Google Chrome users on Windows computers occasionally encounter the error message "a network change has been detected." The problem can be a productivity killer, but it's generally not a major issue and there are several quick and easy fixes.

The message usually appears when the Internet connection switches from one network to another while you are viewing a web page or downloading content. This change confuses the browser and disrupts the current data flow.

While this error can be frustrating, you can usually fix it quickly. Try the following approaches.

Reload the page. Click the round button at the top of the Chrome window to reload the page. This is often the quickest and easiest solution. It forces Google Chrome to redownload the website content with the new internet connection.