You haven’t made any changes to your computer recently, but you started your PC, connect to your network, and you get the Localhost refused to connect error on your chrome browser. You try other browsers to check if Chrome is the issue, Edge, Firefox, and even Internet Explorer all returned the same error.
In another case, we saw this error message when trying to use the Chrome web browser and Wampserver to locally host a website. The ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED comes up mostly when we try to access the website using the localhost address in Chrome but isn’t the case when we use Internet Explorer to try checking the webpage.
What could be wrong? And are there any ways around the Chrome Localhost Refused to connect issue on Windows 10? This article will be sharing some interesting ideas.
Chrome Localhost Refused To Connect on Windows 10? Possible Causes and Working fixes
In some cases, you get the Localhost Refused to Connect on chrome issue when your DNS isn’t pointing to the localhost address, 127.0.0.1. We have seen many users make this mistake, resulting in issues with chrome. Another possible issue will be the clashing of firewalls and drivers on your machine. In some cases, installing and updating the correct network drivers help to fix the issue.
In few cases, IP connectivity is less of an issue, as the Localhost is clearly refusing a connection that exists so our problem-solving wouldn’t have a lot to do with the server. For the everyday user, if no other browsers on your machine are working, the probable culprit will be the network, so check the network status on your computer and other connected devices.
Fix 1. Restart the router
If you’re dealing with this, you might check other connected devices to see if they are having the same issues. In few situations, turning OFF the router >> unplugging from the power source >> leaving for 30 seconds >> and then restarting has fixed many browser-related issues.
Fix 2. Clear browser data
Browser data like the history of visited websites, cookies, and static content are continually saved so that web pages are loaded quicker the next time you try to access them. If this data is outdated, it could cause issues in your browser. Clearing browser data has been found as a very effective way to fix the Localhost Refused to Connect error. Just click here if you’d like to try clear some chrome browser data.
Fix 3. Disable Firewall and antivirus
Firewalls and Antivirus software sometimes block malicious-looking web pages, they also filter traffic, and while these are important to your computer, they sometimes block pages you don’t want them to. If you are working on a project and you’d need to access a locally hosted website, we recommend disabling both the firewall and antivirus while you call up the project. If the project is accessible now, you just need to whitelist the said project on your antivirus and firewall.
Fix 4. Change the Port number
Changing the port number has fixed the Localhost Refused to Connect for many who are using Visual Studio on Windows 10. To change the port number, go to Project Properties >> Web >> Servers >> Project URL. This has worked for many as we noticed they are experiencing a conflict with that specific port number being used, and the site goes back up as soon as the port number changes.
Read also: Throttlestop CPU Not Supported – Working Fixes
Fix 5: Disable Chrome network extension
While not very common. The chrome extension that controls networking may be having issues. Try disabling it and testing to see if things normalize. If it doesn’t work, you might need to have it re-enabled.
Fix 6: Update SSL certificate
As simple as this may look, an invalid SSL certificate may be the reason why you’re getting the Chrome Localhost Refused to Connect on Windows 10 error. If your Localhost domains are https, you should check if the SSL certificates are still active, if not, renew and re-add them to the keychain.
Fix 7. Correct Apache syntax errors
Apache syntax errors could actually be a culprit in very rare cases, hence we leaving it down the list of things to check out if your Localhost isn’t connecting. Try running HTTPd –t to check syntax. We also recommend having the domain showing in the vhosts HTTPd –t –D DUMP_VHOSTS.
Fix 8. Reinstall Windows 10
If none of these fixes this for you, a complete deletion and reinstall of Windows 10 might be the way to go. We have tried to mention all possible culprits, but if you can’t place a finger on what could be wrong. Reinstalling the operating system will overhaul all settings and let you start anew.
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John follows everything happening in the tech industry, from the latest gadget launches to some of the big-name moves in the industry. He covers opinionated pieces and writes on some of the biggest names in the industry. John is also a freelance writer, so he shares articles on freelancing every now and then. email: john@tekpip.com Learn more about tekpip and the team here on our about us page.