Google's "Unusual Traffic" Error: What It Means and How to Fix It - MUO - MakeUseOf

Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More.

Error messages are a simple and convenient way to notify users that there is an issue with their device or software. You've probably encountered plenty of error messages over the years, but some are puzzling and difficult to bypass. Google's "unusual traffic from your computer network" is one of them. So what is it? And what can you do about it?

What Is the "Unusual Traffic" Error Message?

This error message can occur in any browser or device. You'll encounter it when you type a query into Google's search box and hit search, or when you use the address bar to find what you're looking for (if Google is set as your default search engine). It states:

Our systems have detected unusual traffic from your computer network. This page checks to see if it's really you sending the requests, and not a robot.

When you get this error message, your IP (Internet Protocol) address is displayed below, and there's also a timestamp showing when it occurred. To continue browsing, you need to solve the CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) and verify that you are not a robot.

Solving a CAPTCHA every now and again is obviously not an issue in and of itself. But here's the problem: more often than not, the error message will persist even if you solve the CAPTCHA. It will appear every time you try to use the Google...

Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.