---
title: "DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Mac: cause and fix"
description: "macOS caches DNS in mDNSResponder, and a VPN or split-DNS profile can keep resolving the name against an internal server that has no such record."
canonical: "https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain/on-mac"
source: "https://lemwatch.com"
---

# DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Mac

> macOS caches DNS in mDNSResponder, and a VPN or split-DNS profile can keep resolving the name against an internal server that has no such record.

## Why it happens on Mac

 macOS caches DNS in mDNSResponder, and a VPN or split-DNS profile can keep resolving the name against an internal server that has no such record.

## The fix on Mac

 Run `sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder`, disconnect any VPN, then retry.

## If that didn't fix it

 Mac has its own failure mode, but DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN has a wider set of causes. The most common one overall is: The A or CNAME record for the hostname does not exist.

 Add the missing record at the DNS provider. Remember that the apex and www are separate records.

## Check your own domain

 The DNS lookup queries public resolvers directly and shows the A, AAAA, CNAME and NS records that actually exist — which instantly separates 'record missing' from 'my resolver is stale'.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN happen on Mac?

 macOS caches DNS in mDNSResponder, and a VPN or split-DNS profile can keep resolving the name against an internal server that has no such record.

### How do I fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Mac?

 Run `sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder`, disconnect any VPN, then retry.

### What does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN mean?

 The DNS lookup completed and the authoritative answer was 'this name does not exist'. Either the record is genuinely missing, the domain lapsed, or a recent DNS change has not propagated to the resolver you are using.


## Related

- [All causes of DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain)
- [All website error codes](https://lemwatch.com/errors)
- [DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Android](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain/on-android)
- [DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on iPhone](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain/on-iphone)
- [DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Windows](https://lemwatch.com/errors/dns-probe-finished-nxdomain/on-windows)
- [Free DNS lookup](https://lemwatch.com/tools/dns-lookup)
- [Website monitoring overview](https://lemwatch.com/website-monitoring)