The last thing you want to see when visiting a website is the dreaded, “This site can’t be reached” error. But don’t worry—it happens to all of us.

The good news? There are several simple ways to fix the issue and get back to what matters—whether that’s researching the best web hosting providers or catching up on important cat videos.

What To Do When a Website Won’t Load

Here are eight easy troubleshooting tips to try when a website isn’t loading—no tech experience required.

1. Refresh your browser

Start with the simplest fix—refreshing your browser. A single refresh might be all it takes to load the site successfully.

There are three quick ways to refresh most web pages:

  1. Click the circular arrow icon near the address bar.
  2. Right-click anywhere on the page and select Refresh or Reload.
  3. Click in the address bar and press Enter.

This works because refreshing restarts the browser’s request to the website’s server. If the original request timed out or got interrupted, a quick refresh may be enough to fix it.

2. Double-check the URL

If refreshing doesn’t help, look at the URL you entered. A small typo can block access to the correct site. For instance, typing .com instead of .io or missing a letter can send you to the wrong place—or nowhere at all. Make corrections and try loading the site again.

3. Try another website

To determine whether the issue is with the website or your own connection, try loading a different site.

If other sites load normally, then the original one is likely experiencing problems such as server downtime, coding issues, or hosting errors.

4. See if the site is down for everyone

Even the most reliable websites can experience downtime. Use third-party tools like Downdetector, Down For Everyone Or Just Me, or Is It Down Right Now to check the site’s status.

If the site is down for everyone, all you can do is wait. Chances are the website’s team is already working to fix it.

5. Test your internet connection

If other sites won’t load either, your internet connection might be the problem. Here’s how to check:

  1. Check your Wi-Fi: Click the internet icon near your system clock. See if Wi-Fi is turned on and connected. If not, choose your network and reconnect.
  2. Restart your modem and router: Unplug both devices for 30 seconds, then plug them back in. Wait a minute for the connection to fully restore.
  3. Call your internet provider: If problems persist, contact your ISP to check for outages or service issues in your area.

Wondering what causes your internet to go down? Here are a few possibilities:

  • Bad weather: Storms or high winds can interrupt service.
  • ISP issues: Your provider’s servers may be down or undergoing maintenance.
  • Hardware problems: Modems and routers can fail or temporarily lose signal.
  • Firewall or antivirus settings: These may be interfering with your connection.

6. Use a different browser

If your internet connection is stable and other websites work, the problem might be your browser or one of its settings or extensions.

Most websites are built to work across all modern browsers—but sometimes incompatibilities occur. Try using an alternate browser to see if the issue persists.

If you don’t already have another browser installed, download one like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome. They’re free and widely supported. Just click the download button and follow the install steps.

7. Turn off browser extensions

Browser extensions can enhance your browsing experience—or break websites. Some extensions interfere with scripts or block essential page elements.

If a page isn’t loading, try disabling your extensions one by one and reloading the site after each. That way, you can isolate the culprit.

To manage extensions, click their icons near the address bar or the puzzle piece icon to view all of them. Many have on/off toggles.

If an extension consistently causes issues across multiple websites, consider removing it and searching for an alternative with similar features.

Manage extensions in google chrome with red arrow pointing to puzzle piece where extensions are hidden and red arrow pointing to manage extension option.

8. Clear your browser cache

Your browser saves temporary files (cache) to help sites load faster. But sometimes, these files become outdated or corrupted, preventing the site from loading.

Clearing your cache forces the browser to fetch fresh content directly from the server—often fixing the problem.

To clear the cache, go to your browser’s Settings ? Privacy and Security ? Clear browsing data or Clear cache. Then refresh the website to check if it loads.

Privacy & Security tab in Google Chrome with red arrow pointing to this tab and red arrow pointing to Clear Data option.
Clear Data window with box checked to clear Cached Web Content and a button to either Clear or a button to Cancel.

If you’re not sure where to find the setting, open your browser’s menu, head to settings, and search for the word cache.

Most browsers allow you to clear cache without deleting saved passwords. Use that option so you don’t lose access to your accounts.

Final Thoughts

A website that won’t load is frustrating—but most of the time, it’s fixable. Bookmark this page for future reference, or better yet, download it so you’ll still have access when the internet isn’t cooperating.