Devices can’t reach sites with .local domain

Environment

Android devices that installed a Google System update after November 2021.

Overview

Device users are unable to access sites that have a .local domain.

Cause

Due to changes in the Android DNS Resolver module, the .local domain is resolved according to the mDNS protocol. Consequently, any unicast domain name with .local can’t be resolved.

As of April 2022, the Android system prevents VPN and mobile data connections from resolving .local domains.

Resolutions

There are two available solutions:

• Avoid using the .local domain
• Update the Google Play Store app on the device

Avoid .local domain

The first solution is to change the local domain name to another name instead of .local, or use an IP address. For more information, see Private DNS Namespaces.

Update Google Play Store app

For Android 10 and higher devices, another solution is to update the Google Play Store app. Starting April 19, 2022, Google is rolling out an update to the Android system that resolves the .local domain issue. As this is a phased rollout, you might need to wait for your devices to update automatically. Please allow 10–14 days for the update to be available on all devices.

To immediately apply the update without waiting, you can manually update the Google Play Store app on the device:

1. In the Google Play Store app, tap the account profile picture.

2. Tap Settings > About.

3. Under Play Store version, tap Update Play Store.

Additional information

To check the Google System version on a device, go to Settings > About Phone > Software Information > Google Play system update.

To check the module metadata version, capture a dumpstate log and search for Module Metadata version.