-click it, and go to Properties
5. Stay in the Networking tab
6. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties
7. In the General tab, select Use the following DNS server addresses
8. Set Preferred DNS server to 8.8.8.8
9. At Alternate DNS server, type 8.8.4.4
10. Check the Validate settings upon exit box
11. Click OK
12. Relaunch Chrome and try to visit a website

How to use Google Public DNS on macOS:

1. Click the Apple button to open a menu
2. Select System Preferences
3. Go to Network > Advanced
4. Select the DNS section
5. Click the + symbol and type 8.8.8.8
6. Also add 8.8.4.4
7. Click OK and exit
8. Start Chrome and check for errors

How to use Google Public DNS on Android:

1. Open the Settings area of your Android
2. Select Network & Internet > Advanced > Private DNS
3. Tap Configure Private DNS
4. Type dns.google
5. Launch Chrome and try to use it

How to use Google Public DNS on iOS:

1. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi
2. Tap i next to your Wi-Fi network to access its properties
3. Tap DNS and type 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4
4. Start the Chrome app and check for issues

21. Check your network drivers

You might have trouble with your general Internet connection due to your network device and drivers. For example, if you connected a Wi-Fi adapter into your PC, perhaps the device was not properly installed. In that case, you should be able to fix the problem by unplugging and reattaching the Wi-Fi adapter.

Otherwise, your network driver could be obsolete, thus preventing you from going online and displaying the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE when trying to use Google Chrome.

How to update network drivers on Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Start button and go to Device Manager
2. Select your network interface, right-click it, and choose Update driver
3. Click Search automatically for drivers
4. If the search results don’t show anything, click Search for updated drivers on Windows Update
5. Restart your computer
6. Launch Chrome and try to use it

How to update network drivers on macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu and choose Software Update
2. macOS will search and download any available updates
3. Enter your admin username and password if requested
4. Restart your Mac
5. Open Chrome and check for errors

You can also use a driver update application to keep all your devices up to date, not just the network adapter. It scans all your computer’s devices, figures out which have obsolete drivers, and downloads newer versions from the web.

How to roll back network drivers on Windows 10:

If you have a driver that’s not compatible with your network adapter or operating system, you should immediately roll it back to the previous version, in order to undo changes and restore your computer’s Internet connection.

1. Press Win key + R, type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to launch Device Manager
2. Right-click your network interface and select Properties
3. Go to the Driver section
4. Click Roll Back Driver and proceed with the on-screen steps. If you can’t click it because the button’s greyed out, skip this step because you can’t complete the rollback (no previous driver exists on your PC)
5. Reboot your computer
6. Launch Chrome and check for errors

22. More ways to enhance your Internet connection

If your Internet connection is too slow, Chrome might show the ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE error on the screen when trying to visit a website that takes too long to load. Here are some suggestions to speed up your web connection:

• Move your device closer to the router
• Connect to the 5Ghz Wi-Fi connection if the router supports this feature
• Close all other applications that might be draining your network resources, including torrenting clients, streaming apps, and multiplayer games
• Kick other devices currently connected to your Wi-Fi network
• Temporarily switch from Wi-Fi to wired mode
• Connect to 4G cellular data

23. Disable your VPN or proxy server

VPN services and proxy servers change your network configuration to mask your IP address and geo-location, protect your privacy, and help you access blocked websites. However, if the settings are incorrect, they will likely render your Internet connection useless.

To fix this problem, simply turn off your VPN or proxy before attempting to use Chrome. We already talked about uninstalling Chrome plugins, so follow those steps if you have VPN or proxy extensions set up.

If you have native VPN or proxy apps, just disable them. Since Chrome doesn’t have integrated proxy settings like Firefox, it uses your system-wide proxy configuration. So, if you have manual VPN or proxy connections set up, here’s how to turn them off.

How to disable VPN and proxy on Windows 10:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Network Connections
2. Select VPN on the left part of the window
3. If there’s a VPN connection established, select it and click Disconnect
4. Switch to Proxy on the left side
5. Make sure that Automatically detect settings and Use setup script are disabled
6. Scroll down and ensure that Use a proxy server is also deactivated

How to disable VPN and proxy on macOS:

1. Open the Apple menu and pick System Preferences
2. Go to Network > VPN
3. If you have an active VPN connection, select it and click Disconnect
4. Now, choose your Internet connection and click the Advanced button
5. Select Proxies and turn off all proxy settings
6. Click OK

How to disable VPN and proxy on Android:

1. Go to Settings > Network > VPN
2. If there’s an active VPN connection, turn it off
3. Tap and hold your Internet connection
4. Choose Modify network
5. Select Show advanced options and set Proxy to None

How to disable VPN and proxy on iOS:

1. Head over to Settings > General > VPN
2. Disable any ongoing VPN connection
3. Pick your Wi-Fi and open its advanced settings
4. Set HTTP Proxy to Off

24. Use a premium VPN

If you’re keen on using a VPN, drop any freebies you might be experimenting with, in exchange for a reliable service that won’t let you down, such as NordVPN. With over 4400 servers spread across more than 60 countries, it’s one of the best VPNs in the world.

NordVPN has super-secure VPN servers optimized for streaming, torrenting, gaming, and secure browsing. It comes with a built-in malware blocker for web browsers called CyberSec, along with support for the OpenVPN and NordLynx protocol (a modded version of WireGuard).

Furthermore, NordVPN has proprietary DNS servers, an emergency kill switch, and a Smart DNS service that lets you watch Netflix US on devices without native VPN support, such as gaming consoles and Smart TV.

The virtual private network app can be installed on all popular platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Chrome, and Firefox. It allows up to 6 simultaneous connections but, if you install it on your router in OpenVPN mode, you can share VPN access with all devices connected to your Wi-Fi network. Discover more in our NordVPN review.

25. Make an exception for Chrome in your firewall

Your firewall might not allow Internet access to Chrome. This shouldn’t normally happen because Chrome changes your firewall settings automatically during installation. But you should check your firewall configuration nonetheless. Unless you have a third-party firewall app installed, you have to change Windows Defender settings.

How add a firewall exception for Chrome on Windows 10:

1. Make sure to log in to Windows 10 with elevated rights
2. Press the Win key, type firewall, and select Firewall & network protection
3. Click Allow an app through firewall
4. Click Change settings
5. Look for Chrome on this list. If you can’t find it, click Allow another app > Browse and search for the Chrome’s launcher file (on 64-bit Windows, it’s in C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe if you installed Chrome in the default location)
6. Once Google Chrome is added to the list, check its box, together with the Private and Public boxes
7. Click OK and exit
8. Launch Chrome and check for errors

26. Clear temporary system files

Windows stores temporary data in its cache to access files faster and improve your computer experience. However, if the data cache doesn’t get regularly cleared, you might end up with browser functionality issues and error codes like ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE on Chrome.

To clear temporary system files, you can turn to a third-party application like CCleaner. But if you don’t want to install any programs, you can use the Disk Cleanup utility that’s built into Windows.

How to use Disk Cleanup on Windows 10:

1. Click the Start button, search for Disk Cleanup, and press Enter to open this app
2. Select the drive where Windows is installed (default is C:) and click OK
3. At Files to delete, select the following options:
   • Downloaded Program Files
   • Temporary Internet Files
   • Temporary files
4. Uncheck everything else
5. Click Clean up system files (you need admin rights)
6. Pick the Windows drive again and wait until the file search is over
7. Select the next options:
   • Downloaded Program files
   • Temporary Internet Files
   • Temporary files
8. Uncheck everything else
9. Click OK and Delete Files to confirm

27. Check your PC for malware

It’s a good idea to run a malware scan and remove any infected files that might be causing Internet connectivity issues. Unless you have a third-party antivirus solution installed, you can use Windows Defender.

How to use Windows Defender:

1. Press the Win key, search for Windows Security, and launch this app
2. Head over to Virus & threat protection
3. Click Scan options
4. Choose Quick scan and click Scan now
5. If the scan results don’t show any threats, run another scan after selecting Windows Defender Offline scan
6. Make sure to remove or quarantine any infected files found by Defender
7. Restart your computer and try to use Chrome now

28. Run a clean boot

If your startup programs were infected with viruses, you can run a clean Windows 10 boot to stop all applications scheduled to launch automatically every time you turn on your computer.

How to clean boot Windows 10:

1. Press Windows key + R, type msconfig, and hit Enter to open the System Configuration app
2. Stay in the General tab
3. At Startup selection, select Selective startup
4. Uncheck Load system services and Load startup items
5. Click Apply and exit
6. Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager
7. Go to the Startup section
8. Disable all apps with the Enabled status
9. Restart your computer and try to use Chrome now

29. Start Windows 10 in Safe Mode

Yon can start Windows 10 in Safe Mode to also disable scheduled services in addition to startup applications, which might be preventing your web browser from operating normally. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the Windows 10 Start menu
2. Click the power button, press and hold Shift, then click Restart. This will restart Windows in troubleshooting mode
3. Select Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings
4. Click Restart
5. Press F5 to boot Windows in Safe Mode with networking
6. After Windows starts, launch Chrome and try to use it

30. Check IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity

Some users have trouble connecting to the Internet using an IPv4 address when IPv6 is enabled on their PC. Normally, these two shouldn’t clash. But it doesn’t hurt to turn off your IPv6 connection if your network doesn’t support IPv6 connections. Here’s how to make it happen:

1. Make sure to log in to Windows 10 using an administrator account
2. Right-click the Start button and select Network connections
3. Click Change adapter options
4. Choose your Internet connection, right-click it, and select Properties
5. In the Networking tab, check the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) box
6. Uncheck the Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6) box
7. Click OK and exit
8. Launch Chrome and check for errors

31. Review the Hosts file

Anyone with administrative privileges to your computer can block access to any websites by editing the Hosts file. So it’s a good idea to open this file, check it, and delete any lines of text that might be preventing you from visiting your favorite pages.

1. Press Win key + E to launch Windows Explorer
2. Enter the following in the address bar to visit this location:

   C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

3. Create a backup of the current hosts file by copying and pasting it in a safe folder
4. Open the hosts file with Notepad (with admin rights)
5. Search for any lines of text that contain the domain you’re trying to visit in Chrome
6. Delete those lines and save the new hosts file by pressing Ctrl + S
7. Exit Notepad and Windows Explorer
8. Open Chrome and check for errors

32. Uninstall recent software

Google Chrome might be affected by software applications you recently installed and which aren’t compatible with your operating system. You should be able to solve this problem by uninstalling those programs. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Right-click the Start button and select Apps and Features
2. Set Sort by to Install date to sort the installed applications by date of installation (newest first)
3. Select the first program in the list
4. Click Uninstall and again to confirm
5. Proceed with the removal steps
6. Launch Chrome and try to access websites now

33. Uninstall system updates

Windows updates could also hamper your Internet navigation experience and cause browsing errors such as ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE on Chrome. You can tell if you started having problems after a recent system update. But you can restore the stability of your computer by uninstalling the guilty update.

How to remove recent Windows updates:

1. Press Win key + R, type appwiz.cpl, and press Enter
2. Click View installed updates on the left side
3. Click the Installed On column to arrange the updates by date of installation (newest first)
4. At the Microsoft Windows category, double-click the first update and click Yes when asked if you’re sure you want to remove the update
5. Restart your computer and try to use Chrome now

34. Use System Restore

For any other unforeseen software events which may have disrupted your Chromium-based web browser, you can roll back Windows to a previous checkpoint by using System Restore. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Make sure to log in to Windows 10 with an admin account
2. Press the Windows key, search for Control Panel, and press Enter
3. Select Recovery
4. Click Open System Restore
5. Choose a restore point from the list and click Next
6. Finalize system recovery and reboot your PC to see if it was successful
7. Launch Chrome and try to visit websites now

Browsing error ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE can be fixed

To recap, ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE is a browsing error that occurs on Chrome and other Chromium-powered web browsers, like Opera, Brave, or Microsoft Edge. You can try multiple approaches to fix this problem as simple as restarting the web browser, computer and router, updating Chrome and your operating system, clearing browser cache, and disabling browser extensions.

It’s also worth trying to restore Chrome settings to default, reinstall the web browser, troubleshoot the Internet connection and reset network settings, or change your DNS servers. Plus, you should check if your network drivers are obsolete or incompatible, disable any VPN or proxy services with broken settings, use a premium VPN, and check firewall settings for Chrome.

Other possible solutions include clearing temporary system files, running a malware scan and clean boot, starting Windows in Safe Mode, disabling IPv6, checking the Hosts file, uninstalling recent software and system updates, as well as using System Restore mode.

How did you manage to fix error code ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE? Let us know in the comments below.