GitHub Not Opening? Here is Why Is GitHub Not Loading on My Browser

You are ready to push your latest code, merge a critical pull request, or simply check a repository, but the screen stays blank. The loading spinner keeps spinning, or you see a “This site can’t be reached” error. It is frustrating, especially when you have a deadline.

If you are asking, “Why is GitHub not loading on my browser?” you are not alone. This issue happens frequently to developers, especially here in India, due to a mix of ISP glitches, browser cache conflicts, or simple server outages.

This guide will walk you through exactly how to fix this, starting from the easiest checks to the more technical solutions.

First: Is GitHub Down for Everyone or Just You?

Before you start changing your browser settings, you need to confirm if the problem is on your end. GitHub servers are generally stable, but they do have bad days.

Go to GitHub Status (githubstatus.com). If you see red bars or “Major Outage” notifications, stop troubleshooting. You just have to wait for their engineering team to fix it.

However, if all systems are “Operational” and green, the problem is definitely on your machine or network.

Note: GitHub outages are usually temporary.
If GitHub appears down, it may be due to regional issues,
browser cache, or network problems.
Always verify using the official GitHub status page.

The “India Fix”: Changing Your DNS

This is the most common reason for Indian users. Sometimes, local Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Jio, Airtel, or ACT Fibernet have trouble resolving GitHub’s specific content domains (like raw.githubusercontent.com). Or, there might be a temporary block or routing issue in your region.

The quickest fix is to stop using your ISP’s default DNS and switch to Google’s Public DNS.

For Windows Users:

1. Open Control Panel and go to Network and Sharing Center.
2. Click on your active connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
3. Select Properties and find Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
4. Select “Use the following DNS server addresses” and enter:
   • Preferred DNS: 8.8.8.8
   • Alternate DNS: 8.8.4.4
5. Click OK and refresh your browser.

If GitHub loads immediately after this, your ISP’s routing was the culprit.

Browser-Specific Solutions

If your internet is fine but GitHub is still acting up, your browser might be “confused” by old data.

1. Hard Refresh and Cache Clearing

Sometimes your browser holds onto an old, broken version of the GitHub login page. A simple reload isn’t enough. You need to force the browser to fetch new files.

• Windows/Linux: Press Ctrl + F5.
• Mac: Press Cmd + Shift + R.

If that doesn’t work, you need to clear the cache specifically for GitHub. You don’t need to wipe your entire history. In Chrome, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Site settings > View permissions and data stored across sites. Search for “github” and delete the data.

2. The “Bad Extension” Test

We all love browser extensions for ad-blocking or dark mode, but they often break complex websites like GitHub. An aggressive ad-blocker might accidentally block the scripts GitHub needs to display code.

To test this, open an Incognito Window (Private Window) and try to open GitHub.

• If it works in Incognito: One of your extensions is breaking the site. Go back to normal mode, disable your extensions one by one, and see which one is the villain.
• If it fails in Incognito: The issue is deeper in your system or network.

Advanced Network Troubleshooting

If the basic fixes failed, we need to open the command terminal. Don’t worry, these are safe commands to reset your network connection.

Flush Your DNS Cache: Sometimes your computer remembers a “bad” path to GitHub. You can force it to forget.

1. Press the Windows key and type cmd.
2. Right-click “Command Prompt” and select Run as Administrator.
3. Type this command and hit Enter: ipconfig /flushdns

Check Your Hosts File: If you have ever used a “blocker” program to stop distractions or modified system files for a project, you might have accidentally blocked GitHub.

• Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc and open the hosts file with Notepad.
• Look for any line that mentions “github.com”. If you see it, delete that line and save the file.

Why is GitHub not loading on my browser even after all fixes?

If you have tried everything above—DNS, cache, extensions—and it still fails, check your antivirus software. Some over-protective antivirus programs (like McAfee or QuickHeal) sometimes flag developer tools as suspicious because they download code scripts. Pausing your antivirus for 5 minutes will tell you if that is the cause.

Finally, try accessing GitHub from your mobile data (hotspot). If it works on mobile data but not Wi-Fi, the issue is strictly with your Wi-Fi router or ISP restrictions.

This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest GitHub server status.

Frequently Asked Questions